A/N: Like all my other fics, this is crossposted on AO3. Tags you should be made aware of. The reader is gender neutral, a sinner, has a snarky personality and will later be named. Thanks!
Death had always been a constant in the world, much like the breath of air they might take just before sinking into unconscious darkness. Sometimes it came swiftly, other times it dragged on in agonizing slowness. It was a mystery to most who dwelled in the mortal realm- though a select few claimed to hold the answers- but even so, Death itself had no known origin. It had no gender, no true name; it simply was. Regardless of whatever Death might be, it was one force no one could evade. Time was finite; Death was infinite. And on this particular day, the Reaper's hour had finally come for them.
They had heard all sorts of talk about what might follow after the final heartbeat. Some insisted only a god could know. Faith, science, and every manner of theory each tried to explain the unknown. It was an understandable curiosity, given how rarely anyone returned from Death's doorstep to tell the tale- yet stories still abounded, persistent as ever despite a lack of proof, fueled by conspiracy or the supernatural. In a sense, Death was like an ancient ghost story: retold time and again, shaped by whoever whispered it next. Still, it was natural for mortals to fear the end. A few welcomed it with open arms, while most clung to life until the final moment. One way or another, though, everyone arrived at the same conclusion.
Yet there was one thing that turned out to be true beyond any doubt: there was a light. They had no clue where it came from, but they followed it anyway. What else could they do? It offered the only glimmer of hope, however ironic- this idea that a soft, guiding glow might deliver them from the darkness of life's end. In the limbo they found themself occupying, time felt frozen, yet somehow they also moved closer to that radiance. They noticed the cold more than anything else: a silent, frigid stillness, as though warmth had never existed in the first place. In that place, it felt as if the entirety of time had collapsed into nothingness.
Death seemed an immeasurable distance away, yet as the light neared, time reversed course. Their body shuddered with the uncanny sense of going backward. Then, everything they had ever known- every kindness, every cruelty, every pure or ugly truth- burst inside their head, colliding in a catastrophic heap of memories that threatened to unmoor their sense of self. They felt caught between two overlapping realities, flickering in and out of coherence. Nothing made sense, their mind a whirlpool of haphazard thoughts that piled into their heart, sowing confusion at every turn. If they had to describe it, they might have compared it to being yanked out of a vivid, surreal dream, the kind that feels real until someone forces you to wake.
The gentle, inviting light now twisted into a flicker of something more ominous, shifting into the deeper hues of hellfire. Rich oranges, reds, yellows, and soot-dark charcoals swirled in the starry void that trapped them. A final vision shimmered across their consciousness: a shadowy shape blotting out whatever heavenly glow might have been there. They spiraled down, down, down. That was the last thing they saw before all went black.
"C'mon..."
A swat- scratchy and insistent.
"Wake up already."
Another swat, rougher this time.
"You're blocking the door! Get. UP!"
Smack.
They jolted awake, eyes snapping open as if someone had jammed a rod beneath each eyelid. A pained grunt escaped their lips as they recoiled, more annoyed than alarmed. The sting of the hit only fueled their irritation. Then the memory of where they were came flooding back. Still groggy, they peered up at a figure whose skin was a deep, ruddy red complete with... horns? Yup, horns perched atop a lean, lanky frame that was now glaring down at them, broom in hand.
Had they just mistaken an awful bender for death and passed out in front of some convention? Definitely wasn't Halloween anymore, no sir. LARPing maybe? Over-the-top dungeon master? Okay, no use fretting about it. Just figure out who these folks were, then find a way back home. Piece of cake, really. Probably. Maybe. Okay, calm down, just start simple.
They staggered upward, propping themself against a wall. All the while, the crimson imp was eyeing them warily, head tilted in annoyance.
Well, that certainly looked real. Not a rubber mask and a contact lens in sight. Damn, they thought, some LARP groups got intense nowadays. How hard was it to just paint your skin, tack on some temporary horns, and slap some hair on top? Seriously, the craftsmanship was top-notch. Must've cost a small fortune to look so realistic. But then the tail came into view.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
So articulate. Damn. Even that one actor at the Renaissance faire didn't have a tail quite so expressive. A good deal of fake tails looked limp, rubber-like or ratty; the costume maker probably went all out with this. So damn expensive and lifelike-looking. Whoever got this commission had skills. And must be rolling in bank right now.
They shook their head to clear it of these rambling thoughts, forcing a pleasant smile. Time to make amends with whoever was manning the place- if the person could be nice, anyway.
"Well hey there!" They flashed another smile, attempting to shrug off the whole scenario. "Nice uh... cosplay, or whatever?" They hoped this didn't come off too rude.
