”it's about Garm”
you sat up so fast
what?
how did he know that name?
that name had been all over your dream
this man was vaguely familiar but how could he know something your subconscious thought up
guy looked super formal
what was he doing hanging around a gas station parking lot on Christmas day?
maybe he was a serial killer
some sort of Patrick Bateman thing
that had to be it
lure you out and then stab you
he seemed to understand you were adamant
he told you he would have preferred to talk face to face but this would work
he introduced himself as Clarence
but said you probably already knew that
what?
were you going crazy?
”simply put this is a test”
a test for what?
you seemed just so unphased by what he was talking about
started talking about demons
hell
and
a lot of stuff you dreamed of
you were concerned
once more, he asked to be let in
it was cold out there
you probably shouldn't trust the guy but what he's said you've never told another living soul
you decided to unlock the car door with the key fob, watching what he would do
he took the opportunity and got into the passenger seat

Clarence wasted no time
”I want to talk to you about demons,” he politely said
as if that was a normal thing to just say
you probably shouldn't have invited this conversation but he'd said things so accurate you could think he read your mind
you cut off whatever exposition he was going to go into and asked how he knew the name Garm
the man turned to look back at you
didn't seem like he was hostile
”this is Asmodeus giving you your wish,” he continued
when he figured you had his attention he kept talking
normally, Clarence wouldn't be involved in this
but he felt it was important
this was Asmodeus showing you what your life could be like if you hadn't met Garm
there was that name again
”demons are very passionate about what they preside over. embodying the traits of sins.”
if you hadn't hadn't had vivid as fuck dreams about hell and demons, you'd be telling him to get the fuck out
this was too weird
but he was making sense for a random stranger
yet a familiar stranger
”I didn't do this out of affiliation with my husband. more, for your own good.”
you had to interject now
you hadn't ever met him
what the fuck did he know about your own good
he seemed surprised by that
”you don't remember meeting me or Asmodeus? you remembered Garm.”
as a figment of your imagination in the night, sure
but those were dreams
the man took off his glasses to clean them
more an attempt to give the conversation some breathing room
”so that's what he did. what if I told you Garm wasn't a dream?”
it couldn't be
the ritual didn't do shit
”it did. Asmodeus decided to throw you here as an illusion. to get you to admit you were wrong. he can be quite stubborn. you've dealt with that right? that hellhound seemed like a handful.”
this was getting weirder
he even knew that part of the dream
how did he know about the dream?

”like I said, it was no dream. Garm is waiting for you. however, this illusion is here to torture you to admit it. demons are demons after all.”
Clarence was very calm for all this
so the ritual really did work?
”yes. Garm killed you and brought you to hell.”
oh fuck
you remembered that part
then it clicked
the weird unassuming guy next to that giant
fucking dammit
so you were really dead
that immediately put you back into a shitty mood
fucking succubus killed you
then tried to say “oh no big deal”
so there's no going back to his life except for this shit
and this was all some dreamscape weaved by a giant femboy goat bull?
”that's about it. Iook, I know it's rough. I came here because I can relate.”
you were busy cursing in the back
”I was partially the one who helped with that ritual.”
motherfucker
you just about lunged for the guy
he sensed the hostility in the car and attempted to de-escalate
”I didn't think hell was real. when I died…”
he sat there for a moment, choosing his words
”Asmodeus was lonely. I was lonely. And something just clicked when I first saw him.”
he asserted he hadn't been charmed by some demonic magic
it was just something felt right
”something felt right with you and the hellhound, right?”
everyone was glossing over the murder
you brought that up
”I know it isn't perfect. Asmodeus and I are trying to course correct a system that's been functioning off cruelty for longer than Cain and Abel.”
course correct?
”Hell doesn't have to be lonely. we wanted to share that. I'm genuinely sorry for how things played out.”
you were still mad despite the apology, unsurprisingly
”Asmodeus threw this on you as a way to show you what your life would be without company.”
big deal, you'd done that for years

he seemed to consider your position
you'd known Garm for only a couple months
how could that be life changing
right?
sure you appreciated the company
you wanted him to stay on earth
but then all the ugliness came
made it hard to reconcile
they'd said they loved each other
and yet Garm killed him
how could he forgive Garm for murder?
