I didn't think I was going to write this particular story, I was just gonna write a silly little story about Donald and Gyro's friendship and then it became a fake dating au and then it became Donro! I think I love Donro now lol.

I had to remind myself the whole time that this story was set before 2007 (roughly the year Della disappeared I think?) and so I couldn't drag a bunch of social media things into the story lol.

This story gives me "Resentment and Rivalry" and "Friendship and Jealousy" vibes so I went back and re-edited them :D


Donald was actually a pretty popular guy. Della had never fully understood it, but her dorky brother had an abundance of friends. And while Della could get along with Goofy and the Caballeros and even Storkules, there was one of Donald's friends who she hated with her entire being. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why anyone would be friends with Gyro Gearloose. The guy had an ego the size of the moon. He seemed to think he could do anything, he seemed to believe that he was the greatest genius of their generation. Della thought he was full of it. She begged Donald to reconsider his friendship with the idiot scientist. She tried every trick in the book, but it was fruitless.

"He's just using you," She said one morning, as she was getting ready to go on a flight with Scrooge and he was getting ready to hang out with Gyro.

"Yeah, I know."

That caught her off guard, "What do you mean you know?"

"The foundation of our friendship is that I'm someone he can test gadgets on. I'm okay with that."

"Why?!"

"Because he's interesting and fun to hang out with."

"You're disposable to him, Donald."

"No, I'm not. Just because he's using me doesn't mean I don't matter to him."

"You don't matter to him."

"You're just jealous."

"Jealous of what?"

"Jealous that I was able to crack Gyro. Jealous that he's friends with me and not you."

"I could care less about him."

"That means you still care a little."

"What?"

"The phrase is, 'I couldn't care less.'"

"That's what I said," Della said, sounding frustrated.

"No, it's not."

"Whatever. Have fun on your playdate. I don't know why you can't just hang out with the Cabs."

"I do hang out with the Cabs. They like Gyro too."

"You're all insane."

"Takes one to know one," Donald smirked at his sister before heading out, leaving Della stewing in her frustration and, just maybe, her jealousy.

"Hey, Donald, would you do me a favor?"

"Depends, where does it fall on the scale?" They had a scale that went from 1-10, 1 being the least dangerous and 10 being the most dangerous. Donald tried not to do anything that was over a 7.

"Should be a 1."

"Should be?"

"It's not a traditional experiment, it's really just a favor. A normal, mundane favor."

"Now you've piqued my interest." Donald leaned on his elbows, studying the scientist with excited curiosity.

"I have a cousin who's getting married. I was wondering if you would pose as my date for the wedding."

"Oh, sure." Donald didn't even think twice before agreeing. It really was a normal, mundane level 1 favor.

"It wouldn't be real, obviously. I'm not anticipating falling in love with you. I just don't want to be the single loser in my family."

"Yeah, it's really no problem. We could even fall in love if you wanted," Donald joked, "I mean it would drive my sister insane."

"You can tell her we're dating if you want," Gyro said, not opposed to the idea of driving Della insane.

"We'd have to make it believable… When's the wedding?"

"Next month."

"Then we have one month to fabricate a relationship to sell to both of our families."

"You're taking things to at least a 3, Donald," Gyro warned.

"We'll fake break up when it gets to a 7."

Gyro noted that Donald had said when and not if. But love, even fake love, was a science, and so Gyro was on board.

The biggest problem was circulating the news.

"I wish there was some kind of personalized online newspaper where you could announce when you're dating someone or when your birthday is or when you die.

"Like some kind of detailed online phonebook?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, something like that."

"I guess you could come to dinner at the house," Donald suggested after a few minutes of thinking, "and we could act affectionate in front of my sister and Uncle Scrooge."

"She's not going to physically attack me, is she?"

"Probably not."

"4," Gyro murmured.

"I'll keep you safe," Donald promised, smiling warmly at Gyro. The smile set Gyro at ease and their plan in motion.

