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Usually Marcy is aesthetically, emotionally, and physically inclined to being weirdly super into playing RPG type video games, however she recently has been steered into the world of cartoons by a recommendation that appeared to her while mindlessly scrolling through youtube. Something about the endearing animation style sucked her right into what seemed to be a cutesy fall themed cartoon, but turned out to be an emotional journey between two brothers wandering an endless purgatory.
It was all so deep- so much more complex than cartoons were deemed as societally! Marcy even tried her hand at drawing a few of the characters, only for them to turn out weirdly anime-esque. Though she can’t stop gushing about it to her two best friends- Sasha and Anne, she decides to keep those embarrassing sketches to herself. What even is anatomy anyway? Maybe cartoons have it all figured out by simplifying proportions so that they’re easier to comprehend.
Marcy wishes that Over the Garden Wall was more than just an hour and half long altogether- an hour and forty minutes specifically. But maybe that’s what makes it so perfect, she has to wonder-
“EARTH TO MARCY!” Someone shouts, snapping Marcy out of her rampant thoughts, right before she trips over a chalk-board sign for a café that happens to be their current destination. As usual, the person trying to stop her from her blissful unawareness is none other than Anne, who is currently yanking on her arm to steer her into the right direction. Instead, Marcy trips over her own two feet and stumbles into Anne’s arms. Luckily, Anne is prepared for this and catches her in an awkward hug.
“Why would they even put that in the middle of the sidewalk? They’re just asking for little Marcy-like disasters if you ask me,” Anne says, smiling down at Marcy, who is still landed in her embrace. She looks good today. The air is crisp for once for LA, so Anne is wearing a little beanie along with a fall sweater, even though it’s accompanied by a pair of shorts. Marcy’s also adorning a fall sweater, it matches her green skirt.
“Thanks Anne,” Marcy says with a bubbly little giggle, before uprighting herself. “Sorry, I guess I was thinking about that cartoon miniseries I watched a while ago again,” she adds.
“Well, I figured. You’ve been gushing non-stop about it for two weeks,” Anne remarks fondly.
“Oh jeez, have I really been that bad?” Marcy panics. She worries she’s been annoying again.
“Yes. It’s adorable,” Anne teases, shoving Marcy’s shoulder. Marcy can’t help but smile back.
“Speaking of gushing, we should probably go inside before Sasha wonders where we are. She keeps saying this place has amazing pumpkin-spice lattés.”
Marcy thinks it’s cute that Anne doesn’t even like pumpkin-spice drinks, but gets one every fall anyways.
The café itself is tucked away, hidden in between a bank and some other miscellaneous businesses. This explains why their sign is interrupting the middle of the sidewalk. They pass through the door in the center of the cobbled brick walls, and inside the aroma of coffee fills their senses. The walls all have panels with dark wood carvings, and they’re all decorated by old paintings from the 1920’s and 30’s but with little frog motifs. College kids and couples are abuzz, filling the majority of the warmly lit tables. Overall, the place has a very fancy and jazzy vibe, feeling a bit out of place for two teenagers.
“I don’t see any sign of Sasha,” Anne announces, interrupting Marcy from taking in the decor.
“That’s weird. She said she’d meet us here at noon!” Marcy blurts. “Should we wait for her?”
“Ugh… but I don’t want to,” Anne says. “I’ll shoot her a text, but I’m ordering that damn pumpkin latté STAT,” she decides, tapping away at her phone. Marcy notes that she’s wearing a lot of rings today, which is unusual for spry Anne, who usually just jumps out of bed and calls it good.
After she pockets away her phone, Marcy wants to hold her hand; so she does. She notes that there is a take a book leave a book stand, and promises to herself that she’ll bring a book next time. But then again- what book does she own that she’d be willing to leave? She just finished one recently but she actually liked it quite a bit-
“Marcy, it’s your turn to order,” Anne says, squeezing her hand and once again bringing her back to the present.
“Oh, um, I’ll have the-“ Her eyes roam the menu wildly, avoiding the patient barista. She forgot to think about what to order. “Uh, the iced chai latté please!” she decides, randomly honing in on one of the first drinks she sees.
“Coming right up!” The barista declares. Their smile lingers on Marcy and Anne’s joined hands before they go off to make their drinks.
“Marcy, You’re supposed to get the drink hot! It’s fall now,” Anne whines halfheartedly.
“But we live in LA and I’m thirsty,” Marcy protests, and Anne just gives her that helpless smile again.
They end up sitting in a private little corner by a huge glass window perfect for people-watching. Anne blows impatiently on her latté before taking a sip way too soon. Predictably it burns her tongue, and the taste does nothing to soothe her.
