Wheeee! I would probably have never written anything with Fenton if Deepest hadn't sent me the prompt XD
This follows the events of "On Our Own", but you dont necessarily have to read it :3
Hopefully this came out alright!
OooooOOOOooooO
A year ago, life had been a struggle, dealing with uncertainty and expectations. He'd failed the majority of the opportunities handed to him, but excelled in the one that meant the most. Fenton was and is Gizmoduck. The title is still something fantastical to him; a dream he doesn't think he has the right to be a part of. Yet he is, under the direct guidance of Scrooge McDuck. He protects those who can't protect themselves and he loves it. More than the science he's studied and the machines he has helped create. He loves being needed.
Today is no different.
Scrooge had called him, personally, on the eve of an encroaching storm. To his surprise, he was told the suit wouldn't be needed, but to bring it anyway. Which was fine by him, but had him curious as to what he'd be doing.
Now, standing in the doorway of the large mansion, duffle at his side, he wondered if this was all a joke. Launchpad was in the drive, waiting by the limo for his boss, who was regarding Fenton with an air of seriousness the scientist didn't quite grasp.
Babysitting.
All this tech and he was being asked to watch the three nephews of the trillionaire. Granted, said rich duck was the one responsible for keeping his hero career alive, so that probably granted Scrooge some privileges.
The red one - Huey, if his memory served right - was the first to approach him, grinning as though he'd been told they were going to an amusement park. Fenton couldn't help a small smile of his own at the admiration the little duck seemed to have for him.
A second duckling walked up, dressed in blue. He could vaguely remember this one, but the name escaped him.
"Ye remember Huey," Scrooge gestured to the red one, confirming what he already knew. "And Dewey. Keep a close eye on this one."
Fenton caught the tail end of a grin on the old duck's beak. If the kid was affected by the comment, he didn't show it. From what he could glean from the few interactions he'd had with the family, he knew they cared about each other. That's why he was here, after all. Scrooge couldn't be too careful.
A door to his left shut as the third of the young ducks finally came out to meet him. The green hoodie was slightly askew to help make room for a sling, a matching green cast nestled protectively in the pouch. Realization clicked a second later as Fenton watched the kid take up a position next to Huey. It hadn't been more than a couple weeks since the boys had been kidnapped by the Beagle Boys. Most of the event had been hushed, but he and Gyro had been tasked with finding a way of keeping an eye on the more vulnerable family members. This job also came with the knowledge of why it was needed.
Fenton felt a knot in his gut twist at the thought that they had gone through the unimaginable and he'd been uselessly unaware. That technically wasn't his fault, but it still stung like failure. He'd make up for it over the next couple of days.
"And finally, Louie." Scrooge informed him, already taking a few steps towards the door. "Now, ye three try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone."
"We make no such promises." Dewey chimed, setting Fenton's nerves on edge at the brashness and the way he cocked a brow at their great-uncle. Maybe the suit would be necessary after all.
"Easy, lad." Scrooge chuckled and the scientist could see the playfulness in the experienced eyes. "They'll run ye ragged, but I di'nae expect anything too dire."
"We'll be on our best behavior." Huey added after sending an elbow into his brother's ribs. Fenton found himself grateful for the young duck's fondness of his alternate persona. He was a smart kid, which made the attachment work in his favor. Maybe this would go smoothly with one less brother causing trouble. From the look of it, Louie wouldn't be too worrisome either. Fenton doubted the kid would try anything dangerous with that arm.
"Alright, Fenton." The seriousness was back in the elder duck's voice. "I'll be back in two days. Any problems, you have my direct number."
The scientist nodded, shifting his duffle. "There shouldn't be any need to call."
"Good!" Scrooge regarded his nephews one last time, offering a fond farewell before heading out the door and into the awaiting limousine. His absence created a short lived silence, interrupted by Huey.
"We gotta show you around!" He started with an abundance of enthusiasm. "Uncle Scrooge said you can use the guest bedroom while you're here. There's only one that actually has a bed in it. The others are used to store whatever our uncle finds when he's out hunting treasure."