Clarence didn't have an immediate answer but eventually he spoke back up
”what happened was terrible. I don't know if Garm realized what he did was all that wrong. Azzy does things that feel alien to me sometimes.”
demons had to know murder was bad
no excusing that
”I'm not saying they don't, but it's not as though they live like us. they're not mortals.”
you didn't like it
but that might make sense
life just might not be the same to Garm
he dealt with deathless things and sinners
it might not have occurred to him that you wanted to live
in fact he might have thought he was doing you a favor
you didn't like that thought
but it could have been possible
you wanted to die in your sleep an old man but Garm might have decided to kick the process downhill
but to just up and decide that
he was ridiculous to think you'd be happy about it

you were thinking about it all
you did enjoy your time with Garm
but the murder
and apparently this whole life here was a fantasy
all to get you to admit you liked the hellhound
you sat there in the backseat
demons really did have a fucked morality if they didn't understand mundane life
but could you fix that?
show Garm that you mattered
you didn't know if he realized that
demons lived different than humans
you changed the subject
asked Clarence if you basically doomed a bunch of people with that ritual
”depends on the demon. some might be more gentle.”
would they get sent down here?
”most likely. part of the fine print and all that.”
that didn't do much for your spirits
”I know this is sudden. perhaps this is the chance for a new beginning?”
you wanted to have some agency over your life
that's what put you in this foul mood
”my career was my life. to the point I needed to chase more and more depraved highs as a release valve. you know what happened?”
you wondered where this was going
you played along
”shot by a client. guy really made sure. 7 bullets.”
he glanced back to you
”people usually don't have the luxury to pick when they're going to die.”
he looked out to the snow
”you had a wonderful life. but it's not over. and you're not alone in it now.”

well, when he put it like that
you were still basically here
nothing seemed all that different
”normally you'd be brought down here for torture.”
yeah, that's Hell alright
so what changed?
”we just thought maybe one sin could be harmless. sort of. just a different approach to it.”
they had apparently decided to spread a little chaos and in the meantime carve out a slice of Hell
kill two birds with one stone
not every sinner would get in though
place had to have standards
Asmodeus wouldn't tell Clarence what that entailed
but he trusted the lord
if you didn't know any better you'd assume they were trying their usurp the order of things

you didn't question him on that
you were stuck in thought
he was sort of right
things weren't over
you were still “alive”
Garm must have thought that way
that you two still existed
maybe you were too harsh on him
if that was his state of mind
you'd have to talk to him about it
after whatever this ridiculous fantasy was had played out
you'd only known the hellhound for a couple months and he'd been grumpy for half of that
this was all too sudden
but you had to make it work regardless
Hell wasn't exactly offering you choices here
granted, could be worse down here
at least no one had flayed you yet
oddly chill for eternal punishment
the other man allowed you the silence to think
he seemed polite but you didn't know if you could really trust the guy
you did understand this fantasy now
Asmodeus was trying to show you how vacant your life was before
you had no real responsibility
freedom because you had nothing
Garm was the opposite and it clashed
steadfast
he was driven
but he needed to relax a little
you'd complimented each other in that regard
so was your life different after the demon?
yes
you'd wanted him to stay with you and now you got that
so maybe you should be happy about it
your next conversation with the hellhound would at least be less hostile
you asked Clarence when this illusion wraps up
”Azzy is just waiting for the answer he wants.”
you chose to ignore the pet name for the giant demon lord
being stubborn here probably just meant playing through the same cycle of everyday life
joke was on the demons though
this served as a little bit of closure for you
sure, it wasn't your actual life
not your actual parents
not the actual Christmas
but this illusion offered you a little last glimpse of home
that's the way you saw it
you wondered how dad would have reacted if you had brought your new date to family dinner
you laughed a little at that
fine

you didn't regret Garm
you'd admit that much
there was definitely a conversation in the future
when you saw Garm again you'd have to make that clear
alien morality or not
but you'd calmed down a little
the talk was helpful
and it was nice to do this even if it was an illusion
Hell would take some getting used to
but you were content to at least be with Garm
not the greatest date when he killed you
but you'd deal with it
you'd gone through rough times before
this wouldn't be any different
you told Clarence and hoped Asmodeus heard
you wanted Garm
that snapped you back to Hell
you didn't anticipate to come back to Garm throwing fire at the lord
”where did you take him,” the demon demanded
Asmodeus swatted the attacks aside, bemused
didn't have to even leave his throne
you clasped your hand on the hellhound's shoulder and he swung to attack
he snuffed out his fire the second he realized who he'd spun to see
Asmodeus glanced over at the lawyer that stood next to him
”so you had to intervene?”
