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Chapter Text

Victor Van Dort knew he was in over his head the moment he stepped out of his family's carriage. The Everglot estate was large, imposing, and strangely decrepit for such a lavish mansion. His parents took no notice of course and ushered him inside where he was to meet his future in-laws, and bride. He did not see her when they were initially let into the room by a butler, who he was pretty sure had sniffed at them in disapproval, though if her parents were anything to go by then she most likely would either be tall and dumpy or short and stocky. This did not help his nerves.

When his parents and her's went off to the parlor to get ready for the practice ceremony, he wandered over to the grand piano. He hesitantly tapped a key and found it to be in tune. It was a far cry from the old piano sitting in the storage room next to his at home. This one had all of the keys. He sat down on the bench, playing a tune he'd been practicing lately. 

His fingers flew over the keys with ease as he thought of the many nights he spent practicing. How he wished he was home, in his room, surrounded by his scientific instruments and various drawings of insects. He had wanted to be an entomologist but now he found the notion rather silly. How could he be a scientist with a wife? His parents would throw a fit if he left her here alone for school. Unless he took her with him, but what if she didn't want to go? What if she- 

He was startled by the sudden entrance of a young woman and after an awkward interaction he found out that Miss Victoria Everglot was quite beautiful indeed. This would only make things worse. He wanted to bang his head against the keys but instead, he simply went after her mother after she found them by the piano. 

"Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine-" He stepped a bit too far and ran right into the table. 

The priest, who was getting very annoyed with him by now, scoffed. "Three paces! Three! Do you not wish to be married?" 

"No! I no-" 

"You do not?" Victoria turned to him, hurt apparent in her eyes.

"I-" He was interrupted by the priest again. "Do you have the ring?" 

"The ring? The ring...of course!" He pulled the ring out from his coat pocket with a triumphant smile, only to drop it. "This boy does not wish to be married!" The priest exclaimed as he crawled to get it, reaching underneath the skirt of Lady Everglot to retrieve it. 

"Nevermind..let us go to the candle bit." The priest sighed. Another relation of the Everglots came in at that time, sitting down behind them. 

Having a candle in his hand turned out to be a disaster in the making and it ended with the priest going "Young man. Learn. Your. Vows." 

It was all too much. He ran out, heading over the old stone bridge into the forest. He clasped his hands behind his back as he walked down the path. He couldn't do this. He would never love Victoria the way she clearly expected him too. It was all a mess. 

He sighed as he came to a clearing, reciting his vows out loud "Your cup will never empty!" He said confidently as he stepped forward "For I will be your wine!" 

"And with this ring!" He pulled out the ring again, barely managing not to drop it again. "I ask you to be mine." He slipped it onto a rather finger looking branch and stopped. Breathless. He'd done it! Now all he needed was the ring and he could go back to pretending that this was what he wanted. 

He reached out for it again, only for the branch it was on...to wiggle? It was wiggling. He fell back in the snow in horror as a body rose up from the ground, clawing at the earth while also trying to reach for him. "I do." It rasped. 

Victor screamed and ran back down the way he came, ravens cawing overhead as the figure behind him walked slowly, arms outstretched. His breathing was labored, his legs burned, he could hear his heart in his ears. What was that thing?

He had reached the bridge when it appeared in front of him, terrifying and a little smelly. Ravens circled all around them and the last thing he heard before it all went black was, 

"You may now kiss the groom." 

Chapter Text

Victor groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, dimly aware of someone supporting the back of his head. There were people speaking but he couldn't quite make it out until something poked his side and went "He's still soft!"

His vision adjusted slowly and he soon found himself staring into the eyes, no, eye of a strange creature with blue hair and skin. He shrieked and scooted back, hitting something solid. "A toast! An overly excited voice said "To the newlyweds!" 

"Newlyweds?" He stared at these terrifying creatures in shock as the blue haired one stepped closer. "In the woods, you said your vows so perfectly!" It, he, stuck out a skeletal hand and wiggled his fingers. On his ring finger was the ring meant for Victoria. 