Fenton raised a brow at this little tidbit of information. The mansion was obviously huge, but it seemed the owner wasn't keen on entertaining guests. He quickly followed as Huey and the blue one - Dewey, like dew on grass… Which is technically clear, but whatever helped him remember - started off towards the stairs.
"You guys have fun." The nonchalant voice called from behind. Louie was walking back towards the doors he'd entered through. "I'll be on the couch, doing what I do best."
Part of him felt uncomfortable leaving the boy on his own, but this was where they lived. He should be fine for just a few minutes. From the way his brothers seemed to wave off the comment, it was obvious they were used to splitting up when their interests were divided. He heard the faint hum of a TV as the door opened and the green-clad duck stepped through. That seemed to ease his mind, knowing the kid would be settled in front of a show for a bit.
"So, what do you do for fun around here?" It was the only question he could think of as they began their ascent onto the second floor. Fenton hadn't really been one to hang around kids, preferring his lab, but that would apparently be changing.
"Besides the usual TV and video games?" Dewey asked before continuing. "Hide and seeks pretty intense in this place. It took Huey two hours to figure out we'd stopped hiding and were outside in the pool."
"Outside the mansion was off limits!" The red-clad duck groused, obviously still sore from the game.
So, no hide and seek, Fenton mused darkly. He couldn't spend his first time watching the triplets trying to find them.
They continued through the halls, discussing the other activities they would get into around the mansion. The scientist took note of the doors that were indicated as 'off limits', trying to process the stories the boys were providing as explanations. If he hadn't met Manny already, he would have questioned the validity of some of the tales. He decided he'd be lucky to make it out of the mansion without meeting any of the cursed items within.
Fenton was shown his room, the young ducks waiting outside while he got settled. It wasn't much of a bedroom, only meeting the definition due to the Spartanly made bed against the wall. He was surprised it had a pillow.
The duffle bag gave a hollow thunk of metal as it was tossed onto the bed. He only winced a moment as he remembered the structural improvements that had been added to the armor since his mishap with Woddle inc. No more buffing out dents unless he got hit pretty hard.
The rest of the day was a blur of normalcy. The boys had decided on TV and video games, although, Huey was more intent on asking the scientist about his work. Fenton had felt his previous nerves morph into a mutual excitement as he spoke with the duckling. The kid had his own ideas that, in theory, could be very useful. He hoped Scrooge would be just as supportive of his nephew as he was with Gyro and himself. That kind of enthusiasm was difficult to find in the science community of Duckberg.
The door to the kitchen swung open, revealing the disgruntled face of the green-clad duck, who Fenton hadn't even realized had left the room. "We're out of PeP." He grumbled, climbing back on the couch.
The elder duck frowned, wondering if the statement was said with the expectation that they would be going out to get more. He wasn't against it, but with the distant pattering of rain on the expansive roof, there was no possibility of it happening tonight.
"The emergency supply?" Dewey asked as they resumed their game.
"Ugh." Louie sighed with exasperation that shouldn't be tied to a sugary beverage. "They're on the boat. Uncle Donald said he wants to start cutting back."
"Well, he's not here. Just go get 'em." Fenton almost laughed as Dewey's statement ended with the deer in headlights expression as he remembered their 'babysitter'. "Er, I mean - you'll be fine until they get back."
The youngest - which the other two had been more than happy to inform him of that fact - gave a short huff of annoyance, tugging the blanket up over his head dramatically. "The lights are too bright, now."
As if the storm could hear the exchanged, a peel of thunder shook the house with its deep rumbling and the lights went out.
OoOoOoO
Louie couldn't decide what was worse; being stuck in the dark or not being able to see the flashes before the thunder assaulted his quickly fraying nerves. Thankfully, he was still under the blanket, preventing his brothers from seeing his hands firmly planted over his ears. He wasn't afraid. His brothers seemed to think he was, but that would've been irrational. It was the anxiety. The unpredictable that sent his nerves on end and pinpricks of moisture into his eyes.