“Yuck,” Anne declares.
“Every time,” Marcy laughs bemusedly, before trying her drink. It’s actually really good, a perfect balance between spice and sweet. “Want to try mine?” Marcy asks. Anne blushes and takes the straw from her.
“What the hell. Marcy, you actually found a fall drink that tastes good,” Anne says, sipping more.
“What can I say, I’m a genius,” Marcy declares sarcastically.
“I think you actually might be,” Anne agrees, all seriousness.
“Can I try yours?”
“Sure, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Anne cautiously passes over the hot latté.
Marcy makes a note to be mindful of it’s temperature and gently blows on it. Anne can’t take her eyes off the sight for some reason, and when Marcy catches her staring, she shyly pushes her bushy hair behind her ear.
“It’s not bad actually,” Marcy says, feeling her cheeks warm. “I knew you wouldn’t like it, though,” she smirks.
Anne sighs. “Ain’t that just the way.”
Suddenly, an explosion of butterflies is released inside of Marcy’s ribcage, and her pulse quickens making her feel excited, excited, excited!!!
“You watched Over the Garden Wall!!!” Marcy abruptly exclaims, clutching Anne’s hands.
“Yeah, I figured I’d check it out. Since you love it so much,” Anne smiles shyly. “It was good. I didn’t get to the end though, I had um. Homework,” she lies badly, but Marcy is too preoccupied to notice.
“Oh my gosh, Anne! How could you not? I was so enthralled I watched it all in one go- wait this is perfect, actually. We could finish it together! I mean. If you would like to- unless you didn’t like it that much-“
“I would love to,” Anne interrupts, a bit too earnestly. It’s worth it, though, to see Marcy’s beaming smile.
“Gosh, if I’m being honest I’ve had Potatoes and Molasses stuck in my head all day. I wish I could listen to it right now, it’s just so catchy!”
“I mean, I brought my headphones with me if you really want to,” Anne offers.
“Anne, I would love nothing more,” Marcy buzzes with enthusiasm, squeezing her hands again. Anne can’t help but smile just as brightly, and Marcy doesn’t even mind when she pulls her beaten up earbuds directly out of her pocket and plugs them into her phone. They have to lean in to share them across the table, and Marcy decides to hold her hand again.
They sit there like that for a while, letting the soundtrack fill the silence. A peace befalls them as they people-watch and resist the urge to sing along. The soundtrack adds a certain ambience that definitely helps it feel more like fall despite the lack of changing weather and seasons. They’re only interrupted when Sasha finally shows up, nonchalant and fashionably late.
“Sorry I’m late guys, I had to babysit one of my siblings last minute. You know how it is,” she declares, pulling up a chair. Marcy can’t help but be hyper aware of the interruption, and the way the music is paused and they’ve let go of each other’s hands. She listens absentmindedly as Sasha and Anne get into a passionate debate about the café’s beverages. They always get that way with each other these days.
Marcy loves Sasha, she really does. But sometimes it feels different with her around. Or maybe, sometimes it just feels different when it’s only her and Anne.
They end up all going home together after Sasha places an order, so Marcy and Anne don’t get to finish Over the Garden Wall that night.
…
Marcy makes sure to finish studying early while Sasha’s at cheer practice on Friday night, so that she and Anne can cuddle up and finish it. To Marcy’s delight, Anne’s actually super into it, and they spend the rest of the night discussing the purgatorial motifs behind the show and wondering who Wirt will end up with.
“I like Sara, and I think it makes sense because she’s on equal footing with him in his world- but something about him and Bea is so sweet,” Anne says.
“I agree. I can’t tell if the narrative wants you to go there, but I can feel it. For them it’s harder- it’s like they have this connection they’re not supposed to have. They’re juxtaposed from each other from the beginning, and they live in different worlds so it feels forbidden. But still you can’t help but see that they care for one another, and wonder what it could have been like. I don’t know why but that sort of thing seems really romantic to me,” Marcy gushes, looking into Anne’s eyes. Anne matches her gaze for a second too long, and Marcy doesn’t know why but her stomach drops. It’s an illogical feeling to suddenly have, she’s looked at Anne a million times before. But this time, in Anne’s bed accompanied by the soft glow from her laptop- it feels different. Something tender and anxious begins to unfurl inside of her.
…
After the excitement of watching Over the Garden Wall together, there's something lodged between the two of them that Marcy doesn’t quite understand. She doesn’t know if she wants to understand it, but when Anne suggests that they watch Adventure Time together, she doesn’t refuse. The beginning is slow and goofy, but that doesn’t stop Marcy from loving it. She loves when they get into the plot, too. The way that Finn helplessly crushes over a disinterested Bubblegum speaks to her. Her insides squirm from trying not to overthink her pull towards forbidden or unrequited love.
