Chapter Twenty:
Into the Sunset
After a two hour search, Darkwing Duck caught up with Javert and Bushroot in a less-than-attractive part of the city. He had seen them smoking in an grungy alleyway, coughing between their muttering and decided to take advantage of their distraction. He quietly parked the Ratcatcher in the side of the road and snuck around to the side of the building. In doing so, he banged into a garbage bin but even that failed to catch their attention.
I'll get them quicker than they can say Miami! Darkwing Duck released the net launcher from his number one weapon and captured the two crooks.
"Hey! No fair! You didn't even do your entrance line!" Javert whined as he saw the costumed crusader strut his way in.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Darkwing snapped back with sarcasm, taking hold of the net and dragging it out to the Ratcatcher. "Did you want to get a bullet in my head before I could pull out the gas gun? Well, I hate to be the one to tell you but I don't really feel like making a trip to the hospital tonight."
The costumed caper knew Bushroot could and would escape with the help of his powers, and wasted no time in sending them off to jail. All that was done without further incidences from either of them, but now he was faced with a challenge that didn't come in the form of fighting crime. It was one that came straight from the heart.
A terrible realization smacked him in the face. Just for loving him, he was putting Steelbeak at risk. He trusted the rooster would know of secret hideouts for their meetings, but how long could those places remain a secret? Additionally, now that Javert knew were he lived, Gosalyn's life may also hang in the balance.
With a lump in his throat, Darkwing Duck made a heartening decision. He had to part with Steelbeak, and knew just how hard it would be for him. How am I going to tell him? He'll be shattered, and wouldn't blame him for going back to his old ways and hating me. I hoped it would never come to this.
Back at Avian Way, Steelbeak was watching the news with Gosalyn. Same-sex marriages have just been legalized in St. Canard and the rooster couldn't feel any happier. Perhaps, just perhaps, he can pop the question to him and have his offer accepted. For someone who hadn't slept a minute that night, he was feeling as joyful as he had been since the last bedroom rendevous.
"You think Darkwing and you would -- ?" She asked quietly, her attention turned off the news as the story came to a close.
Steelbeak looked down at Gosalyn with the happiest smile a rooster could ever have. "Yes, I'm almost sure of it! 'E said 'imself, we're boids of a feather, never to part. Marriage would bring us together even more."
If only that was true.
With his heart weighing him down, Darkwing Duck appeared in the living room via the swiveling chair. He couldn't overlook Steelbeak's joy, and dreaded breaking the news to him. I really hate to be a killjoy.
"Darkwing, babe! Why de long face? Dey didn't get away, did dey?" Steelbeak asked, greeting him with both suavity and worry.
"No, I did get them . . . " The duck reluctantly answered, taking a seat on the couch and gesturing the rooster to sit next to him. When the big fellow came over, he gave him a light pat on the back.
"Gos, can you leave the room for a moment?"
With a nod, the teenager did as she was told without the normal stubborn streak she normally had. She sensed something wasn't right between them and didn't want to get in the way of things.
Darkwing scratched the back of Steelbeak's neck as he shamefully looked away from him. He couldn't put himself to look into those beautiful, intelligent eyes as he became the bringer of bad tidings. "There's . . . Something I need to tell you alone. It's about our relationship."
"Wondaful!" Steelbeak beamed, not really noticing the seriousness in his comrade's voice. He was feeling youthful and cheery, and he overlooked anything he should be concerned about. "I jus' saw de news, marriage between people of de same sex is legalized now. I mean, just t'ink -- "
"That's not what I was going to talk to you about . . . " Darkwing answered quickly, his eyes watering from the sadness gnawing at his soul. He wished there was another way out, a solution which could stop the uneventful from happening.
"Den what is it?" Steelbeak asked, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. When he saw the sorrow in the duck's eyes, he knew what he was going to be told wasn't about marriage. He felt a little guilty, perhaps he just wasn't as much of a lover as Darkwing expected. Yet, he held onto his shred of optimism -- perhaps, just perhaps, whatever was troubling him could be talked over. Maybe he just had to tone down on being rough while lovemaking; often he was unaware of his own strength.
Darkwing finally summed up enough strength to look into the face of his beloved. He knew what would have to be said would be hard on him, and he prepared to give whatever it took to make up for it.
"I . . . I'm going to have to leave you."
Leave me?! How could he? After what all we've been through? He's not telling me somet'ing I should know about! Well I'm gonna get to de bottom of dis!
Before the grief of separation set in, Steelbeak once again jumped to conclusions. With a low, rumbling growl from his chest, he pinned Darkwing to the ground using only one arm. His ferocious show of anger took Darkwing by complete surprise. This was no playful pounce; he meant business and he made certain the other avian knew it.
"Youse left me fer Morgana, did'ja?!" He demanded, violently shaking the duck. When Steelbeak didn't get an immediate response, he slammed him back down hard.
"N-No I didn't! Now if you let me go I'll try and explain!" Darkwing ordered, trying desperately to free himself. He tried to knee him in the groin with little success, but a undershot punch to his face did just the trick.
Steelbeak pulled away from the duck and held a hand up to his struck mandible. The pain he felt now didn't just exist in his jaw, but also in his heart. With his anger now literally knocked out of him, sadness took over. He couldn't see the reasoning behind the breakup; if it wasn't Morgana, what was it? Had he been too affectionate?
"I'm sorry . . . Fer hoiting youse all along . . ." Steelbeak said with defeat, sitting on the floor with his knees up against his chest. Tears streamed down his face as the remembered all the good times he had with his soul mate, for he knew he probably wouldn't have them again. He had been through breakups before but none, with the possible exception of the one he had with Bushroot, were as painful as this one.