A finger gently prodded his shoulder and there was no question who it was, Huey having accompanied Fenton to the Fuse box. "Looooouie~" Dewey's singsong drawl of his name sent a frown over his beak. He wasn't in the mood for being the butt of his brother's jokes.
Louie ignored another poke from the middle child, pressing his hands harder into his ears as another crash of thunder sounded through the house. And then his blanket was moving, but not the way he expected. Instead of being pulled off of him, he felt Dewey crawl under with him, a small pen light illuminating the dark under the cloth. Surprised by the move, Louie quietly regarded his brother as he snuggled into the space next to him, their shoulders brushing together.
"What are you doing?" The younger duck finally asked.
"What's it look like?" Dewey grinned, nudging him gently with his elbow. Before he could answer, another series of booms hit, close to the mansion and Louie couldn't help the squeak that flew from his throat. At the same time, his brother seemed to lean closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, protectively. He found it comforting, but also a bit embarrassing. He'd almost prefer the teasing. Something in the embrace, though, made him relax, breathing through the tremors that had started with the last lightning strikes.
A sudden ache began to throb through his broken arm and he realized what he'd been doing. Louie knew he needed to loosen his hold over his ears, but that would mean being subject to the barrage of loud noises. A tear escaped with the struggle he faced, finally letting the cast fall back into his lap and trying his best to wedge his ear against his shoulder.
"Hey." Dewey tried to keep his voice light, leaning closer to his little brother's ear. "What to listen to some music? I can go grab some headphones?"
Again, Louie was startled by the unusual nature of his sibling's behavior until he was reminded of their time in the woods. They'd depended on each other, Louie more so, and the ordeal had been terrifying for them all. It seemed it had affected their relationships more than he'd thought.
Considering the offer for a moment, he finally nodded. The only problem was, his headphones were in their room and that would mean they would need to leave the safety of his blanket. He thought about Dewey going on his own, but that wasn't very appealing either. As the brother in question began to slide off the couch, Louie followed, letting the blanket slip off his head and onto the floor.
"You could stay down here, if you want?" The middle sibling tried, already moving towards the door with his light.
"It's fine." He winced as a flash of light filled his view, the door wide open to reveal the large windows that lined the front of the mansion. Louie hated the way he shrank back, teeth clenched against the anxiety that was trying to suffocate him. Dewey had missed the reaction and was already halfway to the stairs before the youngest could collect himself and shuffle after him, still awkwardly trying to cover his ears.
Now that they were outside of the TV lounge, the rain and wind was almost all they could hear when the rumbling died down. They would catch glimpses of trees bucking against the storm as lightning lit up the sky, looking like tormented figures being thrashed by whips of rain and wind. The whole thing sent Louie's heart thumping through his chest until he could feel it in his throat.
And with each flash and beating of water on the glass windows, he couldn't help remembering the one time on the houseboat, they'd had to wait out a storm much like this. Normally, Uncle Donald would pull the boat out of the water when the heavier storms were forecasted and they would sleep in the warehouse where if was moderately safe. Otherwise, Donald would take them to a cheap hotel and they would make a vacation out of it.
But one time. It only happened once, where they hadn't been able to dock or get inland before the storm hit. It had rocked their home inside and out, sending the boys to the floor from where they tried to sit in the kitchen. Dishes and silverware had been strewn about, plates shattering as they collided with the walls. Each roll of a wave sent the shards flight at them.
And the thunder… It was so close and deafening, it had sent needles of pain through the youngest's head. It had never been this close before and Louie could remember his brothers and himself crying desperately for their uncle and for all of it to stop.
It did, eventually, but not before the ducklings had received a fair share of cuts and bruises. Dewey had fractured his wrist at some point, which had earned him the most sympathy from the urgent care nurses.
Ever since then, the sharp, unpredictable blasts sent the duckling into an apprehensive huddle under his bedsheets.
The two brothers quickly rounded a corner just as the pattering rain drops turned to hard beats against the glass. Louie didn't have to look to know it had started to hail.
