The ABCs of Wirt
Characters: Wirt (with numerous mentions of other characters)
Word Count: 1,577
Note: In this Wirt is 17 and Greg is 8
A is for Adelaide
Wirt stared up at the old woman, no the old witch, that loomed down over them. She hissed and cackled as she described how they would become her new puppets…somehow Wirt didn't think becoming a puppet would hurt any worse than the betrayal of his once friend.
B is for Beatrice
Wirt doesn't like blue birds, they remind him too much of her and what he'd lost in escaping The Unknown. He dreams about her sometimes, wondering if she's happy, wondering if she managed to save her family as they managed to save him. Wirt sighs and stares at the bluebird as it sings. Somehow the song isn't nearly as beautiful as his bluebird's taunts had been.
C is for Cold
Wirt had never liked the cold, but he'd also never been afraid of it as he was now. Shivering he wrapped his numerous blankets around himself and waited. Greg had gone out to play in the snow a while back and Wirt was worried, but he didn't dare go outside to join him. Warmth only returned to his body when Greg walked back through the door.
D is for Drowned
It took a couple days, but eventually it sunk in that he had almost drowned, had almost died, but that wasn't what was important to Wirt. What was important was that Greg had almost drowned and died. What was important was that it would have been all his fault. Wirt pulled his sleeping brother closer and pretended that he wasn't afraid.
E is for Edelwood
Wirt has nightmares of the Edelwood trees. Of the way they loomed with the screaming faces of souls long gone etched into their bark, but mostly he has nightmares of how Greg almost became one of those very souls.
F is for Funderburker
Wirt seethed as he stared at Jason, his whole body tense and rigid. She was with Jason Funderburker, the Jason Funderburker. How could Wirt compete with someone like him? He had everything, he was everything and Wirt was nothing. Wirt let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged as his heart broke.
G is for Greg
When Greg first came into the world Wirt hated him, for the boy was just another reminder that Wirt's father was gone and more importantly that his mother had moved on and found new love. Plus he found the little brat annoying and loud, traits that only seemed to increase as Greg got older. Then came The Unknown and with it the terrible moment of Greg almost dying and just like that Wirt came to love his brother more than anything in the world.
H is for Hero
Everyone called him a hero, but Wirt didn't think that was true, after all he was skinny, nerdy and even his name sounded stupid. What kind of hero had a name like Wirt? No, Wirt wasn't a hero, but not because of those things. It was because heroes didn't put their loved ones in a situation that required them to be saved and that's exactly what he had done.
I is for Instrument
Wirt loved to his clarinet, he loved the way it sounded, he loved the way it fit in his hands, he loved that it had been a gift from his father, his real father. What he didn't love was the nagging that it brought. He didn't love the way Greg and his step-father insisted on him joining marching band. He didn't love the way his mom always wanted him to play for others. Yes Wirt loved his instrument, but he loved to keep it to himself.
J is for Jaded
Wirt grew up too fast and all too soon. He grew up the moment his father walked out of the house years ago and he'd been grown up ever since. He'd become jaded and hallow and he knows it. However it is amazing how a small, goofy, eight year old was beginning to change that.
K is for Kisses
Wirt fidgeted nervously with his hands as he watched Sara listening to his tape, then she giggled and he groaned placing his hands in his head. He knew that it was stupid, he knew that he shouldn't have given it to her, he knew that—his last thought was cut off as something soft pressed against his cheek. She had kissed him. So of course Wirt did the manly thing and fainted.
L is for Love
Wirt isn't quite sure when he decides he loves her, but he does. He loves the way she laughs, the way she talks, the way her name sounds when it's said into the air. He loves her and as he gets to know her that love only grows.
M is for Mother
Wirt didn't blame his mother for the divorce, no that honor went to his father, but he did blame her for falling back in love. He blamed her for bringing a complete stranger into his life and asking Wirt to call the stranger dad. He blamed her for a lot of things, stupid things, little things, the way that teenagers do, but he loved her anyways. As only a child can.
N is for Names
Wirt doesn't care about naming Greg's stupid frog, he doesn't care about making it perfect or even if the frog got a name at all, but if it kept his brother from closing his eyes Wirt would come up with names for that frog for eternity.
O is for Objective
Wirt just wanted to find a way home. Finding a way home was his one goal, his drive. It was what kept the fires of hope burning in his heart and his brain thinking. So he supposed that it was lucky that when he lost that objective he found a new one in saving and protecting Greg.
P is for Pilgrim
Wirt is a pilgrim! He's going to go out and discover new paths to new places and most importantly he's going to find a way home. Wirt is a pilgrim and he just hopes that he can live up to the title.
Q is for Quitting
Wirt buries himself into the roots of the tree and wraps himself in his cloak, it's over and he's done with this stupid adventure through the woods. He just wants to lie down and sleep and so he does, unaware of the roots that begin to bind him.
R is for River
Wirt refused to go anywhere near rivers after the ordeal, he hated any sort of running water, but rivers were the worse. A river is where he and Greg had almost died, a river had almost taken his life from him, had almost taken his brother from him. Wirt hated rivers.
S is for Sara
Wirt stares at Sara and can't help, but think that even in her skull make-up and clown costume she looks beautiful, then she pulls out the tape and he blushes terribly. But she's kind and nice and gentle about it and he thinks that that just makes her more beautiful.
T is for The Beast
Wirt isn't sure who the Beast is, or what he is, but the one thing Wirt does know is that this monster had hurt his brother and for that Wirt was never going to do anything to help him. The one thing he was going to do was insure the monster's downfall and that's just what he does.
U is for Unknown
Wirt dreams of The Unknown, of the world he left behind for his home. He dreams of the people and the not quite people, he dreams of adventures and of the sorrows, but not once does he dream of returning.
V is for Vagient (to cry like a child)
Wirt doesn't cry often, he can't afford to, because so much of his life has involved him being strong that he could never be weak, but watching your brother slowly turn into a tree causes one to become weak. Watching your brother slowly turn into a tree and apologize for something that isn't his fault is even worse. Wirt cries.
W is for Wirt
Wirt thinks his name is a joke, it's stupid and it sounds too much like Wart. Wirt hates his name and so for the life of him he can't understand why his younger brother would name his first son Wirt in his honor.
X is for Xylopolist (one who sells timber)
Wirt stares down at the Woodsman. He really isn't a bad person, just confused and in many ways hopeless. In a way, Wirt supposes, the Woodsman is a lot like him. Gently Wirt sets the lantern down by the older man, knowing that he'll make the right choice in the end, just as he did.
Y is for Young
Wirt hugs his younger brother close to him, the boy is still so young and all Wirt wants to make sure that he stays that way, maybe not in body, but in spirit. Because Wirt had stopped being young in a spirit a long time ago and a he hates that about himself.
Z is for Zappy
Wirt isn't like Greg, sometimes he tries to be, but he isn't. He isn't always happy and energetic. He isn't always optimistic and goofy. Instead he's dramatic and broken. He's pessimistic and serious. Wirt isn't like Greg and sometimes he hates that about himself.
And there we have it the ABCs of Wirt :)
I love this show and finally decided I needed to sit down and write some fanfiction for it so here it is :)
I really wanted to explore Wirt's character in small bits and so I wrote this
If any of you would like to see one of these made into a longer story tell me and I'll see what I can do :)
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