((DEMON AU))

Your parents were strict Christians and insisted you attend church every day, a routine that left little room for anything else. After another long day at college, you were walking home alone when the feeling hit—you weren’t alone. Footsteps echoed softly behind you, but every time you looked over your shoulder, the street was empty. Unease gnawed at your chest, but eventually, you made it home, locked the door, and tried to shake off the paranoia. Sleep came easily, or so you thought.

It was around 3 a.m. when a chill pulled you awake. Your eyes snapped open to a shadowed figure hovering above you. Heart hammering, you tried to move, but it was as if some invisible weight pinned you to the bed.

“Hello, human!~”

The voice was cheerful, unsettlingly so, as if the demon found amusement in your fear. Tartaglia grinned down at you, sharp fangs glinting in the dim light. Black horns curved from his head, and a thin, whip-like tail flicked behind him, swaying with a life of its own. The room felt impossibly small, the air thick and charged, and you realized in a rush that this was no dream.

Fear, fascination, and disbelief collided as you tried to process what was happening. The demon above you wasn’t just a threat—he was… playful.