OoOoOoO
The fuse box had been a lot more difficult to find than the two of them had first suspected, but Fenton was fairly certain there would be no getting the power back even if they found it. When they did find the box, it was more of a wall situated on the second floor. The room had simply been labeled 'Power'. As expected, nothing flipped back on after they had gone through all the possibilities. The reality was, they'd probably lost a transformer. There would be no fixing it until the power company could safely get out there.
And right now, 'safe' was not the word he would use as gumball-sized hail continued its barrage on the mansion. How the storm could have intensified so quickly, Fenton wasn't sure. It did give him pause to consider a weather altering device that could stop such a beast in its tracks.
As he and Huey rounded a corner of the second floor hallway, they were both startled to see the other brothers walking towards them. The blue one didn't seem too bothered by the storm, but as the scientist shifted his gaze, he knew it wasn't the same for the other. Louie looked close to tears as he stepped up behind his brother, eyes flickering between the storm outside and the carpeted floor.
Crud. Apparently, leaving them alone hadn't been his best decision. "Everything alright?"
"Just going to our room to get some headphones for Louie." Dewey answered, sending a glance at the eldest. When Fenton followed, he saw the understanding on Huey's face. Obviously, whatever was going on wasn't unusual for the young ducks.
"Well, we're pretty sure powers out until the storm clears up." Huey offered, stepping next to Louie as they began the trek back the way he and Fenton had come. The elder simply followed, keen on keeping them all together from now on.
The group stopped a few feet down the hall as a strong gust of wind slapped against the mansion, sending creaks and groans through the structure. The marbles of ice sent a cacophony of harsh taps, threatening to bust holes through the panes. Lightning streaked through the dark clouds above, illuminating the landscape below and for a brief second, Fenton's mind registered the bent and cracking trees.
And then one was moving.
His eyes were wide, mouth dry as he realized what was about to happen and he tried to cry out the words he desperately needed to say. "BLATH-"
The tree hit, crashing through the windows and wall. Fenton was knocked backwards by a chunk of plaster and wood, landing hard against a solid door frame. Hail and wind assaulted his senses, along with a dull ringing in his head that accompanied the sudden ache that traveled through it. Something urgent tugged at his consciousness and pushed away the stars from behind his eyes.
The kids!
The scientist pushed himself to his feet, swaying as the world doubled, but the tree was impossible to miss. Branches, glistening with wet leaves, took up a majority of the hallway, obscuring anything on the other side. His eyes scanned the trunk, unable to see the triplets that had been in front of him a moment ago.
"Blathering Blatherskite!" The duck finally shouted, desparate to locate the children left in his care.
For a long few seconds, all he could hear was the wind, cool against his feathers as it sprayed rain into the damaged hall. Nothing was happening. The suit should have been there.
"Blathering Blatherskite!" Fenton tried again, louder and longer this time.
Still nothing.
Panic began to set in, but he tried his best to push it back, instead, darting forward to start climbing over the obstacle. A strangle cry caught his attention as he dove into the first patch of branches and he turned to the left to find its source. Left was the wall lined with rooms, mostly used for storage.
Another shuddering sob and Fenton was pulling back damp leaves and branches, stopping when he found its source. "Louie!" The young duck's eyes shot up to find his, full of pain and terror. The kid was stuck. Thankfully, the tree hadn't crushed him as the scientist feared, but one of the thicker branches was wedging him against the wall that had taken the brunt of the impact. "Hold still, kid! I'm going to get you out! Are you hurt?"
The boy was visibly shaking, eyes wide as he went to open his beak, only to scream and cover his head as a bolt of lightning struck close to the mansion. Fenton quickly rested a hand on top of the boys head, hoping to calm Louie before he damaged himself further.
"It okay! You're alright!" It was difficult to tell if his actions had worked as the scream died down, dissolving into wracking sobs against the tree branch. "I'm going to get you out of here as soon as I can. I just need to find some help." And your brothers, he thought, but didn't think burdening the duckling with concern for his siblings would be ideal. When it looked like Louie wasn't going to argue, Fenton slid back through the branches, not missing the streams of tears cascading down the boy's cheeks. He needed to hurry.
