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Wilford woke up screaming some nights. It had gotten less frequent the more time you spent together, but there were still bad nights. Bad nights where he was plagued by the things he'd done, and the things he'd seen.
Bad nights usually made for bad days.
As much as you loved Wilford, the bad days were hard.
Hard was probably an understatement. They were overwhelming, difficult, and did a very good job making you feel like a horrible person because you just wanted some sort of normal without having to worry about how you handled him on a bad day.
What was a bad day? They were the days where he looked at you with no recognition in his eyes, passing you as if you were nothing but a stranger to him. The days where every little thing set him off, and you had to worry about just how trigger happy he could get.
Today was one of those days.
You were trying to take it in stride. Normalcy usually helped in these moments, so you'd still made Wilford's coffee just the way he liked it, you still said good morning to him. All the things you would do on any normal day.
You were struggling though, and anyone who looked at you could plainly see it.
Due to how obvious your pain was, you tended to avoid everyone at every given opportunity. You didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, and you definitely didn't want to see them look at you with such obvious pity.
There was one person you could rarely hide from though, the Engineer. He always managed to find you, it was like he had a sixth sense for where you'd tuck yourself away.
This time he found you outside. It was cold, bitterly so, and he'd brought an extra coat out with him.
You shrugged it on with as much of a smile as you could manage, which seemed to be enough for him.
“You don't have to force yourself to stay away from everyone, yknow,” he reminded you. These conversations usually started the same way, with him telling you that he and the others were willing to have you around even when you weren't at your best.
You nodded, “I know, but I don't want to see them feel bad for me, I already feel bad enough for myself. I don't need the help.”
He shook his head at you, expression fond if not a little frustrated, “no one feels bad for you, at least not like that. They're worried, and that's okay, because they care about you.”
You'd had this conversation nearly a hundred times with him, and you'd probably have it a hundred more. It just didn't ever sink in, and neither of you were sure it ever would. He'd be there though, and a friend like that was something you were immensely thankful for.
At the same time, on the other side of the grounds, Dark was with Wilford. The pink mustached man was discussing an event that very clearly never happened, but in Wilford's jumbled mind it had.
Dark was patient with his old friend, knowing that Wilford had done so much for him, but the ache of watching someone he cared for barely recognize him was still ever present. Dark couldn't imagine how much worse it was for you. Wilford was his friend, he couldn't imagine his partner not remembering him.
“Have you seen them today?” Dark was referring to you.
“.. who are you talking about?” Wilford asked, brows furrowed in confusion, “you'll have to be more specific, old sport.”
“Your partner, the person you're seeing, romantically,” Dark elaborated. Maybe he was pushing the old colonel too hard, but a quick change in emotion might cause that switch to flip in Wilford's brain.
“I can't believe you'd forget them so soon, old friend,” Dark pressed, a sharpness to his words, “I mean, do you even care for them at all?”
There it was!
A spark lit up in the mustached man's eyes, “how dare you!” He turned on the monochrome being, “how dare you even pretend to think they don't mean the world to me-”
Dark laughed, truly laughed, Wilford had the quickest temper of anyone he'd ever met, sometimes it was the man's greatest weakness, but it could also be his greatest strength. In this case it was the latter.
“Then I suggest you find them, Wil, because I'm sure they are missing you,” he replied.
Wilford stood from the bench he'd been sitting on, “do you know where they are?”
Dark shook his head, “you'll just have to find them the old fashioned way.”
Wilford didn't hesitate for a moment before he set off.
It wasn't uncommon for the other egos to see Wilford charging through the house, but this time he was calling your name, and looking a bit frantic.
Illinois stopped the Colonel, “is there something going on?”
“I'm looking for them, Dark.. reminded me of what happened today, and I fear I have some apologizing to do,” he explained to the adventurer.
“Last I saw, they were outside with the engineer,” Illinois supplied helpfully.
Wilford thanked Illinois, but cursed himself. He'd already been outside with Dark, but he hadn't thought to check the other side of the grounds first. He swiftly made his way back outside, seeing you sitting further out beside a tree, the engineer beside you. He looked to be saying something, whatever it was made you laugh and roll your eyes.
He felt a surge of jealousy run through him before he banished it from his mind. He had forgotten you today, and a friend had stepped up to make sure you weren't alone. The engineer didn't deserve any of his anger.
He called your name again as he got closer and you immediately looked up, eyes searching until you found him, “Wil?” You called, confusion filling your tone.
When he stopped beside you he replied, “It's me, sweetheart.”
The engineer looked between the two of you, “I'm going to go back to the house, but if you need me, I'll be around,” he waved as he got up and made his way inside, you gave him a nod and a grateful smile before he got too far away.
Wilford took the other man's vacated seat beside you, “I'm so sorry,” he started, grabbing one of your hands, “Dark told me what I did.. and I, sweetheart I could never forget you, not for very long anyway.”
You shook your head, fond amusement on your face, “I know Wil, I wasn't upset with you,” you replied, “everyone has bad days, and I wouldn't hold yours against you.”
He took a moment to really look at you, “you are an angel my dear, what did this old fool do to deserve someone so lovely?”
You blushed, ducking your head down so you didn't have to see the earnest affection in his eyes, “you didn't have to deserve me, I chose you, that's all,” you said softly.
It was his turn to blush, and for once you had silenced the ever talkative colonel. The only thing he could do was lean forward and press his lips to yours. His mustache tickled, but you couldn't bring yourself to pull away yet. Instead your hand came up to rest on his cheek, and it stayed there when you both broke away because the need for air was too much to ignore. You didn't go far though, your foreheads staying resting together.
You were smiling when you told him, “love you, Wil.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
And love him you did, even on his bad days, because you knew that he loved you on yours.