Wirt x Reader - Remember Me?

The Tavern

   Wirt was practically dragged into the tavern by a large crowd of people. He was hoisted into the air and carried to the center of the room. You stood in the doorway, observing the scene in confusion. The building appeared to be a tavern of some sort. There were tables lined against the walls, and a bar ran along one side of the wide area. A fireplace was fixed against the back wall with loud, crackling flames residing within it. The place gave off a warm and welcoming feeling that gave you the confidence to step over the threshold. You closed the door behind you to keep the cold from coming in and resumed watching.
   There were about ten or fifteen people, if that. They continued to hold Wirt in the air, cheering, “The Pilgrim is back! The Pilgrim is back!” Wirt appeared to be completely flustered and had no idea what to do. They carried on for a few long minutes before they finally set him back down. A dark-headed woman in a black and white dress approached him and said, “I’m glad to see you back in my tavern, Pilgrim!”
   Wirt hesitated before speaking, “H-Hi, T-Tavern Keeper.” His face was devoid of all color, and he appeared absolutely horrified of something. No one seemed to notice, though. A jolly-looking old man with a white mustache went up to him and nudged his side with his elbow. “Hey, is that the Adelaide girl you’ve been telling us about?”
   Wirt quickly shook his head, opening his mouth to protest. But he couldn’t even get a word in edgewise before the others began to talk over him. “So, you are a lover after all!” A man dressed as a butcher said as he glanced over at you with a wide grin.
   “No! She’s not-” Wirt was once again interrupted, this time by a short man wearing a white coat, an apron, and a beret, “Well, if you’re in love, Pilgrim, you must kiss!” The others seemed to enjoy this notion, and the tavern began to fill with cheers.
   “Kiss, lovers, kiss!”
   One of the musicians shoved Wirt over to your side, and the chants grew louder. Wirt was a blushing mess. He stared at you apologetically, saying, “Th-This is ridiculous, you don’t h-have to, (y/n).”
   But the small crowd of people only grew more demanding. They weren’t about to let this pass. Figuring that it was the only way to make them happy, you looked to Wirt and shrugged. “It’s okay…” You said, blushing a bit yourself, “I mean, it’s just one kiss.”
   Wirt was clearly surprised. “Y-Yeah, o-okay..” He hesitated before leaning in and closing his eyes. You did the same, and soon your lips softly met his. You swore that you could feel the other shivering from nervousness. But it wasn’t like you were immune - you were jittery as well.
   The strange people around you erupted into cheers upon their wish being granted. Wirt was the first to pull away, followed by you. His face was a dark shade of crimson, like a spaniard’s tomato. He tried to speak, but all he could do was stutter. You too felt fire in your cheeks, but at least you were able to speak. And you would have, if it hadn’t been for more people interrupting you.  
   “Hey there cutie, you don’t have to be so embarrassed around us!” The woman Wirt had referred to as the ‘Tavern Keeper’ approached you. She had a cute face and long eyelashes, with a voice to match. “You’re the Companion, the one the Pilgrim can’t be without! It’s only fitting.” She smiled and patted your head.
   The fire in your cheeks continued to burn, as did Wirt’s. One of the musicians in the crowd brought up the idea of a wedding, and the subject quickly spread throughout the tavern. The same older man from before began to speak to Wirt. “Pilgrim! The wedding can finally take place! Oh, it will be perfect! The Baker and the Patissier will make the best cake, the Musicians will play the best music, and the Tailor can make you the best suit!” He grinned just thinking about it.
   It was all you could do to stare at this man in confusion. A wedding? What was he talking about? But everyone in the room was absorbed in the thought of a wedding. It was strangely convenient that they all had job titles that would be useful for the ceremony.
   “But don’t forget the most important thing.” The Tavern Keeper said as she gestured to you.