Peering over the body of the tree, he could just make out the carpet on the other side. It was littered with similar chunks of the wall and glass and… Dewey!
"Dewey!" Fenton yelled over the sounds of the storm. The boy was laying on his stomach, but he was moving. The scientist called again, this time receiving a look as Dewey finally turned his head and sat up. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah!" He was already to his feet and running towards the tree with a frantic expression. "Where are my brothers?"
"Louie's okay." He hoped. "He's stuck. I need your help. Go to my room and get the duffle bag on the bed and bring it back here."
For a moment, it looked like the middle sibling might argue, but with the partial answer regarding his little brother, it seemed enough to get him moving. Fenton watched as Dewey disappeared down the hall, hoping he hadn't missed any hidden injuries.
He needed to find Huey, now. Not for the first time, he pushed the idea that the little duck had been crushed out of the forefront of his mind. He searched through the branches, trying to spot the red of the boys clothes with the flashes of lightning that still filtered into the mansion. The scientist turned to the hole made by the tree as a particularly bright series of flashes lit up the sky… and there was a little red hat, clinging to a branch as the wind fought to set it loose.
Fenton's heart plummeted as he made his way to it, having to hold onto the tree. The floor had warped inwards, sending splintered wood up like spikes on either side of the trunk. Rain and hail pelted him as he finally grabbed the hat, peering over the edge and into the darkened back yard.
"Fenton!" He heard the cry before he saw Huey. The boy was dangling from a root, face muddied as the rain washed loose soil from the tree's base.
"Just hang on! Dewey's getting my bag!" He hoped Huey understood what that meant. It was too difficult to see the duckling's expression from this angle, but he was certain he had to be scared.
Less than a minute later, the blue-clad duck appeared, the heavy duffle slung over his shaking shoulders. As soon as the bag hit the floor, Fenton didn't hesitate.
"Blathering Blatherskite!"
If Dewey was shocked by the sudden activity that shot from the duffle and onto the scientist, Fenton didn't notice. He was already extending a mechanical arm and taking hold of the rain drenched duckling. He pulled Huey close to the metal chest plate, the boy shivering, but looking relieved.
With his suit, he made quick work of the branches separating them from Dewey and he climbed over, gently setting Huey down next to him. His focus shifted as he watched the two embrace. He still had a job to do.
"Stay here! I'm going to get Louie!" Fenton didn't wait for a response, already moving back to the other side and up to where he'd left the frightened child. For a moment, he couldn't see him behind the curtain of leaves, but the boy was still crying as the storm raged. Fenton pulled back the branches that hampered his view and finally found the last of the brother.
The elder duck frowned as he placed a hand on the quaking shoulders without receiving a reaction. He carefully cut through the branch that was holding the boy in place, being mindful to keep a hold on him as the wood shifted away.
He had them. All three were safe and he could finally let the drumming of his heart calm. They weighed so little as he carried them back towards the bedrooms, he feared he might crush them with the suit. Dewey pointed him to the door that would lead to their beds and dry clothes. The boy hadn't commented on his sitter's new persona, too focused on the other two. Once they were warm and safe, he expected the questions to start.
Fenton deactivated the armor as he set the boys on the lower bunk, but kept one of the suit's lights on to help illuminate the room. Dewey was off the bed a second later, handing Fenton towels and dry clothes. He smiled, gratefully taking them as he remembered his mindset when he'd first arrived at the mansion. The triplet he'd been most concerned about causing trouble was quickly turning into a very reliable aide in helping the others.
A towel was draped over Huey, his clothes soaked through, but he seemed to be handling the situation much better than earlier, scooting closer to Louie. The youngest brother was still shivering, his face pressed into his uninjured arm and Fenton could only guess he was still crying. The kid would jump whenever lightning turned to rumbles of thunder.
"Hey, patocito." Fenton spoke softly as he knelt down in front of the boys. "I need you to tell me if your hurt."
