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The smell of smoke invaded your senses. But something plush beneath you. Your ears ringing and a banging headache.
You forced your eyes open and saw... red. A red sky? You thought. That's weird. Then you heard voices. You Struggle to sit up, there's a couple standing in front of you. What the f-
"You alright dear?" The female looking one asked a souther twang behind her voice.
You looked around you still dazed. Underneath you a circle of bright grass. The rest of the 'grass' gray, burnt even. You looked at it confused.
"Dear?"
Startled you looked at her, "Yeah, I think I am... Am I dead?" You asked puzzled.
She nodded at you with a look of sympathy. "Yes, unfortunately dear" she spoke lightly to you.
You sighed and looked up, that's why the sky's red... I'm in hell. You looked back at her.
She smiled at you "I'm Sally and this grump is my husband John." He took a glance at you and huffed.
"(Y/n)" you said simply.
You continued to look around and saw a small house not to far, you guessed they live there. And beyond that, a large city. Fire was coming from it thought, so must not be peaceful.
You got a good look at her and her husband. They were Imps. Their horns big and curly. Sally had gray hair with a streak of black up in a bun, John was balding. What would be the white of your eye was Yellow, their pupils black. Sally wore a pink shirt gray cardigan and some black pants, John in just a flannel and kaci pants. There was a mark on Sally's forehead, some kind of tattoo? John didn't have one, strange.
"Would you like to come with us dear?" Sally spoke the souther accent pulling you away from your thoughts.
"Could I?" You asked wishfully.
She just smiled at you, holding a hand out. You took it and stood up. John grumped, mumbling to himself.
"Our house is just down ther', you can have a seat, some tea and tell us about yur'self." She kept a hold of your hand and started to walk.
As you walked the grass beneath you turned from ash gray to a vibrant Red. Like you were giving it life again. You looked down confused.
"You have powers my dear." Sally spoke as if reading your mind.
John followed behind you still grumping but also marveled at the grass.
~
The house was quaint. Kitchen and living room open to eachother. "You have a nice home" you spoke quietly.
"Have'a seat dear" Sally said gesturing to the sofa. It was adorned with knitted pillows, probably hand made by them. One was of the human moon. Some had hearts.
She walked over to the kitchen island "tea dear?" She asked getting a pot and some cups. "Oh.. yeah, if that's alright" you felt really comfortable. Sally had a mother aura about her.
"I shall put the kettle on then" she looked around to find John, him no where in sight. "Wait a sec dear." She walked to the front door and went out.
It was quite in their house. The sound of a clock and the electricity was all that was heard... Untill "John she's new! We have to help her!" You heard sally shout the souther accent really coming out. Making it difficult to understand her.
Then some grumbling from John. "They could help us! Since things are getting harder now..." Sallys words slowed.
A small "fine" was all John said.
They both walked in, sally smiling from ear to ear. "Righ', the tea should be done" she strolled over to the squeeling kettle.
John just sat in the armchair across from you. "so what did you do to be down here?" He said bluntly.
"John! You cant just ask that out of the blue!. That's rude" Sally defended you.
You chucked a little "No it's fine, you deserve to know..."
You fiddled with the hem of your shirt. "I think it's because I killed my now ex-husband..." You looked away, at the floor.
"It was out of self defence... He wasn't very nice to me for years..." You spoke quietly eyes tearing up. "If you don't want me here I understand that."
Sally stopped what she was doing and came over to you, taking your hands. "You ain't going anywhere." She spoke softly.
"Now let's drink some tea!" She said enthusiasticly.
~
You had talked for hours and hours. Learning things about the couple. The fact that they weren't actually sinners, they were born and raised in hell suprised you.
~
"Oh John, go get my handh'ld mirror. They don't know what they look like yet!" Sally exclamed. John grumbled and got up going up stairs to grab a mirror.
He came down with a full length mirror, not a handheld one.
You stood up " My appearance has changed? I don't feel different." You said to Sally. She just nodded to John to put it down in front of you.
You gasped. Long thin horns sat atop your head. "How did I not notice that I have a tail?" You laughed. The tail wagging as you talked.
You looked closer and saw that your ears were pointy, almost elf shaped. Your skin a gray, your freckles still prominent though. The whites of your eyes now black but your (e/c) eyes still the same. You're glad you kept them. You sighed.
