Antlers & Oil (early access)

Untitled Part 2

Post A/n rewrote this chapter bc sorta wrote it before bootcamp then got a much better idea during bootcamp and wrote that instead. Keeping it up tho bc archiving but I recommend skipping it as it won't be remotely in the final product

The weekend could arrive soon enough. Wirt had spent the last few days unpacking and hauling funitcher up the stairs into his room. Despite the exhaustion aching at his bones, he practically tripped over an empty box running when he heard the doorbell ring. Any words he had planed to say dried up as he opened the door to a smiling dipper.

"Hey! Wart right? You ready to go?" dipper asked, shuffling the bookbag on his back.

"Wirt actually. Um yeah im ready...where are we going exactly?"

"Just a small hike. You got a pretty nice spot to look not far from here."

Wirt felt like he had fallen into the cold pond again. "Hi-hike? Like in the woods? Oh i dont think i can do that." the look on dippers face made his heart ache. "Its not you im just...i dont..." he mentaly screams at himself to find his words. "It doesnt sound all that safe. Just us alone i mean" he half-lied.

Dippers face lifted again. "Oh is that all? Well i dont mean to brag" he closes his eyes and puffs out his chest confidently "but you are looking at the second most experienced person to take you in these woods!"

"Second?"

"My great uncle. I guess you could call me his apprentice. Here take a look at this." he hands wirt a thick very worn red book. Wirt opened up at a random page and had to fight back a laugh.

"Whats a leprechaun?" he snickers as dipper yanks the book back mumbling "aw man why does every open up on that page!" he looks up and meets wirts amused gaze. "Trust me this stuff's real. You just gotta see it is all."

Wirt rolled his eyes, still smiling "i dont exactly believe you...but"

"But?"

Wirt sighed, defeated, "but im desprete for answers and you dont seemed to be as fake as that old man in with the eyepatch." he took a deep breath to eaze his nerves, "i'll go with you. Not far but...as long as we are safe about it..." dipper nodded eagerly and shifted hif bookbag to the front and started to show off the contents.

"I got a compass, three maps, multiple research journals including my own, and of course, some lunch." he looked back up at wirt and blushed. "You know, better to have it and not need it and all."

Seeing how absolutely overkill dipper went into the preparation, wirt started to feel a lot more comfortable with the idea of going with him. He gave a small nod, "o-ok lets go."

The walk to the edge of the woods didnt take very long, jus long enough for wirts nerve to catch back up to him. His heartbeat became deafening as he stands outside of the opening in the trees, the trail fading into the dark.dipper notices hes stopped and turns around.

"Hey, are you ok?" his words are muffled in wirts head and he cant bring himself to even shake his head. He just stands there, stiff as a board trying to get air into his lungs faster before he passes out.

"Wirt? Wirt!" dipper turns fully around to face wirt. "We can leave if this is too much. Can you hear me? Wirt?" he reaches out for wirts hand and takes it in his own. His voice bgins to waver "wirt look at me."

Wirt moves his eyes to focus on dippers, vaguely aware of both of his ands being helf inbetwwen them. Dipper begins again, slightly panicked, "just breath with me ok focus on me alrigh? nothing else." wirt attempts to coppy dippers breathing, failing at first but withing the first 5 breaths he falls into the rhythm. He grounds himself, focusing on the color of dippers eyes, the weight of his hands in his own, the slight tremble on his bottom lip as he exhales. Slowly his heart begins to slow and the noises around him become clearer. He looks back up at dipper and feels the sting of tears threatening to form.