Chapter Text
It had only been about an hour since the wedding rehearsal disaster had ended. Thankfully, the pastor had left not long after, muttering hotly under his breath.
Moon stood by the window, looking at the now-dark sky. The thick cloud covering made it impossible to see any stars. It was beginning to sleet as well; a horrible mixture of rain and snow that never failed to make Moon’s pistons ache with cold.
The fireplace was low—God knows the Afton family could barely afford decent coal these days. It hissed intermittently, the sleet from outside falling down the chimney and into the flames.
The light it gave off reflected against the glass, giving Moon a clear view of the Emilys and Aftons. Mr. and Mrs. Emily were looking more anxious by the minute.
“Come away from the window, Moon.” Clara Afton ordered, snapping her fingers. Moon resisted the urge to sigh before moving to stand beside where they sat on the sofa. Lady Afton turned to the Emilys. “Where on Earth could your daughter possibly be?”
“I—well, I’m sure she’ll be back soon, right dear?” Mrs. Emily turned to her husband, clasping their hands together. Both of their knuckles were white.
“Of course. Yes.” Henry Emily cleared his throat. “Say, how is the weather faring?”
“It’s begun to sleet.” Moon answered.
Mr. and Mrs. Emily looked to each other with worried expressions on their faces. No, not worried, Moon realised, scared.
A sudden knock on the sitting room startled everyone. William Afton sat up straighter in his seat, blinking exhaustion from his eyes before calling:
“Enter.”
Opening the double doors with a flourish, in walked Lady Vanessa Abbott.
“Lady Abbott,” Lord Afton stifled a yawn, “I trust the room is to your liking?”
“Yes, thank you.” Lady Vanessa smiled. It didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You and Lady Afton are most gracious hosts.” She sighed, her face dropping to something akin to pity. “Which is why it pains me to be the bearer of such bad news.” She turned to the open door, stepping aside by the wall. “Please, come in.”
In walked the town crier, shoulders and hat wet from sleet.
“Would you care to repeat tonight’s headline for us?” Lady Vanessa asked.
The town crier lifted his bell.
“Without the bell. If you would.”
Nodding, the town crier cleared his throat, speaking a tad too loudly for being indoors.
“Hear ye, hear ye! Daughter of respectable Emily family seen this night on the church bridge in the arms of a mystery automaton man! The automaton and Ms. Emily then slipped away into the night!”
The town crier then nodded at Lady Vanessa and left without another word.
The sitting room erupted into noise.
“Wait, what?”
“But that can’t be right!”
“This is outrageous!” Lady Afton cried, looking more alive than she had in years. “The Afton name cannot bear another scandal!”
Lord Afton placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“We had a deal, Henry,” he said.
Mr. Emily frowned. “This has to be a misunderstanding.”
“Yes, of course,” Mrs. Emily replied. “There must be an explanation for this—our daughter doesn’t know any other men.”
“Exactly, this is entirely out of character for her.”
All words turned into senseless noise as Moon backed away from the couch, bumping against the window. A part of his racing mind reckoned that if he had lungs to breathe, he’d be hyperventilating.
It was all too familiar. You just left, vanishing into the night to some mysterious suitor like… like him.
For a moment, just a moment, he actually, maybe, thought that this arrangement wouldn’t be so bad. You seemed... kind. He had found your fluster at the piano amusing, even sweet. He thought he could maybe learn to like you.
But that was all a lie, wasn’t it? It felt like a knife to the circuit boards, and his assailant was twisting it. History was repeating itself and Moon was once again the fool who was left behind.
The noise was too much to bear any longer. He pushed himself off the window, hastily walking out of the room.
“Where are you going?” Lady Afton called after him. “Moon, return at once!”
“Let him go, Clara,” Lord Afton said. “He won’t go far.”
She narrowed her eyes towards the open door, but sighed, relenting.
“Why don’t we go search for her?” Mr. Emily inquired. “Once she’s found, she can explain herself and we’ll all learn that this was just an unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Lady Afton huffed. “Fine. You have until tomorrow evening to fix this mess. Please see them out, Fitzgerald.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you.”
