Wirt observed the class in surprise. He hadn’t expected for the school to be so.. busy. There were many more children than he previously recalled. Apparently they had attracted quite the student population since the wild gorilla issue had been resolved, and the financial stability of the business was secured. He smiled slightly as Langtree recited the same phrase he had heard a year ago upon first stumbling upon the establishment. He glanced over at (y/n), who appeared to be extremely surprised. He gently nudged her and nodded towards the desks, silently telling her that she was to follow Langtree’s instructions.
She got the message and followed him to the desks. They sat side by side, and began to observe the class. Wirt had to admit that the schoolhouse was rather pleasant to visit again. Out of all the places he’d visited in the Unknown, this was the least threatening. He watched Langtree as she began to go over the alphabet and numbers, this time not associating them to her broken heart. Wirt felt a familiar pang of sorrow as he recalled his failed attempts with Sara, but it quickly disappeared when he remembered (y/n). He was still hesitant to think that he was falling in love. Things didn’t work out well last time.
But maybe it wasn’t a bad thing. If it weren’t for her being nearby, he would have continued to grieve over Sara for god knows how long. Last time he was here, things were looking up. He had a certain bluebird to help him work up enough self-confidence to ask her out. Now, upon his return, that romantic confidence was crushed.
Yet (y/n) was there, and she was a wonderful distraction. Not only from Sara, but from something much worse as well. They were both dead at the moment, but it was better than being dead alone. If Wirt had ended up in the Unknown a second time on his own, he would have significantly less motivation to return home. It was because (y/n) was in this situation with him that he was absolutely set on getting back. He couldn’t let her die.
His attention returned to the class as Langtree ceased her teachings and began to pass out instruments. The class was dividing up into three sections – beginners, intermediate, and advanced. Wirt watched with a faint hint of surprise. This was new, but it was by no means a bad thing. The larger student population meant that there would be a greater demand for more material, and they were already developing a music class when Wirt first arrived. Well, it was something like that. Playing music to Greg’s little song in the small dining area may or may not count. But Wirt did have a chance to help out when it came to the benefit concert for the school. Maybe Langtree would allow him to help out again.
He took a spare clarinet and walked over to the beginner’s group, taking (y/n) with him. He saw that there were a few students that were especially green, and appeared to have never even picked up a clarinet before. Langtree went around working with some of the students, showing them the basics of each instrument with instructions from a book, but it appeared that there was no true clarinet instructor.
Well, Wirt was here to save the day. He began to show a few unknowing animal children how to properly put their instrument together, then began to instruct how to get a sound out of them. He smiled widely as he watched the kids get their first note out of their instruments. It was a good feeling to start them on their musical journey. He almost felt like.. Like he was a proper big brother again.
Langtree noticed Wirt’s ability to teach, and left him to his pupils. (y/n) stuck around and watched for a while, seeming to notice how well he was with the children. That was when a small child came up and tugged her sleeve, looking up at her with an inquiring expression. She looked down and saw that it was holding an (instrument) in its other hand. Within a few moments she was teaching her craft to a small crowd of kids, getting along just as well as Wirt had.
Meal time arrived quickly. Langtree ushered everyone into a back room that served as the dining area. It was just as Wirt had remembered it, with rows of tables lining the length of the room. A piano sat in the corner with a picture of Jimmy Brown above it. Wirt took a place on one of the benches, and (y/n) sat across from him. A familiar dish was laid out in front of each spot, and Wirt couldn’t help but smile. Greg had a legacy here.
“Potatoes and… molasses?” (y/n) said in surprise as she looked up at Wirt.
“Yeah.. They’re pretty good, actually.” Wirt said as he picked up a spoon and took a bite. The flavor brought back a thousand memories, and he instantly got lost in nostalgia.
(y/n) shrugged and swallowed a spoonful. She smiled slightly upon tasting the flavor, and decided that it was in fact as Wirt said it was; pretty good.
Wirt directed his attention to the window, watching the world outside for a few minutes while Langtree played an all too familiar tune on the piano in the corner. Wirt could practically hear Greg’s voice beside him, singing along with unmatched enthusiasm.
When meal time ended the kids were released for recess. The children all filed outside and began to run amok, playing as only someone of their youth could. Wirt watched them with a smile for a few moments, picturing Greg among them. But his smile disappeared just as soon as it had come. Greg was on the other side, waiting for them. Wirt couldn’t be much of a big brother if he was dead.
He turned to (y/n) and spoke abruptly. “Hey, (y/n), we should be going.”
(y/n) had also been lost in her thoughts while watching the animal children play, and it took her a moment to register what he’d said. “Hm? Oh, okay…” She said, seeming to recall that they were still on a mission. “Let’s go find Greg.”
Wirt nodded and turned back to look at the school one last time. He’d know that inevitably he’d be seeing it again, but hopefully it would be a long time before he came back. Langtree was sitting out front with Jimmy Brown, who had come to visit. They talked away like the lovebirds they were, and it made Wirt turned away before he could feel lonely again. Without further hesitation he began to walk back to the path they’d previously been following.
(y/n) walked alongside him, staying silent for the first few minutes. The familiar scenery of the forest took over as the noise of children playing faded behind them. When (y/n) spoke again, it was with an upbeat tone. “You really weren’t lying, were you?”
“Hah, no, they really do teach animals.” Wirt said, smiling again. “Crazy, huh?”
“Yeah, really.” (y/n) responded as she observed the beauty of the wood. “So… Where are we going now?”
“Hm…” Wirt thought as he tried to remember the layout of the Unknown, “I think… We’re going to pass through Pottsfield next. The Woodsman’s place is just past there.”
“Pottsfield?” (y/n) said, “Is that, like, a town or something?”
“Yeah, of sorts.” Wirt said with yet another faint smile, “You’ll see.. It’s nice there.”
YOU ARE READING
Wirt x Reader - Remember Me?
Fanfiction(y/n) moves back to Aberdale after living in Santa Fe for many years. She goes on to attend school with many of her old classmates. However, there's one that she's forgetting.