Clarence replied with a simple yes

Garm relaxed in your grip
his anger instantly faded
so you must have just vanished
what was a day or two was probably a few seconds here
you would relax a little for now
the hellhound was trying to hide he was happy but his tail was wagging
you dropped it for now
right now you needed to rest
things had been tiring
did you get tired in hell or was it a placebo effect?
you had to excuse both of you from the demon lord's company
this felt like a private conversation
with Asmodeus thinking he got what he wanted, he allowed it
both of you were now in some fire lit chamber with a bed
you were still wearing the ridiculous wedding get up
you sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to you
you explained what happened
what Clarence talked to you about
the hellhound was patient
for once
he looked down at his paws
you weren't as pissed now that everything had been put in perspective
but you wanted to make it clear what he did was wrong
you had to put your foot down
not a lot of good it did to stay pissed but this mess had gotten worse
you'd wanted him to stay with you on earth
”I know.”
you glanced over and saw he was still looking down
maybe you could teach a demon how to be human

that would be a unique challenge
you placed your hand over his paw
you apologized for losing your temper earlier but you insisted what happened in the woods wasn't a good thing
it didn't require killing you to want you to stick with Garm
”that's…”
precisely what he thought killing you would do
he was proof the afterlife existed
but maybe it didn't need to end up in Hell
that door was kind of shut in your face
he rested his head against your shoulder
he screwed up with that move but the only right thing to do now is to move on from it
otherwise there'd just be rampant bitterness growing like a tumor on this whole thing
you snatched him up and into your lap
Clarence had been right
your life wasn't over
Garm still had plenty to learn though
you embraced him and the demon leaned into it
”I'm sorry.”
he whispered it like out of shame
you didn't know if he meant it or was saying it because it felt correct
hard to say
you weren't going to worry about that now
his lingerie really didn't hide the fact you were turning him on
to his credit he didn't act on it
he just let the hug continue

he felt his body on fire
but still didn't act on it
he could have
but something in Garm told him to let you have this
he'd acted too brash before
there was a lot of pent up anger in him and he had let it out
and then he'd given you shit
but the second you'd vanished from the chamber back there, he had a target for his fury
he wanted to protect you
like he wanted to protect you on earth
then the weight of it hit him
he hadn't done a very good job if he was the one to hurt you
well, maybe not hurt
he'd made sure you'd been enjoying yourself
but maybe you weren't
it was a lot to process for him
violence was just the clear answer when he was down here
it was the only answer
he was a hulking machine of rage
but
that wasn't Garm
not now
he didn't make eye contact
something new in him told him he'd done something wrong
he couldn't explain it but saying sorry felt like the right thing to do
he'd seen you say it when things had happened
shit, you'd said it plenty to him
but he was starting to get why you did
somehow, you had taught a demon guilt
demons dealt with the guilty plenty
but they were alien to the experience themselves
from the smallest to the grandest
they just wouldn't let go of their sins
jailers condemned in the same manner as their prisoners
you held him tighter and the feeling in his heart was strange
he'd already learned of love but this sensation was painful
he didn't like it
his devil tail snaked around your arm to hug it
you anticipated the sting but it never came
instead the hellhound buried his muzzle under your chin as an act of submission
Garm didn't quite figure out what forgiveness was yet but he wanted it

the demon could have done what came naturally
could have
but for some reason Garm went to bed hungry
you were a little confused but assumed he was just acting weird
but he did legit seem a little different
it wasn't cold anger that kept him from acting on his impulses
he did however, cuddle up to you tighter
you awoke in the night face first in chest fur
was it night down here?
time seemed weird
you let that happen
he decided to keep the lacy outfit on
you'd taken off most of the formal wear because between the fire and the demon burning like a grill
the second thing you noticed, after Garm's surprising chastity, was just that Hell was
quiet
you expected more screaming
maybe Asmodeus decided to make some gated community here or something?
frankly the guy made the hair stand up on your neck
but we're you just like here
in Hell?
