Author's Note: I've been listening to a lot of MCR lately, so naturally I made an au based off of the song with the same name as the fic. The plot of the song/album is a man's wife dies so he makes a deal with the devil to get her back, and he has to kill 1000 people to bring her back. This fic doesn't have the exact plot, but they are similar. This story also contains some non-explicit pruame. This means there's pruame mentioned but there isn't any kissing or anything. Also, if you squint hard enough you can see some ruspru.

Aldrich: Germania

"So you can bring my father back?" Gilbert asked the spirit.

The spirit smiled. "Of course," he said. "But you have to do some things for me first."

"Yes! Yes, of course. I'd do anything," Gilbert said.

The spirit smiled mischievously. "Let's get started then."

Aldrich Beilschmidt died in a car crash. It was a Thursday, and he had just got done helping Gilbert and Alfred run errands. He was on his way to a home he'd never return to. Gilbert was absolutely crushed by the news. Alfred had done his best to comfort him, but the death was hard on him too.

So Gilbert elected to ignore it as best as he could. If he forgot about it, he wouldn't be sad, but he would soon find out it was impossible to forget so Alfred suggested therapy.

Gilbert wasn't against the idea, but he wasn't comfortable confiding in anyone besides his family and Alfred. He didn't say much in the first few sessions so he stopped going. This worried Alfred, but he promised him he was okay, though he knew that Alfred knew better. Gilbert wasn't okay in the slightest.

There was one day that Gilbert couldn't get his father out of his mind. The day started off hard and only got worse until he had a full blown breakdown. Their neighbors could definitely hear him crying and screaming. Alfred had tried his best to comfort him again, but Gilbert couldn't collect his thoughts or calm down. He only stopped after he got too tired to cry. His head throbbed, and his throat ached, but at least he was done.

Alfred held him as he fell asleep, but when he woke up, Alfred wasn't there. In fact, Gilbert wasn't even home.

He was greeted by a strange man in an unfamiliar place that he couldn't comprehend. The man introduced himself as Ivan. He was a spirit, and he came to Gilbert with a proposition.

He told Gilbert he can bring his father back. It was easy, a pastime for him. Gilbert jumped at the opportunity until Ivan told him to calm down. There was a "but."

Gilbert, of course, accepted this still. He'd do anything. Anything to get his father, his best friend back.

And that's how Gilbert got into this situation. Ivan smiled and they shook hands.

There is no turning back now, Ivan had said.

He instructed Gilbert to do random tasks for him. They started out easy—the first was to collect twelve pennies for Ivan which he accepted. Gilbert was relieved, but there were more tasks, and they got increasingly harder.

The next task was to give Ivan a quarter from Wyoming from 1932. This proved to be a more challenging task, and Gilbert had joked that Wyoming wasn't real to get out of it, and Ivan surprisingly let him skip out on it.

The next tasks would be way more challenging.

The next task was for Gilbert to steal something of importance from someone he cared about. Gilbert protested, but Ivan reminded him he had no choice, he had already shook his hand. Gilbert reluctantly stole Alfred's wedding ring when he was cooking. Alfred was devastated when he realized he couldn't find it, and Gilbert was tempted to give it back, but he stopped himself and brought it to Ivan who seemed more than pleased with it.

The next task was to bring Ivan a live animal he caught from the outside. Gilbert chased squirrels and tried to lure in birds. Eventually, he found a cat and brought it to him. He told Gilbert the cat was perfect, and that he loved it, and Gilbert was pleased.

The next task was to break into someone's house and steal an item of clothing. Gilbert tried to put off this task, but Ivan got increasingly impatient so Gilbert took a deep breath and stole a scarf from his neighbor. Ivan loved it.

With every task, Gilbert became one step closer to seeing his father again.

He threw himself into his tasks, each becoming harder by the day. Alfred was more concerned than ever, and Gilbert had snapped at him when he was confronted about it.

Gilbert, I'm worried about you. Where have you been sneaking off to?

Does it matter? Get off my ass, I'm mourning!

So am I!

Gilbert, having realized what was just said, apologized and rested his head on Alfred's shoulder.

I'm sorry, he said.

Alfred was just as much a part of the family as Gilbert, and he cared for them the same. When Gilbert first introduced Alfred to his family, he was very surprised on how functional and healthy the Beilschmidts were. There was no screaming, no fighting, and most importantly, it was safe.

Gilbert didn't—couldn't explain to Alfred what he was doing or why. He just told him to not worry about it with a sad smile. You'll thank me later, he wanted to say.