"I did...I did!" He got up and gripped whatever it was behind him, looking at the thing he found himself married too. He had high cheek bones and a delicate frame that was covered by what must have once been a pristine white suit. It was a bit dirty and frayed at the pants, reveling that one of his legs was skeletal just like his arm. This was no monster it was a corpse.

He turned around and started slamming his head into the bar he'd been standing in front of "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" 

A raised voice cut through his stupor and he watched in horror as a literal head crawled its way over to him. "Hello my name is Paul, I am the head waiter. I will be creating your wedding feast!" 

There were other voices after Paul and he stumbled blindly until his hand gripped the handle of a sword. He raised a small skeleton dressed in an army uniform, brandishing him here and there. "Back up! I've got a...dwarf! And I'm not afraid to use him!" 

A hush fell over the crowd at his bold statement and he took that opportunity to finally get a word in. "Questions! I demand questions!" 

Seeing the confused faces on his fellow villagers, the small man hanging off of the end of the sword decided to help Victor out. "Answers, I think you mean answers." 

"Yes! Right..thank you." The young man stammered back nervously before puffing his chest out in a fake display of confidence "l need answers.What's going on here? Where am l?" He then brandished the sword and dwarf at the corpse in white "Who are you?"

"Well, that's kind of a long story." He responded with a small smile. 

"And what a story it is." A skeleton in the corner chimed in, grabbing the brim of his hat. A tragic tale of romance, passion and murder most foul!" 

"This is gonna be good." The dwarf whispered to Victor, who finally put him down. 

"Hit it, boys." The skeleton pointed at the band who began to play an upbeat song. 

The song told the story of a young man who fell in love with a beautiful woman that his father did not approve of. So the man chose to elope with her, taking only the suit his father had worn to his own wedding along with sufficient funds for later. Only to be killed under the old oak tree he'd been at what felt like ages ago. 

"He's been waiting for someone to ask for his hand! And out of nowhere comes this groovy young man." He yelped as the corpse groom took his hands and began to spin him around in a sort of dance. This was too much. There was too much information for him to process. He pulled out of his grip and ran towards the door, hoping to find some normalcy somewhere in this strange land. 

Chapter Text

Victor found the world outside of the bar as confusing as the bar itself. He stopped for a moment in the middle of the street. Where was he going? 

"Victor! Victor darling!" A sing-songy voice called from behind him. 

"Rats." He mumbled before charging ahead, passing by all manners of dead people. He even ran into a man who literally split himself in half. How he hadn't thrown up yet was a wonder. He kept running and running until there was nowhere to run to. There was just a hill and a bench and a view. 

Huffing and puffing, he sat down on the bench. The land of the dead was rather big, with swirling houses stretched out as far as the eye could see. It looked a little like his village but more vibrant somehow. More lively, as ironic as that was. He ran both hands over his aching knees as he tried to focus on everything. He was married. Not to Victoria but to a man. A dead man. 

What would his mother think? What would the Everglots think? What would Victoria think? He dropped his head into his hands and groaned. When he wished for the wedding to never happen this was not what he meant. Was he even still alive? He jerked up at the thought and put his hand over his chest. He could still feel his racing heart. 

At least he still seemed to be alive. That was one less thing he had to worry about. He could feel tears pricking at the corner of his eyes, what did he do to deserve this? Which god had decided that they needed to make his life more difficult? He seemed to have the most rotten luck. 

"There you are!" He jumped at the arrival of his...groom. He was smiling at him and carrying a small box. 

"I was wondering where you had run off too, it's not entirely safe down here you know." 

Victor scooted away when he sat down, not sure how to respond. What was his name? Had he ever mentioned it? He swallowed thickly as the creature continued, seemingly unaware that he was currently seconds from running away again. 

"You are handsome you know? The type of man anyone would dream of marrying." He reached out as if he was going to take his hand but the living man just pulled back further away. 

"Now...now hold on!" He insisted. 

"What?" 

"Well you see, the thing is..erm..I don't um.." He was tripping over his words while the corpse waited patiently. He eventually just leaned back and looked up at the sky? Was that a sky? "I don't know your name.”

"Oh!" His companion probably would have been bright red with embarrassment if he was capable of it. "My name is Emil."