She loves the plot surrounding Simon and Marceline, too. It gets deep, and she loves the found family trope.
When Anne shows her her crappy doodles of Finn and Jake, Marcy decides to show her her drawings as well. While Marcy’s illustrations have an anime-like gangliness to them, Anne’s look like they were drawn by a four year old, and Marcy loves them. They’re so rough, but so Anne.
“I kind of want to be one of the characters for halloween this year,” Marcy admits while the end credits play the Island Song. They’re tucked away in Anne’s bed, bundled inside of a swath of blankets despite the LA heat.
“Really? Which one?” Anne asks, looking over to her with curiosity. Her face is illuminated by blue light of her screen and the warm light of her lamp, reminiscent of the coffee shop they went to recently.
“Well, I don’t know. We usually do trio costumes together, so it probably won’t happen. Just a thought.” Marcy replies, swallowing the nervous lump in her throat.
“Dude, I’ll totally be the Finn to your Jake. You don’t have to ask me twice. Sasha can be Peppermint Butler or something,” Anne suggests, making the two dissolve into laughter.
“I feel like Lumpy Space Princess would fit her better,” Marcy says, making them laugh again. “I could see you as Finn, but I don’t think I’d be Jake the Dog.”
“Then who would you be?”
“Well I’m not sure who I’d be- but I guess Marceline is my favorite,” Marcy admits.
“Dude, yes. You could totally be her,” Anne agrees.
“What, really? But she’s so confident and… badass. She’s Marceline the Vampire Queen.”
“So? You’re badass too. Plus she’s your namesake, basically,” Anne argues.
Marcy just smiles at her, feeling tender and successfully comforted.
“Thanks, Anne.”
…
When the topic of halloween costumes are brought up by Sasha, Anne mentions the Adventure Time idea to Marcy’s utter embarrassment. They’d talked about it, but she didn’t think Anne was taking her seriously.
“What? Let me guess, you guys both want to be Marceline and Bubblegum. Who am I supposed to be? Your little Peppermint Butler?” Sasha says, making Marcy feel confused and nervous.
“Why would we be Marceline and Bubblegum?” Marcy asks.
“I think it’s fairly obvious,” Sasha remarks, confusing Marcy further.
“But Anne is definitely like Finn and-“
“No, you idiot. I meant because they’re gay for each other.”
Marcy stops dead in her tracks, feeling dread sink to the bottom of her stomach. Sasha often makes gay jokes, and she’s hinted at being queer before, so usually Marcy doesn’t think anything of it. This time, however, it makes her feel sick.
“They…are?”
“Yeah, obviously. I think they confirmed it at the end of the series,” Sasha informs her, oblivious.
“Sasha! I haven’t finished it yet!” Marcy yells, suddenly irate. She tries to blame her anger on being spoiled, but really she could just not feel shittier. Her pension for forbidden and unrequited love is starting to come to a head, and she’s deeply afraid of considering the outcome.
“It doesn’t really matter, it was in the subtext!” Sasha yells back, still oblivious to Marcy’s quickly souring mood.
Anne’s uncharacteristic silence only unnerves her further. She doesn’t dare to look in her direction, but if she did, she would see that Anne feels just as anxious as Marcy does.
Instead she stalks off angstily, physically and emotionally unable to let the conversation play out any further.
…
Later, Sasha doesn’t really apologize per se. There’s a tension between the three of them, a palpable awkwardness to say the least. However, Sasha still feels uncharacteristically bad about what she said to Marcy. She’s not stupid, she saw the very real fear in her eyes when she insinuated that she liked Anne in that way. Irregardless of the fact that Sasha has no doubt in her mind that Marcy is so irrefutabley and undeniably gay, she also has a heavy inkling that Marcy has been living in blissful unawareness about it until recently.
So, to make up for it, she suggests this time that they do dress up as characters from Adventure Time. Anne decides to be Finn, Sasha decides on Flame Princess, and Marcy is reluctant at first but easily excites at the prospect of dressing up like Marceline. There’s still a hesitancy about her, a carefulness that hadn’t been there before, but she does an excellent job of masking it.
In the Boonchuy’s small but cozy bathroom, Anne’s finished getting ready before everyone else due the simplicity of her costume. She’s leaning into Marcy’s space to help her with her eyeliner as Marcy pops a squat on the toilet seat. Meanwhile, Sasha’s in the mirror lathering her hair with gel to ensure that it defies gravity.