Garm was clearly still asleep but wouldn't relinquish his grip on you
the downtime gave you plenty of time to think about things
well
you had eternity for that
that was daunting
the hellhound nuzzled against you
his affection was at least a relief here
while you'd wished things had turned out differently you were sort of glad the ritual work
Garm was moody, hostile, and definitely dangerous
but one couldn't tell that from how tightly his paws and wings embraced you

Garm perhaps finally got it through that thick skull that he had done something bad to you
you really couldn't remember your last moments on earth
the whole thing was a haze and there wasn't much good to be had by dwelling on it
but this quiet affectionate side to the demon may be his form of apology
you'd accept that
you'd have eternity down here
so you weren't keen to spend all of it pissed
Hell did still worry you
you had been sort of “I'll believe when I see it”
God and the devil were put in the same category as chupacabras and Santa Claus
like, oh they might exist but proof was required
and now a demon was snuggling up to you and licking your neck in his sleep
didn't used to be into guys either
a lot can change from what you believed was a random shitpost
you had plenty of time for reflection
all the time now
Garm squeezed you tighter and his leg twitched
a thought occurred at that and was filed away for later use
when he woke up he relaxed his grip
the hellhound was still a little confused but you were angry at him so he took that as a positive
mortals were still a damn mystery but you'd relaxed for the moment and he'd take that as a small victory
both you and Garm had a similar concern that both of you arrived to separately
just what did Asmodeus have planned here
this couldn't just be some weird ass hotel scenario
it was Hell
you still were waiting for the eternal torment and Garm didn't trust any lord save Lucifer as far as he could throw them
that used to be an easier proposal to pull off before this ritual
Clarence did seem earnest in his talk to you
but you wondered how the rest of Hell was reacting to any sort of change like that
when Garm laid on his stomach in bed, deep in thought, that earlier sadistic idea struck you again
you let the intrusive thought win
Garm let off a string of curses when you found the spot that made his hoof kick on his lower back
the scratching right there had the exact effect you thought it would
when you pulled your hand away from his fur he glared over his shoulder
awfully hard to look angry with that much pink
so you found where he was ticklish
not like violence would dissuade you from doing it again
you were dead
but you had satisfied your curiosity
no need to push your luck
navigating Hell might be difficult
hopefully your guide would be of help
Garm rolled his ass away from you, a first
now you decided to push your luck
you asked if he preferred tummy rubs
disgust was clear as day on his face
inwardly, Garm had to fight the little voice that said “oh boy tummy rubs”
he was attacked on multiple fronts and it annoyed him to no end
but he was also relieved you seemed to be a little more relaxed down here
he wouldn't admit it but seeing you laugh restored his spirit just a little
the demon wouldn't allow you near his tickle spot again though
some sacrifices were too much and he still wanted to maintain some illusion of pride
you were sure you were fairly isolated in Hell
no one had bugged you since whatever time you'd woken up
it was hard to keep track of time down here
didn't work like earth obviously
but you assumed a lot of time must have passed
maybe
Garm was relaxed down here
must be because he was home
he lost a lot of his edge around here
he took his feedings sparingly, not really pushing on you
in fact, more often than not you'd notice he was starving and helped feed him
you didn't know how it worked down here
but the hellhound would get on his knees and accept the meal
that helped his mood
but he liked it more when you would grunt out you loved him
occasionally in your wanderings you would find another human
and their demon
you were noticing a trend
Asmodeus hadn't called you before him since that illusion
maybe he was satisfied
your hellhound was a constant companion but as a guide he left a little to be desired
as he explained it this was a completely alien territory to him
he'd heard about the depraved Asmodeus and his domain, of course
but he was in enemy territory now
except no attack came
the place was fairly spartan except for pink fire and the occasional furniture
it reminded you of a surrealist painting
just a confusing layout
a labyrinth of fire a black void
it was easy to get lost in
sometimes up could be down
aside from the occasional neighbor the place felt empty
”I remember how they used to punish sinners here.”
one day he just brought that up while hugging you from behind while you took a break
”castration by hanging, mostly.”