"Emil..." He looked back at him with a polite smile "That's a..." He resisted the urge to choke "Lovely name."

The blue man just smiled again, holding out the box for him. "This is for you." 

"For me?" 

"It's a wedding present." 

He opened it curiously, finding a small bone. It most likely belonged to an animal based on the size. He tried his best to hide his disgust as he dropped it back in the box and put his arms over top of it. "Thank you."

Then, inexplicably, the box began to rattle and move. He tried to keep it on his lap but he ended up spilling the bones all over the ground. They all fused together to make a small dog which wagged its skeletal tail at him. It had a collar in its mouth. He leaned forward to grab it and read the tag. "Scraps?" 

The dog barked and he grinned for the first time since he'd arrived. "My old dog Scraps!”

"I thought you'd like to see him again," Emil said with a chuckle. 

He had fun for a little while, playing with Scraps like he used too. "He's cute." The other man commented. 

"You should have seen him with fur." Victor replied. 

"He's yours again now...you know? You can stay with him forever."

His unease was back "You mean..stay with you forever." 

"We are married." He pointed out while lifting up his hand and pointing at the wedding band. 

"I know but you don't even know my parents! And..oh no my parents." Scraps had been a fun distraction but now reality had come back. His parents must be worried sick. 

"Well why don't I meet them? Where are they buried?”

"They... they're not.." Victor cleared his throat and pointed upwards. 

"Oh!" The dead groom exclaimed "They're still alive." 

"I'm afraid so." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Emil stood up, skeletal hand held out towards him. He took it after much hesitation. There was a mischievous twinkle in the other mans eye as he lead him back down the hill. "Where are we going?" 

"To see the elder."

Chapter Text

“Elder!” Victor exclaimed as he was dragged along by Emil, nearly tripping over a brick as they headed in the opposite direction of the hill. 

“Yes! Elder Gutknecht, he’s very knowledgeable about the afterlife and all that-“ He was cut off when the living man fell over again, this time because he ran into someone. 

Emil sighed and shook his head fondly, helping him up by taking his elbow, his other hand on the small of his back. “Stay close to me,” He said with a smile as he pulled Victor closer in and kept his hand on his back. After that it was easier to navigate the streets and avoid other undead patrons, but not quite so easy to ignore the little smiles that his “groom” would give him when he caught him staring.

They eventually ended up in what looked like a giant tower that was terribly terribly crooked. Emil let go of Victor and went ahead to look for the elder while he lingered back by the stairs in a cold sweat. Was the floor safe? Would it come crashing down and he’d get hurt? Did the dead not worry about it since they were already dead? 

As if sensing his thoughts, Scraps barked at him and ran ahead, tilting his head once he realized that his owner wasn’t following. If Scraps could do it, then surely he could too? He took a slow step forward and while the black floor creaked it didn’t seem to give under his weight so he finally followed his dog and his… husband? Who had found the elder, a very old looking skeleton who had previously been napping on a very thick book. 

“What was it you wanted my dear?” The elder asked, peering over half moon glasses. 

“We, that is my husband and I,” he locked arms with Victor who swallowed dryly “Wish to go up! You know, upstairs? To see his parents.” 

“Why would you want to go up there when people are dying to get down here?” The hunched skeleton asked with a wheezy laugh before flipping through his book. Emil gave a slight chuckle at the joke but it made Victor feel a little queasy.

“Ahah! Here it is, Bavarian haunting spell. So easy for these little quick trips.” He reached to the side and picked up a massive egg “Now remember, when you wish to return all you have to do is say Hopscotch.” 

“Hopscotch?” Victor asked, speaking for the first time since he’d been there, “Like the game?” 

“Yes like the game, now up you pop!” He cracked the egg over his book and there was a rush of air, and everything went black. 

Chapter Text

Victor woke up leaning against a tree stump, the snow soaked into his back and arms, a cold breeze ruffling his hair. He was back in the clearing, the tree looming over him like some great beast. He scrambled to get up on his feet and saw Emil looking up at the sky. The full moon reflected off of his blue skin and for a moment he thought he saw a twinkle in his eye. 

