Everywhere I turn / I hurt someone (donald and della)

[sos_pilot]

 It had been a short while since Della had returned, and for the most part, it had been a happy reunion. Endless hugs and kisses with the boys, exchanging of stories, and readjusting to gravity... things had been exciting.

But not perfect.

Eventually Della realized it wasn't her imagination - Donald had been avoiding her. He had managed to get away with it, what with the boys understandably taking up all of Della's attention, but even they needed education. With great protest, the boys were shipped off to school, and Della set her plan into motion.

If you could call this a plan - heading right to the house-boat and knocking on it endlessly.

"I know you're in there, Donald. I can do this all day. You know I will!"

Comments

[allthebadluck]

She can say that all she wants, but Donald’s frown deepened. “I just...I cant believe...ten years up there, all on your own.”

But then, if anyone could survive being alone on the moon for ten years, it’d be Della.

And it still killed him anyway, because she never should have had to.

[sos_pilot]

"Yeah... it, uh... wasn't easy." So much for all the love and hugs. She put her foot down again.

"I don't suppose saying the sappy thing like 'I wasn't alone, you were with me all along' isn't going to cut it, huh."

[allthebadluck]

Judging by the frown, it definitely wasn’t.

“...How did you do it?”

[sos_pilot]

This wasn't how she wanted the conversation to go, but it appeared it was going to happen anyway. Might as well get this hurdle over with.

"I didn't have a choice," She said as calmly as she could make it. "Besides, you know me. Della Duck never gives up. Wouldn't you fight every single day so you could be with your family again?"

[allthebadluck]

He looked at her, studying her face, her appearance. Then he sighed.

"I'd try. But...you know me too. I probably wouldn't have made it."

[sos_pilot]

Okay, that was it.

She slapped her hands on his shoulders, leaning in, glaring.

"You say one more negative thing about yourself, and I'm throwing you into the pool."

And she would, too.

[allthebadluck]

He jumped a bit at that, but then looked at her, matching her glare.

"What? Things haven't really changed all that much."

[sos_pilot]

"That's just it! You've always been great! You have friends who adore you - you have a demigod that worships the ground you walk on!" Judging from what the kids had told her, Storkules hadn't changed a bit.

"The boys love you, Uncle Scrooge always wants you on his team, and I nearly went crazy because you wouldn't talk to me! So you don't get to constantly beat yourself up, or I'll do it for you!"

[allthebadluck]

He snorted, stepping back a bit to face her better.

“Yeah? You think you can?”


This, at least, felt a bit more familiar; siblings getting a rise from each other and picking fights. It was easier to deal with things this way than...actually dealing with them.

[sos_pilot]

"I know I can." She got in his face as much as he was getting in hers.

"I will arm-wrestle you right here, right now."

[allthebadluck]

"All right," he retorted, rolling up his sleeves. "Let's go."

[sos_pilot]

She rolled up her sleeve as well, and both ducks sat down at the table.

She slammed down her elbow. "... That. Didn't hurt." Yes it did. It hurt so much.

[allthebadluck]

He snorted, and despite wanting to stay mad, he couldn't help laughing.

[sos_pilot]

And, as is the way with close friends and family, when one started to laugh... the other was sure to follow.

"Hey, c'mon! It's not funny!" She said between chokes of giggles.

[allthebadluck]

"Sorry, sorry," he replied, in that way that someone's not actually sorry. Which isn't helped by the fact that he couldn't stop laughing, especially with her laughter.

[sos_pilot]

"Don't say sorry if you're not sorry!" But she still couldn't stop laughing, though she did get up to give him a little shove.

[allthebadluck]

He snorted, that only seemed to add to the laughter. It was a bit longer before he was finally able to calm down, taking a few breaths to ease the last of the giggles.

"This is kinda dumb," he finally said, wiping away the tears in his eyes that weren't entirely from the laughter.

[sos_pilot]

She was having similar issues with her own eyes, turning away from him while smiling.

"I think we're both acting like we have a few sails short of a sailboat."

[allthebadluck]

"Yeah." Then he sighed, glancing away himself. "...sorry. For...all that."

[sos_pilot]

"... Me too." She said, sighing, and sitting back down. "... I've done a lot of bad things to you, and the family. And... I want to believe I can at least try... to make up for some it."

[allthebadluck]

"You will." The answer came unbidden, without hesitancy or uncertainty. "I know you will."

Because even despite his own mixed feelings, he still believed in her.

[sos_pilot]

She expected him to hesitate, so to have such an immediate answer surprised her. Her eyes softened, and she was close to tears.

"... Do you know if I'm gunna get a hug anytime soon?"

[allthebadluck]

He chuckled softly, reaching over and pulling her into his arms. "That's an easy one," he murmured, holding her tight.

[sos_pilot]

Grateful, Della squeezed him in just as tightly.

"... Thanks, Donald." She said softly. "For everything."

[allthebadluck]

"No problem, sis," he replied. Then, because he knew he hadn't said it enough, "...I really am glad you're home."