junior woodchuck rule 727

Della had so many questions as she took in the sight of the two boys in front of her. They were obviously identical, though they each had their differences especially in their demeanors. The first one who caught her attention was the one who spoke up first, staring at an unfamiliar-looking device in his hand as he bluntly responded to her in a very Scrooge-like manner. No solicitors. Well, that was offensive. She also noticed that he, too, had a prosthetic leg, though his was much fancier than the one she’d gotten while lost within the portal and on his opposite leg. She only got a quick glimpse at it though before the other stepped in front of him. They all stared at each other in confusion as they tried to connect the missing pieces.

When the stranger dropped the name Della—not only mentioning her but claiming to actually be their missing mother—a chill ran down Louie’s spine. That was fucking haunting. He was almost impressed by the sheer audacity…but mostly he was aggravated. He’d pulled his fair share of shady schemes in the past, but pretending to be somebody’s long-lost family member was something else entirely. He immediately wanted to say, ‘Hey crazy lady, leave us alone!’ and shut the door in her face. Instead he offered her some sardonic advice, leaning around Huey’s shoulder to stare her down. The crazy thing was—now that he had it in mind, the woman actually did resemble that old photo of their mother Dewey probably slept with under his pillow, only a few years older and like she’d been through some shit.

As she introduced herself to them, the look of curiosity he had now switched into that of disbelief. She couldn’t be serious, Huey thought. Della? Their Uncle Donald’s sister? Their mom?!? Aka the same mom who disappeared over twenty years ago where neither their Uncle Donald or Uncle Scrooge has ever seen or heard of her since? That Della Duck!? His eyes narrowed in suspicion. There’s no way this woman could actually be their mom. It would’ve been too coincidental that she’s now suddenly showing up after everything that’s happened lately. With the revelation that Dewey and Webby has been searching for any sorts of clues and answers about her whereabouts, to the point where the one place that apparently held the biggest clue yet about what happened to her being what tipped everything off— now their mom was back?! Huey couldn’t believe it. He didn’t believe it.

Dewey knew it was a long shot, but he was determined anyways to be a better brother and make amends. On top of the bombing and the fight, Dewey had topped angering his family by moving in with Morty for awhile, something that had intended to be temporary to let his family cool off from the anger but only seeming to irritate them further. He couldn’t do anything right. Not even a gift that was a genuine gesture. 

It was safe to say that Huey has yet to let go of his anger towards Dewey. No, he wasn’t raging anymore over everything his brother had caused, but the older still couldn’t stand to be in the same room as him without his blood starting to boil. So, the fact that Dewey not only decided to randomly show up at the Manor—after he decided to move out—but he really had the audacity to show up in front of him. With a present.

Buttercup couldn’t hold back as she rolled her eyes at his reaction — he was so dramatic, knowing the punch was as light as possible and probably didn’t even hurt at all. She’d hit Louie way harder than that before and he still handled it better. “That’s what you think,” she answered simply as she made herself comfortable on the counter.

Bemused, it didn’t take Huey much to imagine Buttercup charging Davis for the constant interruptions he caused whenever he wanted Louie’s undivided attention. “Go for it.” He remarked in response. “Davis wouldn’t care. Heck, he’ll even pay you a hefty amount just to consume all the time he could with Louie.” Though the joke would still be on the young millionaire because if there was anyone who would fight him for his brothers attention, it would be the green Powerpuff before him.