The next task was the worst thus far. Gilbert had to, and this disgusted him, kill someone. A soul for a soul, Ivan had said. Gilbert asked if there was any way of getting out of this one, but Ivan just shook his head and said he had the chance to get out of one task and he had already done that. Gilbert was furious. Why didn't you tell me that before! he screamed.

Ivan simply smiled and said, Never make a deal with a spirit you know nothing about.

He nearly threw up; this task disgusted him. He just couldn't bring himself to take someone's life the same way that drunk driver took his dad's.

Ivan became serious and told Gilbert another rule he had kept a secret from him before: if Gilbert fails to do a task, he will lose something of equal importance. And so Gilbert had no choice: he had to kill.

For the next week or so, Gilbert wandered the street, looking for a victim. He found multiple people he could kill, but he couldn't bring himself to do the deed. Until he witnessed a man harassing a woman.

She was walking home, and a man was following her. She was obviously terrified so Gilbert did what any decent person would do and killed him. It was discreet, and he only did it after he helped the woman to safety.

Afterward, Gilbert spent a couple minutes trying to take in what he had just done. It was impossible to stomach and so he left the scene of the crime and found Ivan.

Ivan was very pleased and thanked Gilbert for his work. He then told Gilbert he had more tasks. Gilbert broke down crying, saying he couldn't take it anymore. Ivan frowned and reminded him of the rules. He wiped away his tears, but Gilbert pulled away, and Ivan didn't persist.

The next task was easier than the previous ones: bring Ivan something of importance from Aldrich. Gilbert wiped his tears and left.

The next day Gilbert brought Ivan Aldrich's hospital bands. It was hard; Gilbert could barely contain his tears. Ivan comforted him and told him there was only one more task. Gilbert almost cried from relief.

Yes! What is it? I'll do it, Gilbert said.

Ivan sighed and told him to come back the next day. Gilbert went home and found Alfred at home, still looking for his wedding ring. Gilbert felt a pang of guilt, but pushed it down. Alfred would understand and thank him when all of this is done.

Gilbert went to sleep early that night. He woke up to Alfred laying next to him, sound asleep. He watched him sleep for a while until Alfred woke up. They spent the morning together until Alfred had to go to work.

Alfred did one more sweep of their apartment to find his wedding ring before leaving, disappointed. Gilbert promised to look for it, though there wasn't a way to get it back.

The day went by agonizingly slow. Gilbert waited in anticipation for night to come so he could see Ivan again and get his father back. He decided to visit Ludwig and check on him.

Ludwig didn't talk much as they ate their lunch, and Gilbert did his best to hide his excitement. He wanted so badly to tell his brother about Ivan, but he kept his mouth shut.

At the end, Ludwig told Gilbert he was worried about him. He feared Gilbert was pushing down everything that happened to cope. Gilbert assured him he was fine. Ludwig hugged him tight before leaving.

Nighttime came faster than Gilbert could anticipate, and he rushed to Ivan's side.

"I'm here. What's my final task?"

Ivan smiled and held out his hands. Alfred's wedding ring and Aldrich's hospital bands appeared in each of Ivan's hands. Gilbert was confused.

"You have to choose," Ivan said.

Gilbert didn't say anything.

"Do you wish to bring your father back?" Ivan asked.

"Yes. More than anything," Gilbert responded.

"Then choose: who do you want?"

Gilbert felt a pit in his stomach. "I don't understand."

Ivan sighed. "Either I bring your father back and your husband, Alfred, is brought to me to be my slave or you keep Alfred and your father becomes the slave."

Gilbert was enraged. "What? That wasn't part of the deal!"

"You handed their souls over to me the moment you gave me these items. I can only take one."

Gilbert jumped at Ivan with the intent of getting the items back, but they disappeared and Ivan threw Gilbert back nonchalantly. "You have to choose."

Gilbert knew there was no way out of this so he made a decision.

"Me," he said. "I choose me."

Ivan was taken aback. "You choose… yourself?"

Gilbert took a deep breath. "I can't subject either of them to an eternity of servitude. I choose me."

Ivan smiled. "All right. I accept."

Gilbert was relieved but also terrified. He couldn't believe this was happening, and it was all his fault. At least the people he cared about were safe.

"Your father," Ivan said, "is alive."

Author's Note: I'm thinking of continuing this. I actually started developing what happens afterward. Tell me if you're interested in me continuing this au. (If you like ruspru you'll probably like it ngl)