Wirt

The woods had been glossed over with a bright miraculous light on that crisp Summer afternoon. Flowers bloomed, the sky was a clear aqua blue, the green on the ground covered the land, peaceful wildlife roamed freely with their families whilst the hostiles slept in the caves and shadows, waiting for the sun to bugger off so they could go hunt those unfortunate enough to be under the ominous moon. It was like an enchanting fairytale woods, perfect, flawless, full of magic and wonder and mystical creatures...such as Gnomes: little mythical gremlins. A powerful, but not very threatening race. However, they had a nasty reputation with humans, those few that knew of their existence.

   Mabel knew this. She'd experienced it first hand: what they could do, what they were really like. Yet when she saw him sleeping on the fallen over, lightning struck tree trunk she still approached. What the race had done to her, tried to do, was unforgivable. A small part of her despised Jeff and his accolades for it and she wanted nothing more than to exact revenge, and she could start with this one right here, right now, in one way or another, but this one was...helpless. He just lay there, oblivious to the giant towering over him, defenseless against her. His face was so calm, smiling at whatever dreams he was having...Then a piece of her mind revealed itself: she could use him for her own purposes. An inside man. He was alone so maybe he had similar feelings that she had. She scooped him up in her hands and whispered to him, gaining volume with each failed attempt, until his eyes finally fluttered open. At first he was petrified when he realised he was off the ground, the yawning ceased, stretching stopped and his eyes were wide. The wood he was sitting on had transformed into a soft pudgy substance; it took him a while until he realised it was flesh. Human flesh. Human hands. He turned around sharply to face his captor and was greeted with a face that could only be described as a psychopathic grin. It looked innocent enough, but up close it was terrifying.

   Mabel's eyes were wide with the joys of what she was thinking and planning and her smile was even wider. She looked mental, but in a good kind of way. A way that would scare babies, but not children.

   "Hi." She said sweetly, putting on an innocent 12 year old girl face. She wanted him to trust her or, better yet, like her, in any way. Knowing what gnomes were like around girls: this wouldn't be a problem.

   "Hi." He said back in the opposite tone. He raised one of his tiny hands and waved awkwardly. She'd wave back, but the 3 inch tall man would fall to his death or be put in an uncomfortable position.

   "Hi." She said again as if adding emphasis, cocking her head like a confused dog, flicking her hair about like a whip. She spoke like a mother to a child. "How are you?" She then asked. Her voice was like melting butter for your ears. A tactic she used on certain boys she knew/liked.

   "Uh...I'm good." He answered. Fear was now slowly being replaced with confusion. He let his body relax a little, but parts were still tense. Her intentions were unknown to him, but so far she came off as likeable.

   "That's great." She said, smiling softly. This somewhat awkward introduction was going well. He hadn't freaked out, she hadn't been weird, nothing had interrupted them, no obstacles and no distractions. She just needed to drag it out a little longer and then play the trump card: politely ask for his help. Whether he said yes or no he was her tool. Her inside man. Her undercover agent in the gnome syndicate.

   But for now, there was silence. She was waiting.

   He used the time to look at her in detail. The light that warded off the forest and illuminated the area glowed off her face. Looking up, she was an angel in disguise. She had such lovely looking skin that he was worthy to sit on and feel smoothly with his hands, her eyes were jewels, her hair was flowing. She looked like a beautiful little blessing, a gift to the world, that couldn't hurt a fly, but she was still a human and he was gnome. He was at her mercy. He had to choose his words and actions carefully.

   "What's your name?" He asked her confidently, mustering up enough courage to talk.

   It was like shooting fish in a barrel. "Mabel." She answered.

   "That's a nice name."

   "Thank you." She had him now. Compliments were what she was looking for; it just took 30 seconds for the first one to be said. "What's yours?"

   "Wirt."

   "Awwww, that's cute."

   He blushed. "Th-thank you." He was feeling exactly what she wanted him to feel, but was clueless about it. "You're cute too." God, it was a like a child making flirtatious small talk with an adult.

   "Oh stop it, you big-little sweetie." 

   He let a single laugh slip out before clamping it shut. Then she let one out. Then another. And another until she was lightly laughing, but stopped when she saw he was shaking.

   "What's wrong?" She asked. She darted her head behind her to see nothing. "What?!" She asked back to him. 

   "Mabel?"

   "Yes-"

   "You said your name was Mabel." It took a second to finalise the name after processing it, but now it was planted in there and it triggered memories. His body had gone crystal stiff.

   Now it was Mabel's turn to be fearful. He knew who she was. 

   "You did all that stuff to Jeff."

   "Yes..." She answered a little too quickly like it was an achievement to boast about. "What are you getting at?"

   "Are you going to do that to me?"

   "Oh God no, heavens no!" The idea of using him to get back at his race had gone out the window. Priority number 1 was now to calm him down. "Wirt, I would never. You're the first good gnome I've ever met." 

   "Really?" He asked. The fear was leaving again.

   "Yes, I know I've just met you, like...literally, but any other gnome would've tried to kidnap me by now." 

   "Well...I guess I'm not like other gnomes." How on Earth the tones he had kept shifting so quickly was a mystery, but it happened. It'd been about a minute, but so many different feeling had burst out of him. "I'm smarter." He added, as if waiting for an opportunity to say it. A smug look on his face. He was a unique special one.

   "Yeah...can I put you down?" She then asked out of nowhere. "My hands are hurting."

-

They both sat on the trunk as the sun sat on the horizon. The glow had faded to be replaced with a dull red, the moon was creepin' his way up, the wildlife went dead.

-Stories were exchanged.

-Explanations were drifted on.

-Truths were exploited.

-Little hands leant on a larger one.

-...3 hours of exposition had gone by. Exposition that'd be boring for others, but for them it was crucial. 

   "I think I should go home." Wirt announced. "They won't want me there, but it's better than hiding under a leaf from wolves."

   "Nonsense." Mabel said. "You can come back with me."

   "Dipper won't step on me?" She shook her head. "Ford won't cut me open?" She shook it again. "Stan won't try and sell-" 

   "Wirt, nothing will happen; I won't let it."

   He took a moment to speak. "Thank you, Mabel." He felt like he was milking the poor girl, abusing her like she would've done with him. He wasn't complaining, but she offered a lot...maybe too much. 

   "Don't mention it. You told the gnomes I left Gravity Falls; I put a roof over your head...Now get on my shoulder." She moved her shoulder about a little, showing it off.

   Once he reached the peak of the mountain that was her arm, the sun disappeared.

   "Wooh, it's gotten dark. I hope I haven't missed dinner." She said as she started walking. Not that she felt hungry, but the cooking there was good. Especially by Ford.

   Wirt ignored her drabble and instead seized his opportunity...He pecked her on the cheek so quickly it was like a blur.

   "What was that?!" She stopped walking.

   "Sorry...wet hands." He lied.

   "Oh, thank god." She sighed. "Thought some slimey thing was on my perfect face...right let's go home." And she started walking again. The building was within view.

   "Yeah." He agreed, looking over to her. It was dark, he couldn't see his hands jittering, but he could just make out her head. He could just make out his friend. "Yeah...yeah, let's go home."

   "God, I hope I'm not in trouble." She said as they reached the door.