Finally being back in Destiny Isle was so surreal, Della could hardly believe it. She took a deep breath as if to take in the familiar air, hands on her hips as she observed her surroundings. Things seemed a little more different than she anticipated, but that didn’t discourage her. All that mattered now was that she returned to her family. She knew exactly how to get back to the manor, anxious to see her family and especially her sons. She wondered who would answer the door first and what their reaction would be, smoothing out her hair as she thought of her initial greeting. Should she play it casually? Spice it up and add her special Della charm? If Scrooge or Donald were to be upset by her absence, she’d have a lot of explaining to do — her mind was running wild with possibilities of how this would play out. She had no idea that she’d instead be greeted by Huey and Louie, all grown up and none of them recognizing each other. Della already flopped her first impression as the front door to the manor opened, impulsively beginning with a “What’s upppp!” until she realized she had no clue who these two were. “Oh!” Della interrupted herself, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Uh, heyyy? I’m looking for Scrooge.. or Donald … they still live here, right?” @hubertducck @llouieduck

Even nine months after The Incident, when most of the dust had settled—things hadn’t returned back to normal between the Duck siblings. Dewey still hadn’t moved back into McDuck Manor, and the triplets and Webby had never returned to their regular sibling lunches they’d enjoyed together before everything went down last September. That left only Huey and Louie heading out to eat today and opening the door on an unexpected visitor. It was an awkward moment with her overly-familiar greeting and subsequent confusion at seeing who had opened the door, but Louie was only half-paying attention anyway (the other half of his attention focused on looking up restaurants on his phone.) He didn’t have much interest in strangers on the doorstep, and answered bluntly the way they’d all been coached by their great uncle in childhood: “No solicitors.”

Throughout the past couple of months, the eldest of the Duck trio had gone through a range of emotions. Concern, anger, confusion, self-blame, blaming others especially that of their middle brother, loathing, more anger, and so on until he eventually settled on being forced to accept that this was the reality they were all living in. The once lively and close knit family that resigned within the McDuck Manor was no longer the same as they used to be, with Huey now being closes to Louie while his relationship with Dewey still being as strained as ever. He didn’t harbor as much anger towards him as he used to, but even with the lack of Dewey’s presences within their home, Huey hasn’t been able to find it within him to forgive his brother just yet. He’s forgiven Webby, but even the blonde wasn’t as bubbly and cheery as she used to be nor has she been spending as much time with him and Louie like she normally would She wasn’t avoiding them anymore, but she still kept her distance, which meant things like their once regular sibling lunches of four now became exclusively a regular sibling lunch for two. As two thirds of the Duck triplet was about to make their way out of the mansion, Huey being the one to open the door leading to their exit from the Manor, the pair came to a halt at the sight of an unexpected visitor. 

By the blank expression on his nephew’s face, it was clear that he wasn’t getting through to him like he’d hoped. Donald sighed. Huey was more like him than he ever thought before. He wouldn’t wish his anger issues on anyone, feeling bad for his nephew but knowing all he could really do was be supportive and ensure that he didn’t let his anger take over his entire life. 

He should’ve known. That’s what he kept on thinking. He should’ve known. About the fact that Dewey was trying to find out what happened to their mom even if he hadn’t bothered to tell either him or Louie about it. About how Webby found out and had secretly been aiding Dewey the entire time despite her having every chance to tell him and Louie the truth herself. And even on that fateful day where they thought they landed on a huge break in discovering the truth about their mom— He should have known. But above all else, what Huey hated the most about not knowing about any of this was how completely blind he was in seeing just how much Dewey missed their mom. Despite neither of him or his brothers ever knowing her outside of the few things Uncle Donald had told them about, it never crossed Huey’s mind to miss her like that, nor did he consider either of his brothers would miss her too. Sure, he harbored some curiosity about their mom, but it was never enough for him to truly miss her nonexistent presences within their life. 

“Of course,” Dewey muttered, unsurprised by his brother’s refusal to believe him. If the middle triplet wasn’t so stubborn, Dewey probably wouldn’t have even bothered. Huey would never understand — which was probably true even if the siblings didn’t have tension from the bombing. It was one thing to not understand though, Dewey was well aware how different he and Huey were — but to completely dismiss Tiffany? And, even worse, to accuse her of tricking him? Dewey was fuming now, almost more so than when he was fighting with Randy. It felt much more personal when it was his own brother who was against him.

