After a long, long hiatus on my writing I am back! And yes, people, I return as a Homestuck. Rejoice, cry, nothing will change that.

Of course I return with a crossover AU of my OTP. I was inspired by art made on Tumblr and the whole thing spiraled out of control from there. I have already written parodies of all the songs to fit the AU and if you would like to see them or the original art, just visit the blog I made for this AU: corpse-groom-au . tumblr . com (remove spaces)

This is going to be a Homestuck/Corpse Bride crossover AU. The three big players will be Dirk as Emily, Jake as Victor and Jane as Victoria. All will be a bit OOC, not due to being like the original characters, but due to the setting. Victorian times is not when people would be building robots or rapping, sorry Dirk.

So anyway, here's the prologue and who knows, I might get chapter one up later today. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck or Corpse Bride, they belong to Andrew Hussie and Tim Burton, respectively.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.
Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine.
With this candle, I will light your way into darkness.
With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Beautiful wedding vows for a beautiful occasion. The heavenly matrimony between two people. The joining of hearts and lives into a binding contract that will keep them together until the end of their days. Powerful vows, each line with a meaning and symbolism all its own. Yet like all powerful things, these vows carry superstition as well. Whispers of misunderstandings and curses; standard fare for the day and age.

For now let the superstition lie and focus on what the vows were always meant to represent. Physical objects reflecting metaphorical virtues and promises to the betrothed. A hand, a cup, a candle and a ring. Not much in common except for one thing. Each is offered by the pair in turn but rarely must their acceptance be earned.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows."

Hands are one of the most important parts of the human anatomy. Without them the race would return to the level of beasts, be absolutely helpless in a world of teeth and claws. The pair offers their hands to the other, the highest symbol of trust and vulnerability. Giving their abilities to their partner and taking some of the weight off their shoulders and onto their own. Their hands shall grasp and touch and hold, pulling up the corners of lips to bring smiles onto faces. Each will see to it their love is never dragged down by sorrow for long.

"Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine."

Compared to hands, cups are a simple trinket. No matter the materials, it is just another object. What matters are the contents; similarly, the contents of a person. By filling the shared cup with wine, a promise is made to never allow the other to feel empty. The love and body shall be nourished and their shared life will be brimming with joy. They will both drink from the cup but at the end one will always be waiting to fill it again for their partner.

"With this candle, I will light your way into darkness."

Life is a terrifying, exhausting thing. It is no wonder so many die every day of all ages and backgrounds. The path through it is dim and shadowed with randomly scattered patches of sunlight. The unknown future and dreary past make the going arduous and difficult. The lover appears with a lit candle from the gloom. The pair link arms and stride together along the path, the tiny flame of the candle flickering but never dying out. Neither stray from the other no matter the danger and if one happens to trip and fall, the other is there to help them up again. Through their darkest times they shall never be alone, for their love is standing just behind with a burning candle.

"With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

The final line of the vows as the groom slips a ring onto his partner's finger. A ring of any value still holds the same weight so long as the hands holding it are true. The hands may shake or sweat or even drop the ring, but honest hands will never quit. They will gently hold their beringed brethren and all misgivings shall be forgotten in the wake of acceptance and relief. A ring around the lovers, enclosing them together. The ribbon tied around their matrimonial contract. By uttering the words "I do" it is signed and the pair are bound forevermore until death do they part. The ring shall shine and glimmer as a reminder of their promises to one another. A treasure like no other to be cherished for years to come.

Yet simmering beneath all of this love, happiness and honesty is superstition, doubt and worry. Vows and matrimony are powerful things, as stated prior. Those with untrue and dishonest intentions may find themselves at the mercy of the supernatural. Throwing such words around with little thought or consideration is asking for trouble. Gibly offering rings to anyone but the partner is the same as walking blindly into a bear cave. One can expect nothing less than dark results when they forget their place in the world.

Yet some dark results may turn out a lighter shade indeed. One story in particular reflects this and proves superstition to be more than mere fantasy and whimsy. An old tale set in Victorian times. A mysterious spectacle that occurred in a small town tucked away in England's countryside.

A hand that lifted sorrows.

A candle that searched for its light.

A cup that could never be filled enough.

And a ring asking one too many for their hand.

A story of a young man with a thirst for adventure, a young lady longing for love, a man lost in his greed and a soul seeking a guide through the darkness.

This is the story of the Corpse Groom.