“I forgot how beautiful it was up here,” He said, not really to Victor but to the air. “When I was here before… well I was only focused on the chase I guess.” 

A single snowflake floated down from the sky and the undead groom reached out to catch it in the palm of his hand. There was no warmth to melt it so it stayed there, under his watchful eye. “Marvelous…” 

Without warning he grabbed Victor by the hand and twirled him, pulling him close to his chest so they could dance around the trees. A flurry of snowflakes fell from the sky and whipped around as they moved, making his undead companion look like an ice sculpture brought to life. He had let go of his hand at some point and was watching him, his twirls, the way he reached around and held onto trees to hide from him. 

Victor moved forward, taking him by the hand again and moving him into a waltz. Emil laughed, dancing with him in dizzying circles until he let out a yelp and fell on the ground. “Emil!” 

A little green worm stuck itself out of Emil’s ear and whispered something to him. He looked back in horror, “Oh bollocks.” 

“Here let me help you,” He pulled the leg out of the root and handed it back to him, wincing as the bone stuck back together at the knee. 

Emil gave it a testing kick once he was up again and turned to Victor. “So? Your parents?” 

He paled, how would he explain this to them? To Victoria and her parents, to his parents? To anyone? He rubbed his temples, he would have to get his parents first. “Stay- stay here.” He grabbed his hands and pleaded with him “Ill be back with them, it might take me awhile but I will be back.” 

“Oh, alright darling.” He smiled at him and he had to run away to hide his blush. 

After about half an hour or maybe longer, Emil was still sitting in the clearing. He had found a somewhat comfortable tree stump and had his chin in his hands. “Your boyfriend seemed a little jumpy.” Said a voice in his head. “He’s not my boyfriend, he’s my husband.”

”Oh? Well where is he then?” The groom was irritated so he smacked the side of his head and launched the maggot out into the snow. “He’s going to get his parents, just like he said. He said.. it would take awhile.” 

“Why? Who is he seeing?” 

“His parents.” 

“Are you sure?” 

He frowned, looking at the foot prints in the snow. There was curiosity gnawing at him and he knew what he had to do. He got up, starting to follow them down the path and into town. 

Chapter Text

Victor ran all the way home, not stopping for anything or anyone even when the Town Crier tried to ask him where he’d been. When he arrived at his home he banged on the door but no one answered. Not even Mayhew, which meant that they must still be at the Everglots. “Oh come on!” He huffed before turning and continuing on his way. 

He was far too tired to run, so he settled for a determined speed walk up the cobblestone. Once he’d reached the open gates he went to throw open the front doors but hushed voices on the other side stopped him. It was Victorias parents, they were talking about strangling him! He put a shaking hand to his neck before running around the side and trying the servants door. Locked. Of course. 

He sighed and looked up, seeing a balcony. He could climb the vines, which was horrifying and potentially deadly but now that he knew what awaited him after death he found a bit of courage and climbed up. He fell face first over the railing and found the glass doors into whatever room it was unlocked. He pushed them open slowly, startling a woman who had been sewing by the fire. 

Victor can honestly say that he had not recognized Victoria until she turned around, and they both stared at each other before his eyes drifted to the fire. He had gotten so used to the cold that he didn’t even realize he was shivering until he made his way forward and sat down across from it. “Victoria,” He stammered “I know this must seem very strange to you but I need to talk to my parents.” 

“Your parents- Victor what on earth happened to you? You ran away and the town crier said something about you running off with a mystery man!” 

He cringed, rubbing the back of his neck “Well that part in some fashion.. is true.” 

She blinked, staring at him then staring down at her quilt before leaning back heavily in her chair and letting out a sigh. “Thank god.” 

“What?” 

“Oh well you see..” She picked at her sleeve “I told myself I wanted to get married to you Victor I really did but the more I thought about it the more it filled me with some sort of dread.” 

He let out a nervous laugh “I thought I was the only one.” 

They looked at each other, smiling in understanding. That was when Victor noticed a familiar blue figure clawing its way up the railing. He yelped and held her face in his hands “Victoria listen to me, I seem.. well I seem to find myself already married. And you must know that it’s sudden and he might be a bit.. odd.. but please don’t scream.” 