"Cosplay?" the imp repeated, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah!" Their voice cracked as a hint of nerves crept into their reply, causing a grimace. "...Sorry 'bout falling asleep there. Guess I drank a little too much or uh-" Their brow crinkled. "Shit." How'd they even get here, wherever here was? Couldn't remember a goddamn thing. Great. Wonderful. Super cool.
"Look, don't know or care what you have to say. You're just getting in the fucking way here and now you're not. So you can fuck off, c'mon now. Go." He hissed, baring pointed teeth. "Off you get, sinner."
Sinner...? They barely managed a half-hearted chuckle in an attempt to keep themself from openly reacting to this odd use of terminology.
"Ohhhkaaaayyy...?" It was clearly a warning and one they'd best listen to, for now at least.
They stepped aside and then walked past as he let the broom down. Their jaw was clenching from frustration; they couldn't hide their stiff steps, miffed and begrudging, giving the demon-dressed man a wide berth. Though a weird feeling was forming. This wasn't a show, a prank, or a joke.
They reached out to steady themself and touched a cool, smooth surface. Their gaze lingered on the sleek metal, examining its quality before they noticed their hand. Unnatural skin, clawed nails, no wonder their feet had felt strange, and there were scales... or was that fur? Their heart froze... not...
"What the fuck!" Their mind rebelled at what was staring them in the face- or at the reflection, rather. They pulled back to take a full body examination in the window of the store. The realization slammed into their skull; there was no concealing it, the facts were indisputable.
This was impossible, they told themself; people didn't just become monsters. But despite this logical line of reasoning, reality continued to crawl toward a conclusion. Refusing to dismiss their instincts, it was clear that what lay in front of them, staring in horrified wonder, was a demon. Is this what that demon had meant when he said sinner?
Shaky hands trembled as they passed over their face, noting the addition of any new appendages or eyes that might have spontaneously appeared overnight. "The fuck?!"
It took a couple seconds for their legs to work properly; their wobbly state of shock having taken the wind out of them. Their brain was still trying to process the information that they looked nothing like they were accustomed to. Yet, no matter which way they turned or looked, no matter how much they pulled, there was no hiding their new set of... everything. Horns, ears, teeth, tail...
"Yep. They're real. Well, that's cool and terrifying, what a combo," they muttered, not overly unkind but in a 'resigned to your fate' kind of way.
Sure they'd enjoyed a creature feature or two. Always a fan of the creepy and unusual, but still, waking up as one of the cast had not been on the cards. How was that even possible? And why? No time for existential crises. Later. They needed to figure out what had happened before they could fix it. Or get an explanation for this. Either worked.
"Are you just going to stand there all day gawking?" came the voice of the imp again.
"Okay. Cool it," they hissed through clenched teeth as they turned around to face him, annoyance clear on their face.
"Look, I can see you're still reeling from all of this, but how's about ya go bother someone who cares."
"And where might one of those be?" they quipped.
"Anywhere else! You're just in the way standing here doing nothin' but botherin' the folk."
A quick cursory look around showed that there were in fact no "folk" around, aside from the grumpy one in front of them.
"Pretty sure I'm the only other one standing around." They rolled their eyes at the clearly rude imp.
"Don't matter!" he snapped, flustered, waving his hand about, nearly smacking them in the nose. "Day in, day out, I gots to watch people like you gawkin' 'round the streets, actin' all confused- which ain't my problem- and ya got no business buggin' me! What'a I gotta do, show you the rounds?" He pinched the bridge of his snout and heaved out a loud groan, unable to help rolling his own eyes back at them. "Damn sinners," he growled beneath his breath.
"Just where exactly am I?" they asked.
"You're in hell! Sheesh, new to being dead, are ya? Better start gettin' used to it and fast. Or learn how to use them ears. Don't reckon the streets here'll tolerate ya bumbling around if ya can't even manage to pick that up."
Their mouth opened but promptly closed, as did their eyes, in a pathetic attempt not to facepalm. As soon as their brain had processed the response, though, the comment that slipped from their mouth could not have been avoided.
"Of course I'm in hell. I'm a fucking demon now," came the incredulous reply. What the fuck!
Strike me down dead and it's all fire and brimstone? Cute. They huffed. Whatever. Something about that just... well, there must be a God, they'd have to concede that much. Must be having a kick at their expense. A big fat, fucking cosmic laugh, that's what it was. At least their head had stopped spinning so violently.
"So... where do I go?" they asked tentatively.
"Do I look like a tourist center to you?" he bit back.
Their mouth dropped open. What a fucking shit personality! Rude. They had tried being nice. Twice! They groaned, swiping a hand across their face.
"Listen. Can you please, please tell me the nearest place that could help me? It's clear you want me outta here. The sooner I figure out where to go, the sooner you can be rid of me!"
The imp tilted his chin back as if deliberating their suggestion, his narrow gaze moving side to side as he chewed on his words, then gave a loud sigh and folded his arms, giving the barest of nods.