The Emilys left the room in a hurry, the butler escorting them. The sound of the front doors closing echoed throughout the estate not long after.
“What are we to do, William?” Lady Afton sat beside her husband once more, hands gripping at her skirts.
Lord Afton hesitated for a moment, then reached forward and rested his hand on hers. “I’m sure it will all work out.”
Lady Afton let her shoulders droop just a touch, a strange, almost sad sort of expression on her face as she looked at her husband’s hand on her own.
Fitzgerald returned, closing the door behind him. Lady Afton stood, not acknowledging the loss of contact.
Lady Vanessa moved from the wall, making her presence known once more. Her eyes had a strange glint to them.
“Again, I am terribly sorry for being the bearer of such bad news,” she said, clasping her hands before her. Lady Afton turned her head to her sharply, as if she'd forgotten Lady Vanessa was even there.
“It’s alright, Lady Abbott.” Lord Afton stood up also, swallowing down a yawn. “Can’t make a habit of shooting the messenger, can we?”
Lady Vanessa smiled politely. “Of course.”
“It’s all been far too much… excitement for one day,” Lady Afton said. “I shall turn in for the night. If you need anything, please ask Fitzgerald or Ms Chica. They’ll be more than willing to help.” She made her way to the door. “Goodnight.”
“I’ll be off, too then.” Lord Afton made his way to leave. “I’ll be in my workshop, Fitzgerald. Make sure I’m undisturbed. Goodnight, Lady Abbott.”
“Goodnight.”
Fitzgerald gave him a curt nod and followed him out. Lady Vanessa Abbott was left alone in the empty sitting room
She straightened her shoulders, taking a deep breath. Turning her gaze to the low flames of the fireplace, the corners of her lips quirked up in the barest hint of a smile. Then, flipping her braid off her shoulder, she left. The door closed behind her with a sharp click.
~*~
You came-to slowly, wincing at the warm light shining through your closed eyelids. Your head felt strange; fuzzy and confused, as if filled with cobwebs. You were laying down. The ground beneath your back felt wooden and slightly sticky.
“A new arrival!”
Your eyes shot open at the voice, then immediately closed, the sudden intake of light stabbing your retinas.
“Oh dear,” said another voice, slightly higher pitched and laced with static, “she must’ve fainted! Are you okay?”
Opening your eyes slowly this time, you were met with the sunshine yellow face of an automaton. He seemed worn, with patches of rust and peeled paint. Some of the sunrays that surrounded his face were missing or broken. He gazed down at you in concern with soft, baby blue eyes.
Baby blue eyes…
You sat up suddenly, memories flooding your mind. The vows, the ruined automaton, running through the woods, the moment on the bridge before it all went dark.
That same automaton was now kneeling beside you. A sliver of fear gripped your heart as you slowly turned to face him.
"Hello, there," he said, tilting his head to the side and smiling, "Do you feel okay?"
You just stared at him, memories conflicted harshly with the man before you. He didn't seem particularly scary…
"Well would you look at that—we've got ourselves a breather!"
Your head snapped towards the voice, and you realised in newfound horror that came from a corpse. The whole room was full of them, human and automaton alike. Rusted metal and bone. You scrambled to your feet, panic brewing within you.
"A toast to the newlyweds!" Another corpse announced. She drank a whole pint of beer in one go, but went right out the gaping hole in her stomach and onto the floor. Another corpse gasped: "my shoes!" and jumped away.
You could barely even process the scene before you. Your ears began to ring, breaths coming in faster and lighter.
This can't be happening, you thought, this can't be happening.
Music started to play, mixing with the sound of voices, all turning into senseless noise in your mind. Corpses start dancing and singing, pushing up against one another and laughing. Your heart drummed loudly in your chest.