"You didn't hurt me," Darkwing said softly, wiping a tear from his velvety cheek. "Far from it, Steelbeak. You made me think that not all villains are scoundrels who's only purpose in life is to do, well, villainous things. You made me look to you as an intelligent being capable of love and real thought, not just power-hungry and ravenous for money."
"Den why, why do youse want to part wit' me?" Steelbeak asked, clinging to the duck's cape and nudging his hand with his beak. With one heartening look, he begged Darkwing to change his mind.
"I t'ought . . . Youse loved me!" Steelbeak whimpered, his voice almost inaudibly quiet. "Youse loved me like nobody else 'as before."
The rooster's lost, almost childlike sadness was enough to make the mallard give him the biggest hug he could ever give someone. If only F.O.W.L was more lenient, if only Javert was never born, if Bushroot never left him. If only hopes and dreams would be what they should be.
"I do love you, that is why I have to leave you," Darkwing gently explained, rubbing the rooster's neck. "You see, I'm putting your job, your image and above all, your life, in peril. F.O.W.L is still looking for you, and they'll do worse to you if they find out you're still going out with me. As much as I disapprove of your criminal actions, I don't want you to loose your job."
"Screw de job!" Steelbeak exclaimed, getting himself all the more upset. He relaxed slightly, feeling Darkwing's hand slip down to his back. "I kin see what yer gettin' at, but . . . Youse can't leave me. I can't leave youse. Remember dat boids of a feather t'ing? Youse and I promised dat no matter what, we'd stay together."
Darkwing nodded once while he slipped his hand over to Steelbeak's chest. "Yes . . . We did say that. We shook hands on it and everything, but it's just not feasible anymore. Some things just can't remain as they once were."
As he felt the hand gently massage through his feathers, the rooster's emotional state had eased down. His sadness, though, was still evident. The tears were still streaming down his face as he slowly begun to realize what Darkwing was doing for him was for his own good. He hugged that duck with all his might, and good-naturedly, the mallard allowed him to do so even though he nearly squeezed the air out of him.
"I know it's hard on you, big guy," Darkwing cooed, choking back a sob. "You'll always remain my sweetie, even if I have to chase you down after doing some dastardly deed. You remember that, Steelbeak, even when you're off terrorizing campers with robotic bears and whatnot. I'll even feel bad whenever I have to turn you into the police."
"Ya know what?" Steelbeak asked with the slightest hint of a smile. He finally loosened his hug when he saw Darkwing's face turn a tinge of blue.
"I would forgive youse, because I too would always love youse. We's need each other when we's do our jobs. Wit'out me, you'd be short one villain to tangle wit', and wit'out youse, I'd 'ave one less person ta poke fun at!"
Seeing that tiny smile turn a little bigger made Darkwing Duck confident to report more news. This time it was good news and he was sure Steelbeak would be glad to hear it. "You know, Bushroot's single now. If you want to, I can set him free. I know he's been a bit of a troublemaker, but . . . Everyone needs someone."
"Well, what about youse?" Steelbeak asked, concerned for his duck's loneliness. "Who would youse count on fer companionship?"
With a wry smirk, Darkwing lightly pinched his cheek. "Oh, Darkwing Duck has his ways. I'll find someone soon enough. Now, are you going to come with me to get Bushroot out of prison?"
Steelbeak tentatively thought this over. He couldn't forget that Bushroot had teamed up with Javert a few nights ago. However, knowing the plant duck's nature, the rooster knew he could've been manipulated into workwing with him on the promise of friendship. The only question now was would Bushroot open his heart up for him again? He had to go and see for himself.
The decision to free Bushroot was made on the very day of the breakup. On Steelbeak's requests, they walked to the prison, enjoying the time they spent together. It gave them a time to reflect on their relationship, and on each other. Although they would no longer be lovers, they would forever remain birds of a feather.
The walk through the penitentiary brought on mixed feelings to the rooster. He ignored the jeering from the prisoners who had heard about his love for the crimefighter, and focused on what he came here for.
"Go on, Steelbeak, aren't you going to talk to him?" Darkwing asked, seeing him pause in the aisle. Just at the end of the cell rows was a forlorn looking Bushroot.
"W-Why yes!" Steelbeak stammered nervously, cautiously approaching the inmate. Each step he took was one of caution, and once in a while he looked back at Darkwing who was speaking to a guard.
While behind bars, Bushroot stared blankly at a wall. He heard Steelbeak's approaching footsteps, but paid no attention to him. He figured it was just another guard, coming to make sure he wasn't up to anything suspicious.
"Reggie . . . ?" Steelbeak asked, with a twinge of timidity to his voice. He fiddled with his tie and darted his eyes about, nervous of what Bushroot's reaction would be towards him. He was the dominant bird in the relationship with Bushroot, but now he felt he was two inches tall.
Steelbeak . . . Slowly, Bushroot stood up from the grubby floor. As he rested a leafy hand on the cell's bars, Steelbeak shakingly reached out and touched it. It was then that he looked up at him, not with hate, but with wonder.
"Why are you here for? I don't deserve to have visitors . . . " Bushroot whispered, placing his other hand on top of Steelbeak's. Right now he felt as small as the rooster in front of him for treating him like he did.
Steelbeak stood back as the guard opened the cell gate. "We's came 'ere to get youse out, because . . . We's want to give youse another chance."
Touched by this, Bushroot stepped out and hugged him right there and then. He was so desperate for companionship that he didn't care if he acted like a foolish sap in front of the others. "I want to love you again! I don't ever, ever want to leave you again!"
"And I want to love youse!" Steelbeak replied with tears of joy springing from his eyes. Without further delay, the two villains - and the crimefighter - walked out of the prison and into the sunset.
Disclaimer: Steelbeak and Darkwing Duck, and other characters mentioned excluding Javert and a few minor chars are © Disney.