"Thank you!"
He growled under his breath before gesturing with his broom. "Take that path," the imp grumbled, jerking his horned head down the road, "Big black building, big red letters, reads S.I.N."
"Sin?"
Another sigh. "Systematic In-processing of the Newly-damned."
"Ah," they nodded their head sagely. "So it's a government thing."
He rolled his eyes again.
"Got it. Big, black building, 'S.I.N'- straight ahead."
They cast a backward glance to the shopkeeper demon and offered the most grateful nod they could. "Thanks. So much. I won't forget this."
They hurried off before the prick could complain some more. They knew this couldn't fix their problems yet, but it was better than being tossed into an inferno of flames or tolerating the presence of that beautiful man for much longer.
Following their guide's direction, they picked up the pace, now far more self-conscious of their new physical presence than they'd have preferred. Yet despite their awkward shuffling and nerves, it did not stop the desire to discover more, to explore this odd place.
Every few steps, the glimmer of colorful things beyond the dirty windows drew their gaze and kept their heart beating faster, lured to these displays- advertisements, demons, and dank darkness shrouded in the flashy glow. Despite everything, curiosity proved too strong; they simply had to investigate this hellscape.
Nothing could stop the rush of a new world opening. They drew nearer, forgetting caution and just eager to get a glimpse at what Hell actually had on offer. Their nimble fingers trailed along the cracked stone wall to find out the story behind it; every word scrawled into the stone begged for their curiosity.
Was that real blood painted on that one? Oh shit, was that an eye? Ugh... or worse.
Having gotten far more preoccupied with the sights and sounds that bombarded them, it was difficult not to have gotten lost at this rate. With every step, it seemed to have shifted- another garish sight just there beyond a narrow passage, or perhaps the faint sound of someone yelling a sales pitch could be heard?
But now the marvel had worn off just a bit, and their sense of direction kicked back into gear. The street they'd originally started on was different. Wherever the SIN center was, they'd veered off course, distracted by their new surroundings.
Well, crap, how to retrace my steps? Did this place even have street names? Probably not. Well, time to ask for help again. Another demon would be just as helpful as the last.
The closest one they managed to spot was a rather tall, teal shark-looking demon. It kind of looked like someone made a fursuit out of Jaws or the Dagonian from Lovecraft. The sharp teeth weren't very comforting either. They shuddered at the sight but still approached, praying for the best.
"Excuse me. But can you point me in the right direction?" They waved with a sheepish smile.
"The what?" The shark stumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Where's the SIN building?" They repeated.
"SIN?"
"The black building? The-" They paused for a second and peered a little closer.
The shark interrupted before they could continue, "Wait, are you lost?"
"Yeah." Came a more than helpless tone.
A toothy grin appeared across his maw, "Need help finding your way?"
"Yeah," Came the dejected sigh.
"Hey, not a big deal." The shark patted them on the back, maybe a little hard but probably best not to think too much on that. "All new here?"
"That obvious?"
The shark chuckled. "So, we are on the main stretch. Basically the entrance to Imp City. Looootta streets though. Everything here kinda moves," the shark demon scratched the side of his head, giving a brief shrug. "Huge maze with no exit."
"Hoping you can point the right direction and help me out."
The stranger thought on it for a moment, then flicked his tail, his swirling yellow-and-green striped eyes bright with danger. "Ohhh right, I think I know the place you're looking for." His shark-tooth smile grew wider, showing more of those jagged teeth. "C'mon, I'll take you there."
"Oh, thank you! So much! Would've been lost otherwise."
"No worries!" the shark threw an arm around their shoulder. "So what'a ya doing down here? Aren't you a tad young to have fucked up already?" He winked.
"Not quite, uh, sorta..." It was an innocent enough question, though the manner of delivery seemed... more crude.
The conversation lulled as the shark seemed to get more curious, his striped eyes wide as he sized them up. The questions seemed innocent enough- most of them revolved around their previous life topside, what they did for a living, if they'd come to know anyone so far. All in all, they didn't mind; his demeanor and energy felt a little awkward, but in general, the two talked relatively freely.
Though his other hand had strayed a little too low- near their hips and backside- as he walked a tad too close to be decent. It felt... gross. Greasy, like he'd bathed in Crisco. By the time they had reached the building, however, it became readily apparent why he'd felt the need to walk so close. The closer the building got, the more the pair attracted unwanted attention- mainly from other demons who kept giving both the same dark looks- not that the stranger took notice or really cared; he kept too close, was too touchy for their liking.
When they finally arrived at their intended destination, it appeared deserted, silent as the grave in the dead of night. No, not a good time for such morbid humor, they quickly decided. This building looked anything but inviting and was completely the wrong colo-
The thwack came hard and fast. The pain barely registered as they lost consciousness and collapsed into the shark's arms. He laughed. That fucker!