“Don’t scream-“ She was cut off by the doors behind her opening and Emil came stumbling through, pushing his messy blue bangs out of his face “Victor darling where are-“ He took in the scene before him, Victor sitting there holding Victorias face while she stared at him. Upon realizing what he was doing his husband yelped and let her go. 

“Victor.” He tried to keep his voice even “Who is this?” 

“Emil!” Victor tripped over his chair trying to get to him and Victoria turned, eyebrows furrowed as she looked between them. 

“Is she- are you- what is going on here!” He pulled his hand away when Victor tried to take it and he tried to stammer out what was happening but all that came out was a mess of words. 

“I am Victoria Everglot, a dear friend.” Victoria said over Victors rambling “He was just telling me to fetch his parents.” She nodded at them and left, the door clicking shut behind her. 

He sighed and flopped down on the couch where Victoria had been sitting moments ago. The undead groom had his arms crossed and was looking at the far wall. “She’s.. she’s telling the truth you know.” 

“Right.” He sat down on the ottoman and stared into the fire, avoiding Victors gaze. 

“Really! I.. well let me explain what happened this morning..” 

Victor launched into his own tale of woe, talking about how he and Victoria were arranged to be married and he was dressed up and carted off to the rehearsal whether he liked it or not. How he had messed up his vows and ran into the woods, where he put the ring meant for her on a branch that looked suspiciously like a finger. “And well..” he rubbed the back of his neck. “You know the rest.” 

Emil had started looking at him again while he told his story, and was now messing with the wedding ring on his finger. “So you didn’t mean to marry me.” 

“No not really but-“ He took the corpses hands in his own “I’d like to.. that is to say, I don’t mind-“ 

His grooms skeletal hand let go of his own and cupped his cheek, rubbing his thumb over it slowly. They leaned in, knees brushing. That was when the door to Victorias room was thrown open by her father and mother with his own parents standing behind them. “What is this!” Said Lord Everglot while Victors mother exclaimed “Victor!” 

He waved awkwardly “Hello everyone..” 

Chapter Text

Victors leg bounced uncontrollably as he sat on a couch outside the parlor door where his parents and the Everglots were talking about what he’d told them, he had Emil to his right and Victoria to his left. He wasn’t looking at either one of them, he had his head in his hands with his elbows resting just below his knees. “This is a mess.” 

“It will be okay Victor.” Victoria said while putting a hand on his back, leaning in to try and see his face. “They aren’t yelling that’s a good sign.” 

The corpse sitting to his right let out a huff and got up abruptly “I think I’ll go.. get some air.” 

“Emil!” He called. 

He didn’t turn around, he just kept walking. He got up to follow him but the parlor door opened and he was tugged into the room by Victoria. His parents and the Everglots stood side by side. Lady Everglot spoke first, “In light of this situation we have decided that there will be a wedding.” 

He swallowed dryly and went to say something only for her to put a hand up “I’m not finished.” She looked at his mother with disdain and continued “You will be in a proper ceremony with your… groom… after Victoria marries Lord Barkis.” 

He saw Victoria tense out of the corner of his eye and a man with wispy white hair and an evil smile stepped out of the shadows from the back of the room. “It’s lovely to meet you my dear.” He said to Victoria, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. 

“Right! Now that that’s settled! How about some wine?” His father said, looking towards the butler who sniffed and walked off. 

“Victor why don’t you get your groom! I’d love to meet him properly.” He could tell his mother wasn’t happy from the way she clenched her jaw and he didn’t want to expose Emil to her passive aggressive behavior. “Actually- actually we’d rather get ready Um.” He pointed downwards “We have guests to invite and all that.” 

“Fine fine just be back no later then the midnight hour.” Lord Everglot snapped. 

He smiled at Victoria, waved to his parents, nodded at the Everglots, then went out to find Emil. “Emil!” He called just before he tripped over the corpse who was sitting on the front steps of the home. 