“Mar-Mar, stay still!” Anne says for the upteenth time, getting more and more impatient as Marcy grows restless from sitting still for too long.
Marcy had been animatedly discussing the ending of Adventure Time, but while being mindful of steering the conversation away from the Bubbline kiss that finally occurred.
Even when Anne is dressed up as an entirely different character, Marcy still finds her mind wandering. Her gaze keeps flittering all over Anne’s face, eyebrows furrowed and lips bitten in concentration.
“Sorry,” Marcy mumbles, trying to relax and let her body go slack. She tries to focus in on the cute family-photos and plants that decorate the walls and sink, but it isn’t working. Clearing Marcy Wu’s mind is just simply not in her nature.
Sasha side-eyes them in the mirror a bit judgmentally.
“It’s all good. We’re almost done,” Anne assures Marcy, disrupting her buzzing. Marcy almost laughs as she notices how Anne lets her tongue stick out in concentration. She looks rather silly with her puffy hair half-hazardly stuck behind Finn’s white bear hat, but she still looks pretty in her Anne way. Her thick eyelashes are lowered to look at Marcy, framing her eyes nicely.
“And voila!” Anne announces, taking Marcy’s distraction as an opportunity to finish her makeup. Sasha stops perfecting her messy hair to give Marcy a critical once over. “You forgot the bite-marks, moron,” she says with little to no bite, returning to her ministrations.
“Oh, whoops,” Anne says, blushing as she zeroes in on Marcy’s neck. Marcy notices her getting flustered and can feel herself heating up as well. Sasha rolls her eyes at them from the mirror.
For some reason, Anne delicately and precisely tilts Marcy’s head to get a comfortable reach for her neck. She really doesn’t need to, it’s just two dots. Marcy gets that jittery anticipatory feeling again, before suddenly feeling a sharp pinching in her neck.
“Chomp!” Anne declares, having pinched her instead of drawing the two dots.
“Ow!” Marcy yells, feeling flustered and wound up. Luckily Anne is too busy laughing with merriment to notice. Her melodious laughter soothes Marcy a bit.
“Hey,” Marcy scolds, gently kicking Anne’s crouched knees. When Anne finally stops laughing, Marcy can’t help but to smile with her.
“Boop, boop,” she finishes, drawing two red dots on Marcy’s neck.
They head out fairly early in the night, especially for three teenagers that still go trick-or-treating. Sasha wants to hit as many houses as she can before the good stuff runs out, and before they head back to her house for her annual halloween party.
“Be good, girls! Don’t forget your pepper-spray, Anne,” Mrs. Boonchuy calls from the front door. Anne dorkily finger-guns at her in affirmation. Marcy heart lurches at her stupid antics.
Mrs. Boonchuy just rolls her eyes albeit with a smile, and closes the door.
They quickly make their rounds to the houses known for the best loot, which happens to be in Sasha’s neighborhood. Large two story houses fill their vision, with perfectly-gardened lawns and impressive arch-ways. Not all of the old people know who they’re supposed to be, but lots of compliments are spared irregardless.
“Anne!” A younger blonde boy shouts from the distance. It’s getting dim out.
“Sprig!” Anne shouts back, carelessly dropping her candy-bag in her rush towards the boy to hug him. Apparently they took their community service credits together last year, and ever since then their families have been super close. The Plantars have taken in Anne, and likewise with Sprig and the Boonchuys. A younger girl and old man trail behind him in tow. Marcy thinks that he’s spiderman, but she’s not sure.
“Love the costume,” Marcy hears Sprig saying, and overhears Anne inviting him to join them. He has to stay with his sister, Polly, but he mentions that he’ll be free later.
“Can Sprig come to the party later?” Anne shouts at Sasha from down the road.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Sprite can come,” Sasha yells back. The little girl, Polly, laughs as Sprig grimaces at the nickname.
Meanwhile, Marcy’s guts twist with a weird feeling that only quells when Anne rejoins them. She must notice Marcy’s sour expression, because she’s the one to initiate in holding her hand for once.
Marcy can’t help but look at Anne as she waves a cheery goodbye to the Plantars. Her cheeks are a bit rosy from excitement, and she looks so strong and good in that moment.
Meanwhile, Marcy feels like the floor’s been ripped out from underneath her, and she’s left floating with these weird feelings directed at Anne once more.
Anne’s gaze zeroes in on her. She squeezes her hand as if to silently ask are you alright? Marcy’s heart immediately swells with fondness. She smiles at Anne’s caring face and squeezes back, silently hoping and fearing that Anne knows just how much she cares too.