quick drabble - donald and webby

[blackmagicduck]

 

Perhaps it was because he was used to raising three boys, or still suffering from the stinging memories of his lost sibling, that Donald was so nervous when he was left alone with Webby. He didn't mean to be, and didn't want to be – she was a sweet kid, and had saved their collective hides more times than he could count. When it became clear how close she had become to the triplets, Donald felt obligated to strengthen his ties with her – he just wasn't sure how to go about it.

 

Who would've guessed she'd like fishing?

 

“Here, let me.” Webby said as she swiftly untied the knot his fishing line had made for the umpteenth time. “And... there, good as new.” She then proceeded to impress him further by showing absolutely no hesitation stabbing a fresh worm onto her hook.

 

“The boys usually find this boring,” he finally admitted once the silence got to be too much.

 

“They just don't have the right mindset.” Webby replied, eyes on the water. “It's not about waiting, it's about strategy, knowing the land, and using the right moves in the smallest amount of time.”

 

“It is? I mean, of course it is.” He swallowed down a nervous chuckle. “I just... I didn't think you'd say yes.”

 

Hesitance, and then Webby glanced over. “Did you want me to say no?”

 

“Of course not! I just - “ He faltered, struggling to find the right words. “I don't... I don't know you very well. And I wanted to change that, but, well, because I don't know you, I didn't know if you'd be okay with this, and sometimes you have a habit of going along with people's things even if you don't want to.”

 

Another pause. When Webby spoke, she was smiling. “Sounds like you do know me a little.”

 

“... Huh.” Perhaps so. “We can go back. If you want.”

 

“I don't want to.”

 

“... Okay.”

 

He expected her to fall asleep at some point, as Louie did on his first try, but she never did. She caught three more fish than he did (which was zero) and was masterful at gutting and de-boning their meals. Donald was mildly disappointed that he couldn't teach her anything – she was the world's weirdest child genius. A part of him wondered if she really had been merely “going along” just to please him.

 

The next day, he accidentally dropped his tackle box, and spotted a new hand-made bait hook. It came with a cheesy note, and his fingers were stained with glitter all day.

 

Next time, Webby caught four.