He landed face first into a pile of snow and sat up on his knees, shaking the wet clumps from his hair. He sighed and stood up, attempting to brush off the dirt on his suit before he turned to his husband. “So I talked to my parents.. they’re letting us get ready for the ceremony you know..” He pointed downward. 

“The ceremony?” 

He smiled, getting down on one knee “Will you marry me? Properly this time?” 

To his surprise, Emil crossed his arms “Are you sure you don’t want to marry little miss living?” 

“Who? Victoria?” He said in confusion. 

“I saw the way you looked at her! And to think I almost kissed you!” 

“I wanted to kiss you!” 

“No you didn’t!” He sobbed “Hopscotch!” 

“Wait no- Emil!” He chased after him as he moved backwards, grabbing onto his hand and being dragged back down. 

Chapter Text

Emil started running the minute they fall back into Elder Gutknecht’s library, ignoring Victors cries and Scraps’s barks as he ran into town. Tears blurred his vision and eventually he flopped down on the coffin shaped coach outside of the bar. He sniffed, finding a discarded white hat underneath. He held it in his hands, noticing a dried dead rose on the side of it. “Roses… for eternal love.” He threw the hat away and a black widow spider lowered itself down on its silk to land on his shoulder. 

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” She asked. 

The worm stuck his head out of his empty eye socket and spoke “He’s having doubts about his marriage.” 

“Hmph!” He hit his head and knocked the worm out, luckily he was caught by one of the spiders long legs. 

“Why are you having doubts?” The spider asked. 

“Because I saw him with a woman! A living one.” Emil sobbed “And they looked so good together, how could I compete with that? I’m dead…” He looked down at his hands, one of them blue and intact, the other one completely skeletal. He wiggled his skeletal fingers, frowning. 

“Oh come on dear, being alive isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! After all you have… you have… a lovely personality!” 

He sighed and sang a melancholy song, he couldn’t touch a candle and feel pain, he wouldn’t breathe, he was cold to the touch, so what if he could play the piano and dance and sing? He wouldn’t ever be able to do certain things with Victor because he was dead. Why did he ever think this would be a good idea? He got up, leaving the worm and the spider behind as he walked into the bar. He sat down at the piano, leaning forward and tapping at one of the keys with his finger, frowning. 

Victor ran through the streets of the dead town, asking if anyone had seen Emil. Eventually he was directed to the bar where he saw a familiar blue figure in a white suit sitting at the piano. He sat down next to him, smiling at him weakly. The undead groom huffed and shifted away, playing a sad tune. 

He started to play the same piece he had shown Victoria, it was an octave higher then he intended but he honestly liked this version better. Emil furrowed his eyebrows and seemed to fight back with his piece, which happened to blend together perfectly with his. They kept playing until his partners skeletal hand popped off and danced across the keys. Victor laughed, picking it up and handing it back to its owner. 

Emil smiled despite himself “Sorry, I guess I was just… a little enthusiastic.” 

“I like your enthusiasm.” Victor said while holding his hand. He huffed and looked away. 

“I know you don’t believe me but I do want to marry you, Emil.” He reached out hesitantly with his other hand cupped his cheek. His skin was cool to the touch and Emil gazed at him with his one wide eye. 

“Are you sure this is what you want Victor? I’m dead.” He asked, fighting back a smile. 

He laughed nervously “I’m more then sure.” 

Chapter Text

The town of the dead was immediately sent into a whirlwind of preparations after Victor announced they were going upstairs for their wedding. From the chefs to the spiders everyone was doing their part, which included getting him and Emil ready. He was tugged away by the corpse of a barber and got a trim while the black widow and her friends took care of his suit, which was a bit torn and dirty. When he eventually came out of the whirlwind of well meaning townsfolk his hair was nicely styled, his suit was back in the same condition it had been that morning, and his shoes were shined. 

He nodded and held onto the front of his coat appreciatively before looking up and seeing Emil. He was still wearing his white suit, but now he had a top hat with red roses on the side and was holding a bouquet of wilted wildflowers. His ripped pant leg had had the dirt brushed off and he twirled, allowing Victor to catch him. “This is so exciting!” 

“I know.” He helped him up, squeezing his skeletal hand. 