"Not much of a difference..." You admired "This is going to sound vulgar but" you paused to look at Sally, "My body is still the same but my Ass looks bigger.." Sally laughed.
"Well ain't that lucky~, you'll be getting all the pe'ple lined up" Sally joked accent thicc.
John picked the mirror back up taking it away but not back upstairs.
Sally walked back over putting down a tray on the coffee table. The tray had 3 cups, a milk pail and some sugar looking things.
"Suga' dear?" She asked. Holding up the plate of sugar. You picked up the spoon and put your normal amount of sugar in your cup when Sally handed it too you. "Thank you"
You took a sip and sighed. It was delicious, rich and a hint of chocolate. "It's my secret recipe!" Sally exclamed. "You sure know how to make tea, I haven't had tea like this in ages" you said taking another sip.
"Do you have any hobbies dear?" Sally questioned sitting down next to you. You turned to her with your cup in hand occasionally taking sips. "I actually enjoy cooking a lot." You smiled at the thought. "You can help her' then" John pointed at Sally.
"Is my cooking that bad?" Sally joked. "Yes, you killed the dog" he joked back chuckling a little, Sally glared at him. "I'd love to help! Anyway I can just just say the word."
"That's very kind of you dear~" Sally placed her hand over yours. "What else do you like?"
"Well, you don't really get to have many hobbies as a stay at home parent..." You said timidly. "You have a child dear?" She inquired. "Yes, his name is (s/n). He was the light of my life.." you quietened down towards the end if your sentence.
You looked up at Sally to see and empathetic expression on her face. "How old is he?" She asked. "He is 3 in a few months". You smiled slightly leaning back. "He is my everything. I was told I couldn't have children, then here he appeared." Your smile widened at the memory. Sat at the doctor's thinking you had a really bad stomach bug, but turned out it was more than that.
"Where is he now, if you don't mind me asking?" Sally asked cautiously. "Yeah it's alright" you paused for a second released you had such good parents. "He's with my mum and dad."
"That's a relief, I'm glad you had good people around you." She said taking a sip from her cup.
"I did have some good eggs up there" you smiled.
~
You talked for a while before sally started to make dinner.
Sally stood in the kitchen staring some kind of soup, it smelt amazing.
"(Y/n)? How would you like to stay with us for a while?" She asked putting in some herbs in the pot. You turned to face her a little surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah, we could use help. Cleaning is seeming like a more difficult task now a day's" She said before taking a spoon and testing the soup. "speak for yourself" John piped in.
She turned around and pointed the soup ladle at him "you couldn't even take the mirror back upstairs." She shook her head. "I just didn't want too take it back." He shrugged.
Rolling her eyes Sally went back to starring the soup. "But yes, you are more than welcome to stay dear."
"I won't stay long, just till I can get back in my own feet." You replied. Sally chucked. "'tay as long as you need dear"
You sat back normally on the sofa, picking up your cup of tea and taking a sip.
~
"Dinner is ready~" Sally said in a sing song voice. John immedietly got up from his chair and sat at the small dinning table.
You stood up and walked over to the table. "That chair please" John said pointing to the one opposite him. You pulled the chair out and sat. A cushion on the seat.
Sally placed a big pot on the center of the table. "That smells delicious Sally" you said sniffing the air around you. "Just wai' till you taste it dear" she said proudly.
She went and got three bowls from the cupboard, then set them down on to the table. John grabbed the ladle and started scooping himself some of the soup. "what's in the soup sally?" You ask curious. "Bit' of this, bit' of that. My secret" her accent thicc, she winked at you and smiled.
You waited for them both to fill their bowls before filling your own. "Thank you for food!" You exclamed before digging in.
It tasted almost sweet and there was chicken bits. Delicious overall actually. The broth some kind of vegetable.
"The is delicious Sally!" You said looking at her and slurping up some more soup. " 'm glad you like it! I made enought for the next few days!" Her smile was so wide. Very proud of this soup.
The rest of dinner went very calm, just casual chatter about food. Sally shared a story or two about her and John when they didn't live on the outside if the town.