Della's eye was twitching. Her greatest rival was in her dining room, laughing and joking with Uncle Scrooge and casually touching Donald's shoulder, face, and leg. She didn't know his angle but she knew he was manipulating her poor bisexual brother somehow. Playing with his heart. She had no way of knowing that this time it was Donald with the scheme. When he kissed Gyro's cheek and walked Gyro to the door, Della thought she was going to explode.

"He's using you," Della warned again.

"Why would my boyfriend be using me? I'm the one who asked him out." That was technically true, the elaborate fake relationship had been Donald's idea.

"You have to break up with him."

"Now that's just cruel, Della. I knew you two didn't see eye to eye but that's no reason to compromise my happiness." Donald was laying it on thick and having a lot of fun doing so.

"I don't know what game he's playing but it's gonna end with you losing. Gyro is dangerous, Don. Please listen to me. There's nothing in his heart except ego."

Now Donald spoke genuinely, "That isn't true, Della. I'm sorry I can see something in him that you don't."

"And I'm sorry that I can see something in him that you don't. I hope you don't get hurt, Donald. I won't say I told you so when you do."

Donald noted that she said when and not if.

"I'll be careful," Donald promised. He wasn't going to let it get past a 7.

"Did I do good?" Gyro asked when they met up the next morning.

"You did excellently. I hope you don't mind that I kissed you, I know we didn't discuss it beforehand."

Gyro shrugged, "It wasn't really much of a kiss."

Donald laughed, "Oh, do you want me to try again?"

"Practice couldn't hurt-" Donald cut Gyro off by cupping Gyro's face and kissing him all too tenderly.

"How was that for practice?" Donald asked.

Gyro's eyes were wide and he could no longer feel his face. Like he was having an allergic reaction to passion.

"5," Gyro said, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth.

Donald was having fun, "Want me to make it a 6?"

"I think we've practiced enough," Gyro said.

"Suit yourself. Oh! Speaking of suits, we should get matching suits for the wedding."

For a moment, Gyro forgot how this experiment had begun and his head spun. Then he remembered the wedding they would be attending as guests. As a guest and his plus one.

"Yes. We should."

"I bet you look good in a suit," Donald said offhandedly. Gyro didn't say it out loud, but it was becoming a 6.

"How's your boyfriend?" Della asked sarcastically.

"He's doing good. We're really happy together."

"Then maybe you should move in with him," Della spat.

"Maybe I will," Donald said, beginning to feel a bit in over his head.

"I hope you're very happy together," Della said tensely.

"He's not so bad, Della… I wish you could learn to trust him."

"I just have a feeling he's going to hurt you, Don."

"I know. I love you, Della. I appreciate your concern. Please trust me when I say I know what I'm doing and I won't let myself get hurt."

Della looked at Donald, really looked at him, and suddenly she could see all the angles.

"This isn't real, is it? All of this is an act."

Donald sighed, "Okay, yeah, you caught me. I'm pretending to be Gyro's boyfriend for a wedding he has to go to."

"I knew it! I knew there was no way you could have feelings for that creep."

Now Donald cringed, and Della saw one last unfortunate angle.

"Oh. You do have feelings for him, don't you? Oh no, oh no, oh no... Donald, you're playing a dangerous game."

"That's what we do in this family," Donald said shakily.

"But we don't play with feelings. Don, put yourself aside for a moment, what if you hurt him?"

"I thought you could care less about his feelings," Donald joked weakly, his heart feeling heavy.

"Yeah. But you care about him and I care about you. If you have real feelings for him then you have to end this fake charade before both of you get hurt."

"And when those feelings come to light, you won't be mad at me?"

"I don't like Gyro. But I'd never hate you for loving him."

"I need to talk to him," Donald murmured, already reaching for his phone.

"Yeah, you do. I'll give you some space."

Donald dialed Gyro's number, the phone shaking in his hand.