“Emil?” The elder said, breaking from the crowd of curious on lookers “May I speak with you for a moment? Alone?” The dead groom nodded and kissed Victor on the cheek before going to follow him, speaking in hushed tones and looking a little nervous. 

Now Victor wasn’t usually one to be nosy but the way that Emil carried himself as they walked away was concerning. So as soon as he was able, he slipped through the crowd and made his way into the bar, specifically, to the kitchen. He peeked around the corner just in time for the Elder to open up the heavy leather bound book he’d seen earlier. 

“There is a complication with your marriage I’m afraid.” 

Emil covered his mouth with his hand “What is it?” 

“Well, you recall that marriage is until death do you part?” 

“Yes.”

“Death has already parted you.” 

Victor gripped the wall as Emil swallowed nervously “What does that mean?” 

“It means for your marriage to be legitimate, we need to preform the proper ceremony and he will need to drink from the wine of ages.” 

Emil gasped “Poison!” 

“Only once his heart has stopped beating can he be free to give it to you.” Elder Gutknecht explained.

“But- but I can’t ask him to do that!” His future husband sputtered “He’s so young! And he has a family…” 

“I’m sorry my dear but that’s the way things are.” 

“It’s alright.” Victor said while stepping into the room, startling both of them.

”Victor you don’t have to do this.” Emil insisted while grabbing his hands. “You have so much left to do with your life.” 

“Yeah Victor!” Chimed in one of the chefs, who was currently missing a nose. 

“I said I would marry you.” He told him firmly “And I will.” The thought of death made him weak at the knees, and his mother would likely throw a fit, but he had promised Emil and if this was the way he got to be with him, he would do it. 

“But..” He leaned in pressed a kiss to those dead cold lips, effectively shushing him. “This is what I want, really.” He reassured him again before letting go of his hands and leaving to gather everyone to leave. 

Emil watched him, twisting the ring on his finger “I don’t think I can let him do this..” 

“But, isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?” Elder Gutknecht asked. 

“It’s different somehow.. it feels.. wrong to take someone from their family because I never got the chance to be married.” 

“He loves you, you know.” 

“I know.” 

Chapter Text

The priest had been made aware of the unusual situation ahead of time but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of Victor Van Dort holding hands with a long dead groom, an entire gaggle of corpses trailing behind him. The town seemed to have acclimated rather quickly and he could see townsfolk reuniting and talking with their dead loved ones. If he got into the communal wine before the first ceremony he was sure no one would notice. 

The dead guests went to sit down and prepare for the first ceremony, the wedding of Victoria and Lord Barkis, while Victor and Emil stayed behind to wait in the room where Victoria had been getting ready. She was waiting for her musical cue, then her father would walk her down the aisle. She was sitting with her arms crossed over her chest, looking terrified. Victor was at her side immediately “Victoria?” 

“I’m sorry Victor I just- there’s another reason I didn’t want to marry you or anyone for that matter.” 

“What is it?” 

“I-“ she let out a strangled sob and covered her face with her hands. “I’m in love with a boy from town. He’s sitting there in the pews right now and I’m not sure I can face him when I walk by.” 

He rubbed her back “Surely you can tell your parents-?” 

“No!” She looked horrified by the idea, stray hair falling in her face. “They’ve already made up their minds, Lord Barkis is a wealthy lord and my Benjamin…” 

“Wait.” Emil had been watching this exchange by the door, not necessarily caring, until that name was said. “Is his last name Bittern? And does he have a sister?” 

“I don’t know… I didn’t have enough time to ask?” Emil stepped out for a minute and peeked into the main chapel, seeing the band still setting up and an impatient man with white hair standing the altar. He was currently adjusting his tie. He moved away from the door and hurried back into the room. “This wedding cannot happen.” 

Victoria sniffed “What?” 

“That man, Lord Barkis, he helped his sister kill me.” At that revelation Victor walked over to him, holding his elbows as Emil recounted his death “I was in love with his twin sister, Beatrice, she was the most beautiful girl in town and my father… he thought she was loose if you get my meaning and wouldn’t give me his blessing. So we went to elope and when I got to the tree…” He didn’t realize he was crying until Victor cupped his face, wiping his tears away with his thumb. “I’m sorry.” 