“I know everything I needed to know.” Huey snapped right back. He didn’t need to know the personal life about this girl and her boyfriend or why his very own brother decided to get involved with them. The truth of the matter was that she was already with someone else, and if she had been so unhappy with her current relationship that she looked at Dewey for refuge, then she should've done the sensible thing and break up with her boyfriend first before getting his brother involved even more. After all, if her relationship had been so terrible, why was she even with this guy in the first place? Why hasn’t Dewey ever mentioned her before or explain sooner on why she couldn’t just leave her boyfriend even if she wanted to? If he liked her so damn much, why couldn’t he have just waited until things were okay so there wouldn’t have been anymore unnecessary problems! That’s what Huey couldn’t get. Dewey already found himself in hot water and instead of making things better, he had to made things even worst because once again, he couldn’t take the moment to stop and think before doing something completely selfish.

Louie echoed his brother’s laugh with a quiet chuckle at the mental image of Scrooge offering a pile of scrap to build with rather than the ready-made birdhouse kit—it was funny because it was true, the idea really not being too far-fetched for their great uncle’s character. The Duck boys would never forget the old man giving them nothing but a bag of marbles to play with the first time they met him—a bag of marbles they weren’t even allowed to keep at the end of the day—let alone the other inexpensive gifts he’d gotten them for every birthday and holiday since. For the richest man in the world, he was a true cheap-ass bastard. Louie took after him in some ways, being just as money-loving, but he prided himself in being more generous with his earnings...Although Uncle Scrooge might consider him to be careless with money, always spending more than he saved, Louie felt like the whole point of having money was to use it, not to hoard it. The way they’d grown up, he never wanted to see his family lacking anything again. From the beginning of his original arrangement with Davis he’d started treating his siblings to nice meals and random gifts; it was a way to show his love without having to say it. Though he’d naturally stopped giving Dewey and Webby anything after the incident in September, and even now they were only on the shakiest foundation of partially-rebuilt bridges crossing the chasm that had opened between them. They had gotten rather Scrooge-ish gifts from Louie this Christmas, unlike his favorite brother.

It really was nice doing this little project with his brother. Not only was this a great distraction from everything else that has happened lately, but the eldest of the two has also came to realize that this was the first time in a while where both he and Louie did something like this together. Granted, ever since the accident, the two of them has been sticking to one another more than usual, especially with both of them harboring their own respective feelings towards Dewey and even Webby, so it wasn’t as if they hadn’t spent any time together until this very moment. However, this was the first time where the both of them seemed to be hanging out with some kind of peace and calmness surrounding them. Maybe because of the fact that they were both purposely ignoring bringing up the bombing issue at large outside of the oldest former statement of building this birdhouse being helpful at distracting him, but Huey truly had to admit, he found this sudden quality time with Louie really nice. Very enjoyable even, despite his youngest brother’s refusal to help him actually build the birdhouse, but at least it would end up looking very pretty once they were finished. Maybe they should do something like this again sometime soon.

Louie sent Huey a withering look as he uttered the words sugar daddy in response to the mention of him paying people to do things for him. “Boyfriend,” he corrected, first and foremost, reminding his brother that he and Davis had started dating a few weeks before Christmas, so the whole sugar labels and arrangement no longer applied to describe their relationship. Louie also wanted to retort that the money he’d earned from that arrangement in the first place was his to do with as he pleased, the same as anyone’s salary from a regular nine-to-five, but more lucrative—but it wasn’t a point worth arguing now. He didn’t have to be so defensive over his former occupation. He really could say the word and his boyfriend would have done anything he wanted. A little too self-satisfied with that thought, Louie smiled as Huey moved to gather a bunch of paints for him to work with.