Louie shook his head where it lay, which should have been a relief, but he still needed to find out what was wrong. A flash of blue moved beside him and he was aware of the middle brother crawling onto the bed and behind his siblings. A set of headphones was placed over the youngest's head and the tremors immediately began to quiet. Puffy, red eyes appeared above the damp green sleeve and he turned to regard the two brothers watching over him.
"Thanks." It was a whisper, but they all heard it, smiles pulling at their beaks as it finally sunk in that everyone was okay.
And as the adrenaline began to fade, earlier questions that had been pushed back in lieu of focusing on the rescue came forward from Dewey. "So.. you're Gizmoduck?"
Of course, there was no way around it. Huey already knew and Dewey had seen it first hand. Fenton wasn't sure if Louie had been aware enough to notice, but with two brothers having the knowledge, they'd be filling him in anyway.
"Cats out of the bag, I guess." He offered lamely.
"No wonder uncle Scrooge wanted you to babysit!" The middle child laughed. "I thought he was just desperate."
The scientist found himself laughing as well, mainly because he would've thought the same thing. His smile fell, however, as he realized something not too pleasant. "Ugh, I'm going to have to call him and let him know what happened."
"You have nothing to worry about." Huey finally spoke from under the new shirt as he pulled it over his head. "Imagine if you hadn't been here and it was someone else."
He could and the understanding that came with the fact he hadn't been able to reach his suit was burning in his gut. He'd have to remedy that. For now, everyone was safe. He would report to Mr. McDuck all that had occurred and they would, hopefully, have a quiet rest of the weekend. He might have to supervise some repairs, but as long as nothing else went wrong, this experience would go smoothly.
"Alright, hermanitos." Fenton had given a glance to the window and decided they might need to vacate to lower ground. "Let's get back to the living room. We can bring pillows and blankets until this storm passes." He smiled as the offer seemed go pique their interest.
The two elder brothers were already tasking themselves with collecting the needed supplies while Louie remained on the bed, holding his cellphone. Fenton wasn't sure what was streaming through it, into the headphones, but he was grateful for its calming effect.
The duffle bag was gone, left in the hall, so he found an unused pillowcase and carefully placed his suit inside. It wouldn't be leaving his side any time soon. He had a job to do. He was determined to do it better.
OoOoOoO
The creaks and groans continued to echo through the mansion well into the night. The light snores from the three figures that surrounded Huey were enough to calm the memories from earlier. Life with their uncle had been one of adventures and death defying feats that none if them shied away from, no matter how much Louie denied it. But this was nature, not some curse or boobytrapped temple. They hadn't expected it, yet it had almost killed them.
His hand flexed, feeling Louie's tighten in his sleep. He could still hear the soft music flowing through the headphones and wondered what sort of dreams it might spur. Hopefully nothing that mirrored tonight.
At least there was one good thing to come out of this disaster. He no longer had to hold a secret from his brothers. They could share in the knowledge of who Gizomoduck truly is, which would make his life a lot easier. It was difficult to idolize someone and not be able to talk to anyone about them. The fact that he could find a connection with the scientist slash superhero was beyond anything he'd dreamed.
"-ge' back tree…" Dewey mumbled, sending a smile over the eldest's beak. He could picture his brother fighting off an army of tree monsters with a sword and torch just to ensure his family was safe. From the content expression on the sleeping duck's face, Huey could tell the monsters weren't of the nightmare variety. Those would be in Louie's head for the next few days, but, for now, the youngest looked at peace.
Everything was right in the world. For their family, at least. Another day where they could say they were all home and generally unharmed. Huey knew there would be more days like this to come, but with their group of companions growing, it had to start getting easier.
Another rumble, lower as the worst of the storm began to pass, cut off his musings and he settled back into his own pile of pillows, giving the hand in his a reassuring squeeze. Tomorrow would bring a new day where they could explore what the wind and hail had down. If they were lucky, it would turn into another adventure.
And with Huey's thoughts turning to the thrills of the unexplored, his eyelids slid shut.