“No. I’m sorry, I can’t let this happen to someone else.” He reached up and grabbed Victors wrist, squeezing it once before moving around him to Victoria. “Take my hand.” 

The trio walked into the chapel together, and Lord Barkis’s face instantly paled when he saw Emil. “Emil! But you’re supposed to be dead!” 

Both the living and the dead gasped at that reveal and Emil stepped forward “I won’t let you kill someone else for their money.” 

“Money?” Victoria was confused “But he’s meant to have money.” 

Emil laughed “The Bitterns don’t have money, their father gambled it away.” 

At that the Everglots stood up “No money!” Said Mrs. Everglot “How unseemly.” 

“I um-“ Lord Barkis looked around the room before reaching for a sword. “Fine! I’m a poor man, are you happy? The money that Emil foolishly gave my dim witted sister finally ran out.” 

Some of the dead residents went to fight but the Elder held them back. “The dead cannot interfere with the living!” 

“You can’t get away with this!” Victor yelled, hiding Victoria behind him.

”I already have dear boy, now hand my bride over,” He had a smug grin on his face as he gestured with his sword, only for his eyes to suddenly go wide and a pool of blood to appear on his coat. He fell to the ground, a man with dark brown hair standing behind him with another sword. Victoria ran to him “Benjamin!” The two embraced and Emil looked at Lord Barkis’s body. 

“Are you going to be alright?” Victor asked.

“I think so… I feel oddly at peace now.” Barkis got up a few minutes later, but a small group of residents from below, now no longer being held back, advanced towards him and pushed him back out of the church. His screams echoed through the building.  

Chapter Text

After the general chaos and the removal of Lord Barkis, Victoria left the church with her parents and Benjamin in tow, leaving Victor and Emil to do their ceremony. Emil was still nervous, now that he had seen the town that Victor came from and his parents and Victoria, he wasn’t sure he could go through with it. Elder Gutknecht offered to officiate, after he saw the slightly drunken state of the priest, and placed the bottle of poison on the table in front of them. Victors parents had been filled in before they started and while his mother had pitched a fit his father had been strangely.. understanding about the whole thing. 

Victor turned to Emil, holding his hand up "With this hand I will lift your sorrows.” The corpse groom smiled weakly, watching as Victor lifted his cup. “Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine.”

The elder turned to Emil and gestured with his skeletal hand “Now you.” 

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.” Emil reached over and took the bottle of poison “Your cup will never empty, for I will be…” He watched the red liquid pour in and looked behind Victor to see his mother and father, a dead Mayhew beside them. “For I will be…” 

“Go on my dear.” The elder encouraged. 

“Your cup will never empty for I will be…” He blanked and Victor smiled “For I will be your wine.” He finished for him, lifting the cup to bring it to his lips. Emil reached forward, bringing the cup down. There were murmurs from the gathered guests and Victor looked hurt “Emil?” 

The dead groom cupped his face with his skeletal hand, tears brimming. “This is wrong, I was a groom. My dreams were taken from me, you don’t deserve to die so I can be happy, not when you have family here.” 

“Emil I agreed to marry you- I love-“ 

“I know.” He stepped forward and pressed his forehead to his. “But it’s not your time.” 

“Who are you to say that! The only thing that that I have been sure of all day,” He gripped Emil’s wrist “Is that I want to be with you.” 

“You don’t deserve to die for me!”

”But I want to!” Victor argued, lifting the cup before Emil could do anything and chugging it down. There were shocked murmurs in the crowd and his mother fainted, Victor let out a strangled sound and fell to the ground, clawing at his throat. “Victor!” Emil crouched down beside him, hand at the back of his head. 

His skin took on a blueish tinge and he opened his eyes, staring up at him “Aren’t we supposed to be getting married?” 

Emil laughed “You fool! You crazy wonderful fool!” 

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch and with a few goodbyes, Victor and Emil left for the land of the dead hand in hand, ready to spend the rest of their afterlife together.