At his younger brother’s correction on his status with his sugar daddy, sorry— boyfriend, the elder of the two half heartedly rolled his eyes. “Right, he’s you’re boyfriend now. Sorry.” Huey commented, still unable to wrap it around his head on the sudden arrangement change between Louie and Davis. He never thought he would see the day where Louie would voluntarily be with someone like Davis, especially not after all he’s done back when all of them were kids. Then again, with everything that has happened lately, Huey was realizing more and more how he should really be expecting the unexpected— Louie’s dating status with a formally psycho child billionaire who was ready to entrap his brother being one of them. And yet, it’s also ironic how this wasn’t the biggest news to drop on them as of recently and one where the eldest found easier to accept at that. But only because it seemed like Davis would genuinely take care of Louie. 

Buttercup grinned mischievously instead of answering, still motioning for him to come over with her pointer finger despite his obvious disinterest in being punched. He was such a baby — it wasn't like she used her actual strength on him! No, she just enjoyed bullying the triplet for fun because that was her own way of showing affection. Louie was her best friend, so she saw the other two Duck triplets a lot over the years. Of course, Dewey was on her shit list ever since the bombing happened, so Huey was automatically the second-best triplet by default. Besides, it felt like she hadn't seen Huey in a while — this was her way of checking up on him.

As Buttercup floated closer to him, Huey braced himself for the incoming punch. Once she did it, he pretended to react like it had hurt despite the Powerpuff not hitting him as hard— he expected that she wouldn’t. He could complain all he wanted over the way she prefers to greet him, but at the end of the day he was aware this is how she liked to say “hi” to him and that she truly wouldn’t hurt him even if she wanted to still punch him. Letting out a quick “Ow,” in reaction, Huey reached over and pretended to rub the place where she had punched him. “I still think a ‘Nice to see you” is adequate enough greeting compared to punching.” He replied, with a pout. Yet Huey dropped it a second later, watching as Buttercup floated towards the counter where she sat down. 

Dewey was slowly trying to make ammends with everyone after the hotel bombing, but his fight with Randy at the Halloween masquerade sort of put a halt to that temporarily. He was already on most people's shit list and was only making it worse, yet he still didn't have any regrets. He just layed low afterwards, his face almost completely healed by now but still eager to fix things with the rest of his family. Dewey and Louie were seemingly doing better, though Dewey still thinks that Louie only caved and talked to him on Halloween just to get the tea on the fight .. Unfortunately, Huey wasn't as easy to crack. Dewey had tried to apologize countless times already, tried being nice and acting like things were normal .. then, he gave his space. The holidays were his excuse to try again though, attempting a peace offering a few weeks before the holiday season as a way to test the waters with their relationship again. Talking to Huey again felt like he was walking on eggshells, but Dewey knew better than to complain; he just had to accept it as it was and keep trying, this time starting with an extra early gift: a brand new notebook and fancy compass resting in a nice, red gift bag. He had to time it for when he knew Huey would be around, lucky to catch him at the table as he sat the gift bag in front of him. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to give you this." @hubertducck

Sitting by the table within the kitchen, he had his junior woodchuck guidebook opened against the counter as Huey’s gaze read through the passage of the page he had flipped to; the eldest not paying much attention to anything around him. If he had been, he would’ve been able to look up on time and notice when Dewey had walked inside the room, much less when he started to make his way towards him. Huey would’ve also had ample time to close his guidebook, stand up, and leave. Doing so would’ve been better than staying within the presences of the one person whom he still hasn't forgiven— despite everyone else seeming to have done so.

@hubertducck said: “Sometimes I just get really, really mad and…but I'm working on it, okay?”

Months has passed since the accident, and yet there was a certain Duck Triplet who still couldn’t let things go. Even with Louie healed and adjusted to his new prosthetic, Webby leaving her bedroom more often than she’s been doing, and Dewey not even living within the mansion anymore as to give space within the family, Huey still felt tormented over the incident. He was the only one between the four of them who wasn’t even at the hotel during the time of the incident, and yet with the way he’s been acting, one would’ve thought otherwise. Truth has it— it was because he had been the only one not at the hotel is why Huey has been so hung up over everything. He couldn’t get over the fact that he had been the most helpless. He had been so incapable and unsuccessful in protecting his loved ones like an older sibling should do.