well, shit
but you hadn't seen much of that here at all
the other humans stuck down here seemed like they were stuck in a similar boat
when you went through a room and ended up falling down onto the ceiling you let out a curse
you'd landed on something soft and Garm was quick to follow
whatever it was was like furniture
absolutely massive
but then you realized it was scales and you'd landed on some kind of massive serpent
the hellhound looked visibly shaken up
hard to tell where the coils were going
they were thicker than your waist
out of the jumbled mess arose a serpent
well, sort of
instead of just a snake head the demon was the upper body of a scaled humanoid attached to the snake tail at the hips
despite being as girly looking as Garm, he was still much bigger than either of you
a full grown man was clutched in his arms like a teddy bear, face pressed hard to scaley flat chest
the guy was naked
the hellhound tried to put himself between the snake and you but you could tell he was not very confident here
no idea who this was to get that much of a reaction out of your hellhound
you tried to diffuse the situation and calmly said your would both take your leave
you apologized and admitted you couldn't make heads or tails of the place
then you apologized for the pun
it was awkward to crawl back out the door with Garm while those reptilian eyes judged your every move
so far, you hadn't found anyone down here that WASN'T in the middle of fucking or sleeping or anything in between
once you were out of the room and the door was closed, Garm grabbed you in his arms and ran in the opposite direction
on earth things had changed
humanity was changing
there was no scientific explanation for a soul and the weight of sins
a year had gone by since the ritual had started to spread
human governments couldn't give explanations and the church was overextended
it just seemed to keep spreading
but the men securing demons was only part of it
the sin, envy, was noticeably absent in mankind now
well, the temptation for it was gone
and greed had followed
then wrath
just
gone
men just didn't want to do it all that much on their own
whatever had tempted man into acts of depravity seemed to have vanished
the capability was still there but it just didn't seem to spread like it used to
in Hell this was greeted with less fanfare and more violence
and everyone had quickly figured out who'd been responsible
but Asmodeus had gotten too big for them and the ever present infighting meant no one could really unify to mount a siege
demons were learning they liked humans
that maybe God had a point when he made them
the sentiment was spreading
such a concept was controversial
meanwhile, Garm and you were stuck wandering the damn labyrinth that was Asmodeus’ realm
place only got weirder and bigger and time was loopy
you ended up just resting wherever
at least Garm and you had started to patch things up
you had time for that at least
you felt a little guilt seeing the occasional human
you did that ritual and caused your own death, basically
but you'd consigned others to a fate down here
however, they seemed content
happy even
and to your credit you definitely didn't think all this would happen
you sort of got over your shame after the dozenth couple
eventually you'd have to talk to someone
regardless of whether they were fucking or not
you'd eventually found a minor demon who Garm recognized as a subordinate
a demon of pride in the shape of a feminine hooved peacock
makes sense for that, you supposed
you'd found the demon and his partner as new arrivals and thankfully they'd just finished up an apparent 12 hour session of whatever involved the rope you saw in the secluded chamber
Garm was the first to ask questions just due to the demon's proximity to his old life
the peacock was one of Lucifer's attendants and a recent convert
Hell was an overt mess outside and Earth was just as much of one, just easier to hide it
the demon and his partner weren't exactly completely informed of the big picture
but they knew more than you'd figured and you'd gathered from Asmodeus and Clarence
so
absolute chaos
well, not much you could do on those fronts
you were just the match thrown on the fire
you couldn't completely absolve yourself from all guilt but there was a lot bigger hands at play here than some guy with aspiring YouTube ad revenue dreams
Garm didn't seem as troubled
that shocked you
when you were away from the new visitors, you talked to the hellhound
you asked him about how he felt about that news
”what do you mean?”
he had been committed to his master for eternity
this sounded like a massive upheaval
”so what? we're down here.”
he wasn't upset?
”you were the one that always let problems bounce off you. I'm surprised.”
you both rested against a wall as you talked
”Hell has been Hell for a long time. if this changes it maybe it was for the better.”
he put a paw over your hand
”all of it could be gone tomorrow and I wouldn't care at this point. I had a duty but my priority has changed.”
you made a mock “awww” and he glared at you
ok that was pushing your luck
he'd come a long way from when you'd first met him though
it was strange to think how different that was now
so he wasn't worried about Hell politics?
”well, I'm hoping they start to come around to humans.”
you'd gotten lost further in the labyrinth
lost track of time
lost track of your place
you still had Garm by your side so at least there was that
when you finally sat down and rested against another wall you said out loud you wished Asmodeus was around
and snap
you were in that throne room again
demon lord on his throne
you didn't see Clarence until you you noticed a pair of legs under the giant goat demon
Christ
well, Asmodeus didn't seem shocked
”may I help you?”
you tried to not look at them in the act
Garm didn't seem to care
you'd think you'd be used to this
but carrying on a conversation like this was difficult
you just wanted to know why was this all happening
it was confusing
all of this over a little romance
it was insane to think
all the upheaval
”you do crazy things for love don't you?”
you couldn't make eye contact while Asmodeus obviously rode on his lover
how the lord maintained composure you didn't know
the whole thing was so radical
”come on,” Asmodeus continued, “I saw you two.”
the goat bill groaned at Clarence somehow getting enough leverage to thrust up a couple times
lust purified into some sort of love
Garm was your lover
he really was
and despite it all he'd grown into the role
started to enjoy it
you'd been lonely and the hellhound provided the solution
and more
”I love the emotions you little ones seem to burn with. haven't you seen enough out there? demons and humanity don't have to do bad. we don't”
he was right there
despite the debauchery on display his intentions were pure
if a little off
but as imperfect as it could come off as, it might be working
could this strangeness undo an evil?
some sort of imitation of heaven
could it purify Hell?
