Preface
Drowning In Your Eyes
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/45716860.
by Pixie_Honey_Writes
Summary
In the fading light of the woods, it almost looks like a hand, reaching out to her. Perhaps this is the escape the woods holds for her- for she had always thought the woods would hold what one needed, changing for whomever was seeking it out. For her, that was a choice, a chance. Or A Genderbent Corpse Bride AU, of sorts.Notes
Shout out to the Bayonne psych ward for curing my writer's block to the point I started this on the back of word searches. May have taken a month to transfer to a google doc and continue but it still began there. No Beta, we die like I wanted to [Too dark?]See the end of the work for more notes
Drowning In Your Eyes
There was escape in the woods.
That was what local legend said, at least.
Yanking her trailing veil from yet another bramble bush and wincing as it rips, Ruby wonders- not for the first time- if relying on a legend for escape is the best idea.
But she'd seen a chance to escape the marriage her father arranged, and by the stars, she was going to take it.
She didn't think her elderly husband-to-be had noticed she was missing just yet, but he would soon- she'd left from the church after all, mere minutes before she was expected to walk down the aisle to her unhappy fate.
That thought alone urges her onwards, into the shadows of bare-boned trees and bushes that seemed to jump out to grasp at her, slowing her progress as if in league with her groom.
She imagines she hears shouting, the pounding of hooves matching the pounding of her heart by the time she reaches the clearing.
She's not sure why she stops- even years later, she won't be able to pinpoint it past a feeling in her gut- when she knows pursuit has begun, a shiver racing down her spine at the memory of the threat her father had hissed at her that morning.
Something just feels right, as though her search is over, and all will be well.
At first, she sees nothing out of the ordinary.
There's no hidden cache of riches to fund a life in a new town like Claire had always said she thought the legend meant, no spots that could hold one that wasn't buried in the snow.
Claire, however, had forged her own escape, leaving in the dead of night with the painter's apprentice and onwards to a new life, the baby she suspected was in her womb from their time together the start of the family that would have spelt her ruin had her parents known.
No horse tied to a tree to make it easier to outrun those who chase her, like Harriot had wistfully imagined.
Harriet's escape haunts her still, the price steep as her childhood friend had escaped not into the arms of a lover, but into the arms of Death, as her lungs shredded inside her chest and breathing was no longer possible.
It had been called consumption for a reason, after all- and no mountain air could soothe the pain.
Ruby had been the only one in the trio of friends who had no escape planned when her father announced her engagement to a man nearly three times her age, and the rehearsal the evening before had crushed the meager hopes she'd had that it might be a bearable marriage.
Jacob had been cold when they spoke, making it clear she was simply to produce an heir and be a trophy on his arm, so he could gloat he'd managed to capture the town beauty as his bride.
No room was left in his pride to allow affection to grow, though she feels she should have known her father would arrange a marriage that would give him wealth, and never consider her happiness in the process.
These thoughts race in her mind as she scans the clearing for something, anything, that seems to draw her in- and in time, her eyes settle on what seems to be an oddly shaped branch, sticking out of the ground in the shadows of a tree.
In the fading light of the woods, it almost looks like a hand, reaching out to her.
Perhaps this is the escape the woods holds for her- for she had always thought the woods would hold what one needed, changing for whomever was seeking it out.
For her, that was a choice, a chance.
Would she wait for her cold groom to collect her when the horses reached the clearing, the punishment for humiliating him with her disobedience so soon nothing in comparison to the threat of maiming from her father, or would she risk marriage to someone worse, someone who she knew nothing of?
Her pondering is cut short when she hears a gunshot, the icy cold of the night sinking deep into her bones.
Death or marriage it is, then, for her groom seems to have decided this is an unforgivable offense.
She considers it no longer, moving quickly to slide her hand into the pocket where the stolen rings await, simple golden bands without a hint of a personal touch.
With them in hand, she begins.
"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows"
A crow caws above her, hidden in a tree somewhere nearby, and she idly feels amusement at the fact the wedding has a guest, even as secluded and secretive as it is.
"Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine."
The symbolism of being something to be consumed for pleasure is not lost on her- but perhaps that was always her fate, to be used for the pleasure of others.