A few automaton corpses with frayed wiring and exposed endoskeletons came up to the ruined sunray automaton beside you. The ringing in your ears was so loud you couldn't hear what they said. Then you realised that he was no longer next to you, pulled away by the throng. Your eyes swept the room zeroing in on the door, and you inched your way towards it. Closer to freedom, closer to being away from this madness.
Once the door was barely a few feet from away, you took the chance and ran.
You burst out into an unfamiliar cobbled street. Simple stone buildings crowded together, colourful bunting hanging between them. Painted murals covered parts of the walls, and lit candles sat on windowsills. The sunray automaton's voice called out behind you, and you ran down an adjoining street, creaking metal and footsteps sounding behind.
Turning a corner, you found yourself in a strange area full of coffins propped up on the walls. One of the closed ones had rumbling snores eminating from inside.
Heart racing, you climbed into the nearest open one, closing the door. Moments later, you heard the sunray automaton approach. He stopped right outside of your hiding spot, letting out a huff. You held your breath.
"Where did she go?" he muttered, continuing onwards. "Ugh I knew the bar was a bad idea…"
You waited until his footsteps faded before leaving the coffin and running in the opposite direction.
This strange town was a labyrinth, streets and alleys twisting and turning in ways that made no sense. You weren't sure how long you ran for, but eventually all the physical activity caught up to you and you ducked into a small alley, leaning against the wall to catch your breath.
Your heart eventually slowed, and you slid down the wall, holding your knees to your chest. What on earth was happening? How did you get to this strange place? Why is everyone a walking corpse? How do you get home?
Your eyes prickled, filling with tears. A few dropped down your cheeks, the little droplets landing on your knees.
"Are you alright?"
You gasped, turning sharply towards the small voice.
It was a little girl. Well, the skeleton of a little girl. She was wearing a green dress and seemed to be holding something to her side, the folds of her dress covering it. Despite her empty eyesockets, you could tell she was looking at you. Something about her seemed strangely familiar.
"Um," you sniffed and wiped your cheeks, "not… not really, honestly."
She tilted her head curiously. "Are you running away from something?"
"Um, yes." Your voice grew thick, and more tears threated to spill out. "I just want to go home."
The skeleton girl nodded, perhaps too sagely for her age.
"I know the feeling." She said, and you couldn't help but believe her. She turned to the side, pointing down the alley. "Turn right over there, up the hill. I'm sure you'll find home again."
You moved to thank her, but the words died in your throat. The doll in her hand—it couldn't be. There was no way. You'd seen the dolls design before in your father's old journals, seen others just like it in the room you were hardly allowed to enter. There was no mistaking the red circle cheeks and wide black mouth.
The marionette.
"Who… who are you?" You asked, but you already knew the answer.
The staticy high-pitched voice of the sunray automaton sounded nearby, calling for you.
"Go," the skeleton girl urged, and despite yourself, you started to walk away. At the end of the alley, you looked back at her, but she was gone.
The automaton's voice sounded again, closer this time. You started to run, only to meet a dead end. Cursing under your breath, you began to blimb the wall, only for a large metal hand to grasp your wrist and pull you up onto the ledge above.
It was the yellow automaton. He set you down gently, holding his hands out in front of him.
"You could've taken the stairs, silly," he said.
You backed away, your back bumping into metal railing.
"Hey, hey," the automaton said, "it's okay, promise. I'm sorry if I scared you."
You gripped the railing behind you, heart still pounding in your chest.
"You—you were in the woods." Your voice was quiet, careful. "Where—" A distant pop bang interrupted you from behind.
"Oh, look! Someone's setting off fireworks!"
You turned around, and gasped.
This strange city you were in spanned for miles, ablaze with colour and light. Fireworks boomed softly in the distance, mesmerising sparks fizzing in the air. They were framed by impossibly high towers made by houses stacked on top of each other. Huge ropes of twinkling lights and bunting connected them like brilliant cobwebs.
The expanse of buildings and haphazard towers stretched to the horizon and beyond. When you looked closer, you realised the horizon seemed farther away than usual, dark sky meeting bright city. Only, when you looked up, you realised that the sky actually wasn't so dark.
