Anemoia (Over the Garden Wall x reader)

We're All Mad Here

   "Here, nephews, is my second grand library..or is it the third? This house is so big I sometimes wonder...Is there a fourth? I'm not too sure...but yes, you can stay here till breakfast, precisely at seven...that is, if you can find the dining hall...or if I can...but anyways, the couch here is pleasant...yes.."

I nod, pretending I understood what he said- 'He' being the half-mad owner of the mansion we found in the woods. Quincy Endicott.

The library is stunning, and with rain lashing at the window and the fireplace burning bright, I really want to collapse on the couch and sleep forever in this cozy dark academia paradise. Apparently Greg has the same idea, as he's already asleep on a plush chair. As Quincy rambles about...something or another, I find Greg a soft blanket. Poor kid has been out in the rain for hours, and unlike Wirt and I, he doesn't have a cloak.

Wirt. I've learned a few things about Wirt as of late, but I really don't have the energy to ponder them right now, so instead I daydream.

Rain beats down on a coffee shop window. There's someone across the table from me, drinking a pumpkin spiced latte with far too much cream and sugar. They're rambling about a passion they have, and their eyes light up. We laugh at stupid things that wouldn't be funny to anyone else. 'I love you' I want to say. 'I love this place' is what I say instead, but it's not quite untrue...with them, every place is perfect.

I'm not sure if I'm dreaming about my future or just a scene to write someday. Either way, it's better than thinking about super serious things, like the enigma that is Wirt McLaughlin.

"Are there any poetry books here?" Asks Wirt, hopefully.

"Books? Oh, I never read them myself, I'm not too sure.." Endicott frowns.

"Oh. Did you know that books used to be blue, until they're red? That's a rock fact..." murmurs Greg, waking up briefly to wave his 'rock facts' rock.

"Hmm, I didn't know that one. Did you know that there's more ways to shuffle a deck of cards than there are stars in our sky?" I responded.

"That's cool..stars are-" Greg paused to yawn. "Stars are nice.." He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

"Right, well you all can wait here till seven..or was it-was it seven thirty- well, till it gets light out, only a couple hours....sleep I suppose, as that's what I'll be doing....yes, well, goodbye nephews and..others...sleep well.." Quincy Endicott says, almost nervously backing out of the library.

"Hmm. He seems crazy." Says Wirt.

"Looks like we do get a bit of good luck then." Beatrice smiles.

"How is that good luck?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"Heh, you two will find out in due time....right, I'm going to explore the library."

"She sounds like a disney villain."

I nod in agreement. "So, you wanna look for poetry books?"

"Yeah-Yes! Definitely, absolutely. Yeah." He looked away, blushing. "If it's not, like, odd or anything." He adds, still studying the floor.

"Lovely. I wonder if these are arranged in any particular way..." I trail off as I wander down an isle.

"Hey, here's one!" Wirt says after a few minutes of quiet searching. "Weird...I don't recognize this author. Or..any of these poems."

I walk over to see the book.

"'A Long Hike and Thoughts That Occured During Said Hike' That title is...quite a mouthful."