"With this candle, I will light your way in darkness"
There is comfort in that, at least- to imagine someone always being there in the darkest of times, a soft light to guide her through.
"With this ring" She pauses, hesitating a moment as she realizes there is no going back before she slips the bride's ring onto her own finger, a heartbeat passing before she continues, kneeling in the snow that can't reach her skin through the layers of petticoats and silk. "I ask you to be mine." She slips the groom's ring onto what she thinks is the ring finger of the twiggy hand, waiting a few moments to see if anything occurs.
When nothing seems to, her shoulders slump, and she begins to stand- only to feel the roughness of something wrap around her wrist, holding her in place so she's unable to leave.
The crow she heard before caws again, more joining in all around as if in chorus as, though whatever she had just done drew them to the area, a murder of crows a witness to the possible murder of her.
Just as the hand begins to pull her down, down, towards the ground and below, her hand easily slipping into the ice-crusted dirt it had retreated into, she hears a shout behind her, the fluttering of wings that seem to surround her and block out all else, and a sharp pain at the back of her head, everything going black.
The first thing Ruby becomes aware of is a too-bright light against her closed eyelids.
The second thing she was aware of was a combination of things, in all honestly- a strangely rough hand on her cheek, and an unfamiliar and unmistakably masculine voice fretting softly.
"I didn't think he hit her that hard, shouldn't she be awake by now?"
It seemed as good a time as any to open her eyes, blinking as her eyes adjust to the lights of what seems to be a bar of sorts, though she's not sure how she got there or how long she's been there.
It isn't the one in town that she'd gone into before to find a job, thinking her escape could be funded there through work as a waitress. This one's far brighter, the atmosphere more welcoming than the dark, dreary one of her hometown.
Before she can think further on this, the man who she assumes had been the one speaking moves into her line of sight, relief clear in his eyes.
The first impression he presents would be an almost perfect one- if not for the startling fact that there's a chunk of his cheek missing, the bone and a flash of teeth visible through it as he smiles at her- and that's before she even considers the fact that he's blue.
It's a warm smile though, one that seems to light up his eyes and one that she can't help but return with a hesitant smile of her own.
"You're up!"
"I'm up" She confirms, slowly shifting to sit up as she realizes she's on the floor- an unfortunate place to be, she thinks.
His hand- for of course it was his hand on her cheek, who else could it have been?- drops to her shoulder, lightly trailing down her arm until he reaches her hand.
"I was worried. I didn't want my new wife to have such an awful experience, especially not so soon" He pauses, considering her for a moment, before he adds "Though I hadn't realized you were…still alive. Things might be a bit strange because of that"
Ah.
That explains things a little, at least.
Reluctantly looking away from him to scan the room, she sees more people- all blue skinned with blue hair, causing her to wonder what they might have looked like when they were alive- and all in various stages of…rot? The word feels cruel, but she doesn't know a better one, not yet.
While she's looking about, her still-nameless groom has stood, waiting until she looks back at him and begins to push herself up to stand to gently pull her to her feet.
The effortless way he does so is enough to bring warmth to her cheeks, the soft pink impossible to hide, though his smile seems to only grow at the sight of it.
Behind him, the others she had spotted begin to crowd forward, and without realizing, she shrinks back. So many changes in so little time has left her feeling more than a little overwhelmed, and incredibly confused- which her groom thankfully seems to pick up on, moving just a little bit closer to her.
"Do you think we could go somewhere a little….quieter, so we could talk?" She's thankful her voice doesn't waver, though his eyes widen just a little at her request- before he nods, giving a quick comment to the closest woman who'd been approaching them before he heads towards the door, gently leading her along by the hand he's still holding.
Hopefully, talking will be able to answer the question buzzing in her mind.
Afterword
End Notes
This was inspired by the FANTASTIC cosplay tiktoks by Ceekayye and Ava_Leeigh. I did change the plot a bit from the movie past just changing the genders, but since the idea was sparked by their videos, I wanted to credit them. Harriet is a reference to the Caroline B. Conney Time Travelers series, while Claire is a very old, seldom used OC of mine from back when I was in high school. I wanted her to have a happier ending than she originally had. I have no plans for Harriet to make an appearance past that mention, but we'll see what happens. As we all know, characters can be disobedient often.Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!