An overwhelming mass of stars of every colour filled the moonless sky. Some were clustered together like muddled rainbows, while others were more spread out, resembling brilliant gemstones.
The city and the sky; colourful and busy and messy and the most beautiful thing you had ever seen. In your confusion and panic, you had barely even noticed the wonders right in front of you.
"Oh my…" you breathed, eyes wide in pure amazement. The panic and fear you'd felt just moments before melted away.
"Welcome to the Land of the Dead," the automaton said, standing beside you. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I love it up here." He moved from the railing to a bench not far behind you, motioning you to come and sit beside him.
Despite it all, you found yourself relenting. The chill of the metal bench seeped through your clothes, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
A strange silence settled between you and the automaton. Multitudes of questions swirled in your mind, so many that it was hard to choose which to ask.
"Who… who are you?"
The automaton looked at you like you had just asked the most obvious question in the world.
"Me? Why, I'm your husband, silly!" He held his hand out, revealing the wedding band on his finger. Pale gold and inlaid with sapphires all around. The ring you'd designed specifically for betrothed. Your eyes zeroed in on it, the gemstones glimmering faintly. Something in your chest twisted.
"I—" And then it all came together. The vows in the woods, that corpse's newlyweds toast, it all clicked.
You had just accidentally married a dead man. While promised to another. Fuck.
"The woods…" you croaked, absolutely reeling at the pure insanity of your current situation.
"Oh, yes, your vows were so be-be-beautiful." His voicebox stuttered with static, but he didn't even acknowledge it. "And the ring is just lovely—the blue gems contrast so prettily with my yellow."
"But—I—How can—I don't even know your name."
"Oh." The automaton blinked, voice higher pitched than usual. "Probably not the best way to start a marriage, huh?" He avoided your gaze, embarrassed. "My name's Sun. Like the one in the sky. Well, not the sky here, but you know what I mean."
So that was his name. Perhaps a bit on the nose, considering his yellow paint and the sunrays around his face, but it suited him.
"Sun. Alright." You nodded slowly. "Any, uh, last names?"
Sun tilted his head, thinking. He fiddled with one of his broken rays.
"I don't know." He said, finally. "I can't remember. Anyway, you haven't told me your name yet."
Couldn't remember? Deciding to leave it for now, you told him your name, and he smiled brightly.
"Oh, what a beautiful name! It really, really suits you!" He repeated it a few times, as if to grow used to it.
You found yourself smiling slightly.
"Um, thank you. My mother named me."
You mind wandered back to your parents. God, they must be so scared, you thought. The last time one of their daughters disappeared into the night, tragedy happened. Worry squeezed at your heart.
"Do… do you think she'd approve?" Sun looked at you with his big blue eyes, and terrible sort of idea sparked in your mind.
"You should meet her," you said, standing from the bench, "and my father, too. It wouldn't be right to start a marriage without meeting each other's family first."
Sun smiled, hopping off the bench to stand beside you.
"Yes, you're so right! Where were they buried?"
"Oh, no, they're…" You pointed a finger upwards. Sun glanced up before he realised.
"Ah. I see. Still alive, then."
"Yes." You sighed almost theatrically, putting on the best upset expression you could. "I suppose that means you can't meet them. Well, unless… you know."
An idea formed on Sun's face, and he began pacing before you, thinking aloud.
"No, no, can't… well… now that I think about it… maybe?"
He turned to you, taking your hands into his own. You felt your stomach flutter slightly, but elected to ignore it.
"If I'm going to meet your parents in the living world," Sun said, "then there're some people we need to speak with first."
You blinked up at him. "Who?"
"Some friends. They're lovely, I promise." He pulled you along, away from the bench and the wonderful view. Your hands were still in his, and in only this moment did you realise just how large his hands were. Large, metallic, and… gentle.
"It's a long walk," Sun continued, "but we'll be there in no time, trust me."
Perhaps you had no other choice, given your situation. But, hand in hand with your accidental husband, you found that you slightly did.