One was about them shopping but then there was a group of demons trying to rob the place. But apparently the overlord who owns this part doesn't like it when people steal from shops. He was actually in the store the people where trying to rob. Sally and John saw first hand the power of their overlord. They called him 'The Radio Demon'. The name sent a shudder up your spine, like he walked over your grave or something. Freaked you out a little.
Sally and John only spoke good about him tho. They said for as long as they have lived The Radio Demon has been their overlord. That's 50+ years.
You were intrigued by this guy, how was someone so powerful but so respected by his corner of hell.
"So what's he like?" You asked interested in this demon. "He's respectable. Likes to keep peace within his territory. Some people don't like it." She said picking up your bowl. "Other' love it" John chimed in. "He visits our cafe once in a while." Sally walked away and put the bowls in the sink. "Here let me clean them, it's the lease I could do." You said taking the bowls from her and putting them in the sink. "Sure dear" she grabbed a tea towel waiting to dry them.
"Do you guys like him?" You said putting dishsoap in the sink. "Yeah, we do. A gentleman really. Many fear him tho" she turned and leaned against the island.
"Really like him" John said walking past to go sit back in his chair. There was a newspaper he picked up and started reading it.
"It's nice that our land isn't a fighting ground, we have peace out here" she said taking a dish and drying it, then putting it away.
You continued chatting while you cleaned the dishes and sally dried them and then put them in there respected places in the cupboards.
"Alright, so we have a spare room that you could sleep in" sally said as she dried the last dish then put it way.
"Follow me dear" she waves you to follow.
On the wall up the stairs there was photos. It was like a timeline. The photo at the bottom of the stairs was Sally and John as they are now and as you walked up the stairs they got younger. The last photo was if them when they were teenagers. Sally's hair fully black and some wicked eyeliner. John had full head of hair and stubble. You smiled at the photos.
"So there are some simple sheets on the bed right now, plain black but we can go out and get some different ones tomorrow if you like" sally said openeing the door for you. You walked in and looked at the room, small but enough as you didn't have anything with you. "Thank you Sally" you turned and smiled at her.
"It's no problem dear, even when you leave, you'll always be welcome here" she smiled back at you. Then gestured towards the door opposite the bed, "that's your bathroom, there should be some toiletries in there. Shampoo and conditioner, some kind of bodywash." You nodded. "But if you need anything you'll have to let me know as you don't have any money right now." She said closeing the door, "thank you again" you said before she close the door. You heard her giggle before going back down stairs.
Your room was very simple, red wall paper with crown moulding around the top. Very fancy. You took a seat on the bed and realised you have no pj's...
Ah fuck
You decided to look in the chest of draws by the main door. In the top draw was some silk PJ's, you breathed a sigh of relief, setting them on the bed as you rid of your clothes. A shower sounded good. So you walked over to the bathroom you had and saw a walk in shower, sink and toilet. The sink had a basket of toilet paper, tooth brush and toothpaste.
You turned the shower on, setting it to a warm temperature. While it warmed you looked at your naked self in the mirror about the sink. Your scars a lot more visible on your skin tone. The one you recently got from the stove even more vibrant, but it was fully healed. You ran your hand over it, amazed that it was healed in such short time. You stared for a while longer taking note of things. Your tail coming out of just above your butt crake, where the tail bone on humans actually is.
The shower was nice and warm. Relaxing your muscles, you sighed in relief. It felt so good, who knew showering in hell would be nice.
You washed your body and hair humming some tune. You hopped out the shower noticing that there was 2 fluffy black towels on a rack by the sink. You wrapped one around you and one on your head.
Walking out the bathroom and sitting on the bed you, you sat, just thinking for a while. Your brain going to some good some bad places.
Snapping out of it, you dried yourself off and changed into the PJ's you had found and got into the bed. God the bed was comfy, but cold. It kinda saddened you, you were used to having another body in the bed with you. All be it a bad one but still a warm one... This made you tear up a little, missing them both already. Missing (s/n) more than anything. Missing his laugh and that baby smell he had. Mum and Dad have him now tho, you'll see him again one day. He'll be all grown up then, a Man.
You rolled over and tried to get some shut eye. Where tomorrow you go out and seeing what hell was actually like. You fell in to a relaxed slumber, dreaming of (s/n).
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