“Huey…” Blossom’s heart ached for him as he spoke of fearing what would happen if he wasn’t there next time somebody got hurt. She knew exactly what that was like, to a scale that she wasn’t even sure Huey himself could understand. She could never leave Destiny Isle or take vacation when some monster or supervillain could wreak havoc the moment her back was turned; she could never relax and turn off the hotline, because lives were at stake any time the Powerpuff Girls weren’t there to save the day. They had to remain ever-vigilant, or else be saddled with the guilt of any losses incurred during their absence forever. “Listen,” she prompted, making eye contact with Huey and holding it so he would focus on the importance of what she was about to say. “Do you really think that if you had been there, you could have stopped Louie from getting hurt? There were explosives. Part of the building collapsed. Your siblings were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but there’s nothing you could have done, and if you were present, you might have been hurt, too.”

Huey was aware that the way he’s been thinking and feeling lately was a little illogical. For as much as he wished he had been there at the hotel to prevent that wall from falling onto Louie and crushing his leg, he couldn’t be so sure that anything different would’ve happened if he had been. But the fact that he wasn't there was haunting him— the reality that he not only was the last one among his siblings to even know about what was going on or why Dewey, Louie, and Webby were all inside that hotel in the first place but also the fact that he wasn’t even given a choice to have been there in the first place or not. So hearing Blossom ask him if he really thought he could’ve stopped Louie from getting hurt if he had been there at the time, the most Huey did was take in a deep breath as he stared back at her. “Maybe.” He replied. “Maybe I could’ve been able to push Louie out of the way in time, or notice the sound of the bombs ticking before they had set off and could’ve warned everyone we had to leave…” Even saying that out loud, the eldest Duck triplet could hear how farfetched that sounded. 

Louie narrowed his eyes at the look Huey gave him and the comment about their Uncle and Aunt not doing everything for him forever. Like it was his fault he had been injured in the partial building collapse after an explosion? Donald and Daisy had been overly attentive of him ever since his amputation, and Louie had admittedly been enjoying the benefits as far as they would stretch—so sue him. He didn’t rely on their parents for everything…He also leaned on other people for physical, fiscal and emotional support. But did Huey really think he wouldn’t enjoy being able to do things for himself? It was frustrating and embarrassing not to be capable of the same things he used to be, to feel like he had lost all independence for the foreseeable future. He could find a new normal eventually, learn how to live and move around with one fewer limb, but until then…Well, Louie was just irritable lately, depressed and angry a lot of the time. But Huey was still his best sibling right now, even after he’d started talking to Dewey and Webby again, so he sucked up his aggravation and played it off like he usually would.

Despite what he said about their Uncle Donald and Aunt Daisy not being able to do everything for Louie forever, it wasn’t as if Huey hadn’t been catering to Louie lately himself. He may not have been fussy over his youngest brother the same way their uncle and aunt has been doing, but that could be because the eldest triplet has been dealing with his own emotional turmoil over everything that’s happened. He would still cater to him from time to time though, because not only was Huey still furious with Dewey to the point where he couldn’t even stand to be within the same room as the middle triplet without the both of them getting into a fight with each other, but because the eldest of the three wanted to keep making sure that Louie was in fact doing okay. To double check and make sure that he was still alive and breathing,…and that none of this wasn’t actually one huge nightmare in which Huey somehow can’t break out of and is forced to live through over and over again (and considering the types of adventures and experiences he and his family had endured, it wouldn’t be shocking if he was in fact trapped within a never-ending nightmare). Although, if all of this had in fact been a nightmare, Huey sure couldn’t wait to finally wake up from it and see that everything and everyone was in fact okay— that Louie was okay and had two working legs, and that Dewey wasn't holding a deep dark secret from the two of them.