it was a lot of concepts too big for you
too big for the average man
but the landscape here had gone from horrible tortures and deserving sinners to something else
you were certain this might be a right step when you thought about it that way
Garm with all that anger was still a good person
or there was the core of one in there
under a demonic shell
you looked to him and he was eyeing Asmodeus
”we are going somewhere private, right?”
you figured it wasn't for conversation
this was a little less strange
you had Garm and you didn't need eternity to accept that
so fine, you'd fuck your boyfriend
you both were happy to find somewhere private
despite Garm's new nature, he still had no real desire to shamelessly fuck out in the open
even if that little voice had pushed him a couple times to consider it
you found a bedroom
was it your bedroom?
no idea
but it was now
Garm immediately pushed you onto a pink bed spread
you both had done some oral to feed him but hadn't gone further in a while
the hellhound was fine with that while you two were wandering
but now it was time to settle down and really enjoy your time
you had been wandering around in your mock wedding attire
things didn't operate like earth so it wasn't like you two got dirty wearing them
seemed like earthly needs weren't even applicable down here
you only slept because it felt natural sometimes
but you had no need for food
didn't even get hungry
maybe if someone set a meal in front of you you'd eat it
you'd just never felt dirty down here
even Garm's coat felt the same
still, a shower together wouldn't be a bad idea if you could find one
mostly for the company
the hellhound had you pinned to the bed
did seeing Asmodeus get him that worked up?
”we've wasted enough time looking around.”
he pinned you to the bed, his paws pressed to your hands
”let's just enjoy our honeymoon.”
you were married?
”well let's just say we are.”
you still had concerns over earth and Hell
but Garm seemed intent to find a distraction from all that
he growled against your throat
”let's see if we can give Asmodeus a run for his money.”
yeah, concerns right now could be thrown out the window
this was a worthwhile distraction
Garm had been fine with blowjobs
it was sustenance and you got off
however, this step further was everything he needed
he'd held off pushing you because he could sense you were tense
but you seemed relaxed now
so why not finally enjoy yourselves again
a thought had occurred to him
while he was originally straddling you he realized it wasn't appropriate
he killed you in this position
there was a guilt that slowly grew in him remembering that
Garm had come to understand you a little
at least a little
he shouldn't have done it
the hellhound was starting to get why humans hated guilt
if that was the nagging in his head
but for now, he didn't want to bring up bad memories
he didn't want you to hate this
so on his back he went
he wanted this to be good for you
he let you undress yourself
he wanted you to want this
so he'd take the place of Eve down here
Garm welcomed your embrace
down here time didn't exist
and he loved wandering with you
he'd already spent eternity with you in a day
or a day in an eternity
but he'd learned a bit more from you that being stuck in a car
the hellhound wanted more of you
you undressing was enticing him
maybe he'd matured a little
strange to think being as old as he was that he was still learning
but maybe you both could come to an understanding
Clarence and Asmodeus had accidentally gotten a great example of their plan on the first try
the demon yearned for warmth Hell couldn't ever provide
both of them fell into each other's embrace as Hell and earth both started to improve
ever so slightly
it would be a long time before major changes could be seen but these things always started small
neither of you really had any desire to push and fight for that change
you weren't the activist type and Garm was content like this
you two were merely indirect heralds to a new age
an age you signaled with your mock honeymoon
there had been no official oaths but for now this would do
Asmodeus and his demons would need to learn more about love as time went on
but these were little steps
can't teach someone to swim by tossing them in the deep end
the seeds you'd plant in Garm would grow
Hell would get better
demons would get better
humans would get better
you were a participant
a catalyst
you weren't thinking of some grand change
you were busy pinning Garm to the bed
sliding in the hellhound was just natural now
his tightness gave way for you
paws held your head close to his neck
this wasn't Hell
couldn't be
you kissed his neck and he laughed
there was no more need for words
you two were joined
just like Asmodeus hoped would happen for all demons
eventually someone would have that old goat Lucifer in some bridal attire
Asmodeus felt Clarence thrust harder into him, trying to get his eyes off the happy couples
and it worked
the demon lord dwarved his lover
almost a bed unto himself for the lawyer
despite that, the human was winning over Asmodeus as much as you were for Garm
you plowed into the hellhound with a vigor you didn't even know you had
Hell was now a chorus of moans of actual joy instead of torture
meat slapping against meat echoed through Asmodeus’ realm
more and more demons and their mortal lovers arrived
it was all highly degenerate
demon lion twins that once held the gates past Garm now indulged one man together
sloppily kissing around the tip of his manhood
there was a bat servant of sloth that absolutely refused to let his partner pull out
even while he slept
a priest of gluttony, a once majestic boar, found his ass used for something besides sitting on
all these demons absolutely changed, their sins vanishing with them
Asmodeus was too distracted to watch it all at the moment
it was a corruption of romance
one couldn't argue that