"Gyro, we need to talk."

"I agree," Gyro said, surprising him, "It's become a 7."

They met at a Starducks, using their drinks as shields, both afraid to talk about their feelings.

"Was it the kiss? Because if it was, I'm sorry about the kiss. I thought you were okay with it but I should have gone slower." When Donald finally spoke he found himself tripping over his words, sweaty and nervous. He'd never been nervous to talk to Gyro before. It had never felt this dangerous before.

Now Gyro felt uneasy. Donald was looking at him expectantly. Donald deserved a frank answer.

"I can't fake date you anymore."

"Okay, why?" This was the part that scared Gyro the most. If this whole thing had been an experiment, this was the one result Gyro hadn't wanted to get.

Gyro forced himself to speak calmly despite his nerves, "Because I'm developing real feelings for you."

Donald looked relieved, instead of horrified like Gyro had expected.

"Then why don't we date for real?"

Those words came like a punch in the gut.

"No," Gyro said, sounding even more frantic now, "no, no, we can't."

"Why not? Because I have real feelings for you too, Gyro. We could be good together."

"No, you don't get it, I'm not good, I'm not a good person. I don't have this deep wealth of love to give like you do, if I give my heart to you, what if I lose it forever?"

Listening to Gyro give reasons why they couldn't be together, Donald fell all the more in love with him.

"I get it, Gyro, you're scared. It feels dangerous to jump in head first, not knowing who we'll be when we come out on the other side. But that's what science is about, right? Testing and learning together?"

"No, but… I don't want to hurt you. We said we'd end it at 7. This is a 10."

"I'm scared of us getting hurt, too. But I want to try this. I want to see what happens."

"I need more time to think."

"Of course, Gyro. Take all the time you need. Can I still accompany you to the wedding? I owe you that."

"I need more time to think about that, too."

"I understand, I'll be here whenever you're ready to talk."

Gyro went home, his head swimming with thoughts and feelings. Donald was being so patient with him, and so brave… Gyro was so afraid to face his feelings but Donald was so ready to jump in. Donald had always been so ready to try things. Donald had done so much for him, so what did he owe Donald now? Honesty, for sure, and maybe just a little bit of bravery.

Gyro took several days to get back to Donald. Donald put on a brave face, not wanting Della to see that he was hurting. Scrooge never noticed these things, but even he asked why Gyro hadn't come over for dinner again. Donald kept to himself after that, trying to give Gyro the time and space he needed. What he really wanted was to know what Gyro was thinking, but he was a little afraid of the conclusion the scientist would reach. Donald would have let all of this go in order to be Gyro's friend again, he just wanted an honest answer.

And then, one day, the doorbell rang. The others were out on an adventure, and Duckworth was out on errands, so Donald was the only one home. He'd been tuning his guitar in the living room, moping and trying not to think about his love life. He knew, opening the door, that he had about a 50/50 chance of being kidnapped by one of Scrooge's rivals. Instead, he saw Della's rival, and the object of his affections, standing there in a suit.

"Gyro?" Donald's eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"I need to ask you something," Gyro said, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Okay, ask away…" Donald was a little nervous too.

"Would you accompany me to my cousin's wedding, as my real, not fake boyfriend?"

Donald gasped.

"Oh my gods, I would love to! Gyro- wait. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Gyro said nervously.

"Did you wear a suit just because I said I thought you'd look cute in a suit?"

"Yes… Did it work?"

Donald threw back his head and laughed, "Yes. You look very cute. Handsome, too."

Gyro blushed and beamed, "Hey, Don, can I kiss you?"

"You think we need more practice?" Donald grinned as well.

"No, no more practice. This one is real."

Gyro pulled Donald into his arms and the two of them kissed like the rest of the world didn't exist. They didn't notice Della and Scrooge return from their adventure, and Della for once didn't say anything, didn't get upset, and didn't try to break the two apart. Because they were happy together and that happiness was worth the risk.