   The man who everyone referred to as the Tailor looked up from where he was measuring Wirt. He wore an expression of shock before saying, “The bride’s dress!” He was on you in a heartbeat, taking your measurements with more speed and accuracy than even the best modern day dressmaker. You could see the wheels in his head turning as he planned the garment.
   But you still didn’t understand why these people were so adamant on making two teenagers get married. As soon as the Tailor was done, he retreated to his table and began to scribble in a notebook. You moved a bit closer to Wirt, who seemed to calm down a bit.
   “Um, hey, Tavern Keeper..” He spoke to the woman, “Do you mind if we rest here tonight? I mean, w-we still have to finish the journey before the wedding, b-but we’ll be back.”
   The Tavern Keeper lit up when he indirectly agreed to the wedding, even if there would be a delay. “Of course, Pilgrim! Come on, I’ll show you and your Companion to the room!” She took a candle and went to a door in the corner. You and Wirt followed her as she led you through the door and up a flight of stairs. The level above was a large room for travelers to stay in. It had a chest of drawers next to a window, and a few chairs. The floor was hardwood, and the ceiling - which was also the roof - slanted upwards.
   “I’ll see you two in the morning!” The Tavern Keeper said as she walked back down the stairs and disappeared. Only when she left did you see an obvious problem. There was only one bed.
   “So, you’re probably wondering what is going on.” Wirt started awkwardly. You glanced over at him and nodded. “Yeah, you could say that.”
   “Ah, well, I’m not sure if I can answer that myself. They’ve all acted like that the last time I was here. No names, just job titles. It’s like, they all have a role to play..” Wirt trailed off.
   “You’ve been here before?” You asked, wondering just what had happened here earlier.
   “Yeah. Well, kind of.” Wirt responded before becoming rather serious, “Have you noticed something off? I mean, everyone and everything here.. It’s like it’s out of the past, or something.”
   You blinked, the realization flooding over you rather quickly. It’s as if a haze had been over your mind, blocking you from seeing the obvious age of anything as strange. You paused, observing the room. Now that he mentioned it, it really did look like something out of the past. The chest of drawers was obviously handcrafted with every little detail taken into account. No one did that anymore. You walked over to it, studying it closely. It was old, but it wasn’t old. It was like something had been taken out of the late 19th century just after it was made.
   “I didn’t notice it either until I left.” Wirt said, becoming wistful once again. “Everything is old fashioned. Even the people.”
   The small flame of the candle gave a flickering glow that projected onto the walls before fading out in the far corners of the room. The shadows danced around the room, but you hardly paid them any attention. A sudden sense of fatigue washed over you as you thought about how late it must have been. Running around through the woods for a few hours wore you out.
   Wirt was sitting on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. He was slowly drawn from the daze as he realized the problem as well. “Oh. Um…” He fixed the bed, seeming to divide it in half. It was of good enough size for the two of you to sleep on either side with minimum awkward contact. You walked over and got onto the other half, looking over at him in concern. “What about Greg?”
   Wirt sighed before saying, “He’s okay. I know he is… He has to be.” He laid back on the bed, retreating beneath the blankets. “We’ll find him tomorrow.” He tried to sound confident, but you could hear the uncertainty in his tone.
   You didn’t press him. The flame of the candle was extinguished with a small puff of air, and the room was thrust into darkness. The moonlight through the window kept the room slightly illuminated, but it was still difficult to see. You slipped beneath the blankets as well, trying to invade as little of Wirt’s personal space as possible.
   “Oh yeah, (y/n). About what happened earlier..” Wirt said, clearly about to apologize for the kiss. You interrupted him, saying, “Don’t worry about it...” You hesitated before adding, “I kinda liked it.”
   There was a long silence from Wirt, and you purposely looked away. Suddenly you were filled with anxiety. He probably didn’t like you that way, and you were still questioning whether or not you liked him. It seemed like forever before Wirt finally spoke again.
   “Goodnight, (y/n).”
   “Goodnight, Wirt.”