but it was also a washing away of sins
man and demon benefitted in the end and despite the rough beginnings it was better for everyone involved
small steps
that just happened to last eternity
Hell gave them ample time to make this work
Garm and you were oblivious to just how much fate would change thanks to you
you were just thinking about how tight and hot he was
he was softly begging you to breed him
no idea why he was begging for puppies
but you'd try your damndest
Garm the gatekeeper was no more
his pride gone in the face of all this
if only his old adversaries could see Garm now
begging
whimpering
having his hole stretched while he holds onto his lover tighter
pleading for a litter
the eternal soldier submitted to this foe of his own accord
his human nipped at his throat the black beast veteran wanted marks
he left slight lines down his human's back
marks of his own
all the old oaths were gone
Lucifer was no longer his master
he would fight Lucifer himself for more of this
more of his
his man
the air was a mixture of sweat and Garm's miasma
the pink mist would escape from his jaws with every forceful thrust
he was practically exhaling it now
he'd long since locked his hooves around his mortal lover's back
Garm held back on his forty secretive thoughts for so long it felt satisfying to indulge them here
moaning about wanting to be a knocked up bitch
you just kept pumping
maybe it was whiplash from being some big badass warrior his whole life
maybe Garm picked up that particular fetish and it just came out
you were barely lucid as it was
but he was very talkative between moans
your thrusts rubbed against his prostate, making him clamp tighter
you were slamming into him without mercy
his hooves clicked together with every pump
black and pink fur was already decorated with the demon's spent seed
he had cum multiple loads but still held onto you like a vise
you both were lucid enough to say “I love you” when you finally decorated his guts with one last tired heave
Earth responded to the new order of things with indifference and disbelief at first
then panic
Hell was real
trying to write off the demons as some aliens or interdimensional visitors wasn't accurate
God was real
this caused uproar the more word spread
governments were trying to suppress the rituals and detain the entities
both to little success
and in some cases tragedy
multiple cases
Asmodeus really hadn't considered that part
the demon couldn't account for everything
regardless, they had a place downstairs
perhaps the lord was going to incur the wrath of heaven eventually for his meddling
he frankly couldn't be asked to care about that
carving out elysium fields was stepping on someone's toes no matter what
but there wasn't any turning back
society had been forever changed
despite the panic and the dangers, it was a net positive
Asmodeus made a point of greeting all his new visitors
the deaths usually came as a shock but every couple eventually worked through it
and then they'd have eternity down here
actual sinners were still punished by the slowly depleting Hell outside the realm of pink fire
Asmodeus couldn't ignore that some humans were a bit beyond him
but he'd do his best to redeem what he could
he was still new to all this but he was eager to try being this new friendlier master
in between getting pounced on by his lover
a day had come where he decided to do something big
hundreds of demons and humans were now in the lord's chamber
all very confused
Asmodeus had decided all the romping around needed to stop
everyone was far more confused at the statement
”that's why I've brought you here.”
a snap of his fingers and everyone was in some form of formal marriage attire
you recognized this pretty quickly
while ages ago, the lord had thrown Garm and you in outfits like this it was not exactly formal
Asmodeus back then had taken a tone of impatience
here, he was absolutely jubilant
no idea what made him so upbeat
Clarence wasn't currently occupying him
you had the faintest idea
Garm had your arm hostage
he looked good
it was a more conservative getup than the last time the lord snapped his fingers
still had a pink dog collar
so there was no completely mistaking the chief lust demon's intent
the off white lace hugged his body
even gave him a veil
looking around you noticed everyone sort of had unique getups
Asmodeus had gone all out
the sheer volume of couples hit you as you scanned the crowd
you couldn't count quickly enough
all male on male from what you saw
despite the occasional girlish figure it was all dudes
Asmodeus was clearly a pervert
but he was a consistent one
all various demons
stations and ranks before were tossed aside
you even noticed a few that Garm and you had met before
your wandering through these chambers hadn't been all stepping over couples fucking
the hellhound even pointed out a few demons that used to rival Asmodeus
as in other sins
you wondered what all that meant for Heaven, Hell and the world between
maybe it was a good thing
the lord spoke up
said today was momentous
there was enough of a gathering here for what he wanted at the moment
talked about his ideals
how he had grown to love and acknowledge that God was right about these little creatures
getting called a creature was a little demeaning but it was a start
Asmodeus spoke of how his Clarence gave him a purpose beyond his sin
there was substance there where there was none
he spoke to the crowd and hoped they understood what he had started to feel
it wasn't just about all about the sex
his epiphany had been inspired out of nowhere after meeting his Clarence and he really couldn't place how it came to him
but he just didn't have the heart to punish men anymore
he wanted to do better that wallow in a cycle of sin and punishment
”so that's why I've gathered you here today,” he addressed the crowd
”I'm sure most of you have guessed the occasion.”
