Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Linda Monroe staggers out of Lakeside Mall, shivering, cold, different than before. Her usual brown eyes are a sickly shade of bright green. The sour taste of victory rots on her tongue. She won, she is adored, so why does she feel this way? She limps to her car, it’s a long walk, she’s trying her best. Her best.

The smell of apples made its way to her nose. She looked back to see a dark haired man dressed in all denim, tossing an apple, approaching her slowly. He took a bite of the green fruit and swallowed before speaking, his voice warm yet venomous. Comforting. Familiar. Linda wasn’t scared.

“Heya, Darling.” The man, Wilbur Cross, walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight, comforting hug. Linda melted into the touch, her arms snaking around to his back. Wilbur’s sharp teeth scraped against the top of her head.

“You’re shivering, doll.” Wilbur whispered, his hand now resting on her hip. He smelled like apples and cigarette smoke. Linda leaned into him further, her knees almost buckling from the cold. Since when did her knees hurt like this?

“I know.” Linda said coldly. Wilbur let go for a moment to shed his denim jacket and drape it over her shoulders, his scarred hands rubbing against her arms. “Atta girl.” Linda’s cheeks flushed lightly and she hugged him again. Linda Susan Monroe wasn’t one for affection, she didn’t receive much affection in her life. Moments like this were nice, and though she’d never admit it, it helped calm her anxiety and doubts.

Wilbur made note of how her legs were shaking and how she had limped. “Do you want me to walk you to your car, doll?” Linda nodded and took his hand. His hands were always cold. She looked down and rubbed her thumb over one of the healed scars on his hand. He’d told her the stories of how he got them. She also had pointed out the watch he wore the same day but he could barely seem to recall who gave it to him. “You should wear a watch, Colonel, here, take mine.”

They walked for a bit longer before an idea popped into Linda’s mind, or what was left of it. And she paused for a moment.

“I” Linda started. This was gonna be hard to say. “I love you. Wilbur.” He grinned in response, not wolfish or hungry, not Wiley, just pure happiness, just Wilbur. Wilbur Albert Cross. “I love you too, doll.” He chuckled and tightened his grip on her hand, before he stopped walking for just a moment and his hand slid up to cup her chin, pulling her into a kiss.

She reciprocated, one of her hands moving up to rest on his shoulder. When they pulled away Linda could see that his eyes were back to what she assumed was his natural color, a warm brown. Wilbur saw the same of hers. “You’re pretty.” He whispered

“Ready to drive me home?” Linda asked, her arm snaking around to his waist. He guided her towards her car, helping her get in before getting in the drivers seat. Buckling both of them in.

She rested her hand atop his as Wilbur began to drive away from Lakeside Mall and towards the Monroe Manor. A familiar grin creeped onto his face. “Wanna have dinner?” Linda nodded. “I’d like that, Wilbur.” And they did have dinner that night, at her huge dinner table, they had wine and food. Life was okay. Life was great.

Linda will never be the same, but at least she has him.

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