Story 4: Meeting Bruce Mallard

Warnings: Abusive ex-boyfriends and angry boyfriends

Duck paced the floor worriedly. Today was not a good day. Why didn't he just go to his stupid house yesterday? Now he was coming here and-

"Oh god oh god oh god oh god, what am I going to do? If Ace and he meet it would be a disaster zone, literally!"

He stopped to think.

"Maybe if I caught him before he came inside, then maybe-"

'You'll be taking the brute end of his anger.'

He shuddered remembering how he had to be hospitalized afterward.

'With seven broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a crooked beak'

He started his mantra of 'oh god' all over again, with a few 'oh craps' thrown in for good measure.

'Why am I still with this bastard?!' 'Cause you're afraid of what he might do if you broke up with him' 'but, I have Ace…right? 'Are you sure about that?' 'Well, I-'

Ding Dong!

'…crap'

He heard Tech answer the door with a hello that quickly turned into a-

"AAAAAACCCCCCEEEEEE"

He practically flew downstairs (which wasn't impossible) to stop the conflict that was sure to arise. He could feel the tension as Ace and Bruce stared each other down. He hid behind the stairs, eavesdropping on the practically non-existent conversation. He heard Ace growl.

"He's not going anywhere wit' you"

"You're not the one to decide this, Rabbit."

"Oh, and you are?!"

Bruce sneered.

"Yes, I am. Duck knows better than to go against my wishes."

Duck flinched as Ace narrowed his eyes and Lexi scoffed.

"Egoistical much?"

There was a brief pause before the storm hit. Duck couldn't remember who threw the first punch. He watched as Ace was pulled back by Tech and Bruce was put into an arm lock by Slam. Lexi turned towards the stairs, ears trained on the light gasp she heard. She looked directly at Duck and pleaded with her eyes for him to come out and end this before someone got seriously hurt. He sighed and stepped out from his hiding place. He moved forward stiffly, shoulders squared and jaw tight, until he was directly in front of Bruce.

'He's so gonna kill me and I don't wanna die why me!?'

He began to sweat lightly.

"I-I'm not g-going with you anymore, B-Bruce."

He leapt behind Ace with a squawk as Bruce growled at him furiously. Ace smirked without humor.

"Since he's decided not to go with you today-"

"Or ever."

Lexi turned her nose up at him. Ace smirked.

"You can leave now. Dere's da door."

Bruce shrugged Slam off of him and rolled his neck with a crack. He scowled at the mismatched group before settling his eyes on Ace. He scowled.

"This isn't over, Rabbit."

The broke the door off its automatic wheels and stormed out. Everyone let out the breath they had been holding in tension. Lexi turned to Ace and glared. She poked him in the chest with her fingernail.

"You were about to blast him, Ace! You're the one who is supposed to have the most control. You can't let you're emotion override you're common sense!"

Ace shrugged his shoulders while Duck scratched nervously under his beak.

"Not like it would've worked."

He muttered under his breath. Lexi turned her narrowed eyes on him.

"What do mean it wouldn't have worked?"

He ducked his head as all eyes turned towards him. Lexi stepped forward.

"I'm waiting for an explanation, Duck."

He wrung his hands nervously.

"Umm, w-well, his feathers are m-made of-he's been mutated also? And he's got powers that I didn't want to tell you guys about because you would get angry?"

Silence.

Then in unity.

"WHAT THE HELL, DUCK?!"

"You decide now to tell us this?!"

We-could've-locked-him-up-a-long-time-a-go!"

"Arghh!"

"What if he comes back?!"

"Bluuugarruun?!"

Duck covered his ears from the onslaught of noise and screaming. He grit his teeth in annoyance.

"SHUT UP! This is exactly why I didn't want to tell…"

Ace frowned angrily at Duck before walking off. Duck flinched even as the door slid shut with a soft click. He frowned sadly.

This day couldn't get any worse.

"I'm-just-saying,-you-need-to-go-talk-to-him.-He's-been-locked-in-side-the-training-room-for-hours!-On-the-maximum-level!"

Duck rolled his eyes at Rev's exaggerated movements, but couldn't help feeling worried about Ace. If he kept this up then he would surely injure himself or die from exhaustion.

And he would die from the guilt.

'And a broken heart.'

He swallowed his fear of the confrontation and barged into the simulator. He squealed indignantly as a swarm of robot turned and started firing at him. He 'quacked' back and front across the room in a zigzag motion, trying to avoid getting hit by lasers and all other kinds of weaponry. He almost cried with relief as the machine powered down, taking with it the robots and automatic weapons.

"Trying to get yourself killed again, Duck?"

Danger whipped his head around in the dim light and found the pair of glowing yellow eyes he had been searching for. He breath caught in his throat as he eyed the rabbit who had taken off in shirt in the midst of battle. His face burned with embarrassment as Ace smirked at him.

'Why do I always get caught staring?'

He coughed.

"Rev told me you were overworking yourself, again."

Ace walked over to a pile of robot parts and sat down on one of the bulkier parts. He began to wipe his face with a towel he had hanging around his neck. He chuckled grimly.

"Really. And dat's why you came in here, to check up on me?"

Duck swallowed around the lump that had formed in his throat and nodded. He looked down, trying to find the words that eluded him.

"Ace, I-"

"Save it."

Duck flinched at the harsh reply, words caught in his throat. He stared at his feet before finally looking up.

"You're angry."

Duck flinched a second time as the towel Ace was using was thrown to the floor in a fit of uncontrolled rage.

"He could've killed you so many times, Duck! And yet you still cater to him! And then you hold back information like this from us, of course I'm gonna be angry!"

Duck stepped up closer, anger clear in his expression. He was not the only one at fault!

"Cause I didn't want you to get hurt, you stupid rabbit! I know you, Ace! Anything you see that's wrong you try to confront and set right. By me telling you that he is mutated, you would've put it in your little head that he needs to taken down and would've gone after him!"

Ace's eyes glowed with emotion as he and Duck stared each other down.

"Damn straight, I would've went after him. You know why? Cause I'm tired of seeing come home with that lost and broken look in your eyes, Danger! He's hurting you! I just want-"

He fell silent as a hesitant kiss was pressed against his lips. He pushed back gently for a few seconds before pulling away. His eyes held a drained, sad look to them.

"I…I can't keep doing this, Danger. You gotta make a choice. Me or Him."

He picked his damp towel and left the training room, leaving behind a sad, confused duck with a tough decision to make and the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Duck sighed as he sat down on his bed back in West Acmetropolis, surrounded be empty containers of bird feed flavored ice cream. His body shuddered with a strained sigh as he thought about the task ahead of him. His body stiffened with apprehension as he came to terms with what he was doing.

He was breaking up with Bruce.

No one broke up with Bruce before being broken themselves (literally), and he had the metal plating and screws to prove it. He sat up quickly, feeling nauseous from the stress, only to come face to face with a wall of feathers. He swallowed thickly, a million options running through his head as he was picked up the scruff of neck and made to face his visitor.

Bruce grinned crookedly.

"Welcome home, Love"

AN: Ooohhhhh Shizit! It's 'bout to go down faster than a lead weight in the middle of the ocean!