you weren't the brightest light bulb but you had already pieced it together
it was one of those massed marriage ceremonies
you'd seen them before
just… one in Hell was a bit strange
you had no idea who was going to make it official
you didn't exactly have a priest or a judge down here
Clarence cleared his throat and walked out in front of the throne
what?
you obviously didn't know the guy that well
but apparently he'd had aspirations at being a judge
he'd taken the time to learn up on everything and get officiated
not that a legally binding contract on earth could mean a lot down here
however, Clarence knew the words and gave them the proper weight
he'd already talked with his Azzy about this
it wasn't ideal in the eyes of God
sure, it was all corrupted
but they'd decided to go with the best attempt and hope it would be easier to ask for forgiveness later
Asmodeus and his human were debased perverts but they did want to be paragons for something better
the vows were given focused attention from the crowd
some were curious and looked around while hearing the words
some were silent in mediation
some were impatient and really wanted to go into their honeymoon now
but it was respected nonetheless by the gathering
after the vows and the exchanged kisses, Clarence spoke of something a little more personal
the lust demon considered himself an angel once
Clarence reminded him he always was an angel
when the lawyer spoke that part aloud the lord of lust actually averted his eyes from the crowd in the manner of a blushing girl
Garm and you were happy to have something formal
shame you couldn't bring your bride home to your parents
for a ritual you didn't think would work, it sure did fucking pan out
the black and pink hellhound softly nuzzled against your arm and you relaxed
the ceremony was brief but you two didn't slink off to some private chamber like some of the others
you just allowed this ritual the time you figured it deserved
you'd give God and heaven reverence but they could never take this from you
take Garm from you
you couldn't imagine eternity without your new groom
pink hellfire was your white picket fence
a hellish void your house
but it wasn't torture down here
the group parted in a trickle
some being talkative
some deciding to keep kissing despite the brides clearly being kissed before
Garm tugged on your arm
”come on, you still have to get me knocked up.”
demon or not, you felt that was an impossibility
wouldn't stop you from indulging him though
no idea why he kept begging for a litter while you were hilted deep in him
maybe a hellhound thing
the rough edge on the demon was gone
he wasn't the violent fireball you'd met
he was something softer
you'd changed too
despite having no concerns down here, you still dropped the happy go lucky vibe
you weren't able to just drift through life without a care now
this was a new life
and a new opportunity with someone that had grown to love you back
plus Garm seemed to like it when you showed assertiveness
you were growing to enjoy that attention
both of you were going to make it work
Asmodeus and his husband would make it work
all of this would work out eventually
Hell had been toppled and humanity slowly pulled back from temptation
the old order of sin was gone
replaced with something different
not altogether holy but not completely demonic either
the new order was flawed and corrupt but demons at least no longer attempted to drive humanity to sin in some vague grudge against a creator
instead, they were growing to accept and even help man
greed, envy, wrath, lust
they'd already fallen by the wayside on earth
with more to follow
demons were no longer the hidden enemy of man
the snake that tempted Eve and started this vicious cycle held no power
man and demon would work hard to redeem the other
despite the debauchery, demonkind would become the angelic shepherds they once were
the ritual would grow stronger with more and more use
more and more couples
lust had been molded into love
not exactly a perfect process but it had happened
even with the rampant sex, between men no less, the sin was slowly erased for something else to take its place
all from some guiding hand that had guided Clarence and Asmodeus
that had in turn guided a young lonely man in an abandoned house
the fate of mankind, decided by a guy that lived in his car
no one could really grasp how all those dominoes had fallen like they did
life carried on for the better through hands that never intended such responsibilities
you carried Garm over the threshold, his devil tail wagging as he knew what came next
a room for the both of you for the night
might want to talk to Asmodeus about decorating a little with how bare the place felt
you wanted it to feel more like a home
but for now
you were a just simple man
simple life
in Hell
and you were going to enjoy your real honeymoon