Hey there, friends!

This is my second Ducktales story, and my first one with more of a romantic plot. This takes place two years and a few months after The Last Adventure, aging the Duck boys at 14, and the McDuck girls at 15. (Although, I guess May and June are technically around 3,) according to the timeline I somewhat set up in The Missing Feathers.

I love writing these characters, especially Violet and Goldie. They just have such unique dialogue compared to most of the others. Writing is my passion, and ever since I discovered DuckTales on Disney a few months ago, I've just been captivated! I'm sad it had to end so soon. Thank goodness for Fanfiction!

Anyway, yeah. I'll just let you read the story now.

Love is Stupid Hard

"Welcome back, listeners. If you are just joining us, I, Huey Duck, have given a detailed account on the fascinating life of the Duckburg Bark Beetle, here on 'This Duckburg Life'. If you are a long-time listener, you may recall the first time I attempted to give this report a few years back, which was, very frustratingly….continuously interrupted."

"Since then, I have added more to the report and done more thorough research, for your pleasure and education, dear listeners. Ahem. We now dive in to take a closer look at the life habits and mating ritual dance of the bark beetle, in Chapter 28: Habits and Mating Ritual Dance of the Bark Beetle."

"The sun rises. It is early in the fall, meaning the bark beetle uses a dried leaf as its shelter.It also means it is on the lookout for a potential mate. As the beetle bravely crawls out form its cover, it spots a female and begins slowly wiggling its feet and antennae in a hypnotizing wiggle…."

"Excuse me, Hubert. Am I interrupting anything?"

Huey yanked off his headphones as the unexpected visitor entered the studio. "Violet! No, no, I was just, um recording the last part of my podcast, but I-I'm done now…no big deal…"

He snapped his headphones on. "Thank you for tuning in, everyone! You can let go of your tails now!"

He turned off his equipment and spun around in his chair to face her. "So, uh, what brings you here?"

"You left your hat at the Woodchuck meeting earlier this afternoon. I supposed you would want it back, seeing as how it seems to be a part of your signature look."

"What? Oh, that. Yeah, yeah, thanks." He stammered as she handed him his little red cap that he'd been wearing since he could walk.

"Your podcast is very interesting." She informed him. I look forward to your continuation on bark beetles this week as you promised. Oh, goodness, you're recording now. Did I interrupt? Ever so sorry."

"No, no, it's fine. I can do part two next week."

"Oh. Well, if you're sure."

"Oh, yeah, I'm good."

Why is my face so warm? Why am I stuttering? Why, just why?

Violet headed for the door. "I suppose I'll see you next week, Hubert."

"Next week? Why? What's next week?"

She glanced back at him, eyebrows raised. "The next Woodchuck meet."

"Oh, right! Of course."

She exited the studio.

"Bye, Vi!" He called probably with too much excitement in his voice. "Hey, that rhymed…."

……

He fell onto his bed sometime later, uttering a muffled scream, startling the three other kids in the room.

"Oh, yikes, what happened?" Louie wondered.

He glanced up. "Nothing."

"Really?" Dewey asked disbelievingly.

Huey exhaled slowly and decided to trust them. "You know Violet?"

"Violet? Yeah." Webby said.

"What happened?" Huey asked.

"What do you mean? She's still purple, freckled, bookish. She's just Violet." Louie shrugged.

"No, she's not just Violet. She's….enchanting." Huey expressed.

His brothers and cousin glanced over to the most pragmatic of the triplets, who's face had taken on a bubblegum pink hue.

"How so?" Dewey wondered, trying not to grin.

"I don't know, just..her eyes like fresh splatters of pen ink, her hair twisting and turning every which way like an uncharted path….what's happening to me, you guys?"

"Oh, I think I know, dear Hubert." Dewey grinned. He held up his fingers and counted down. "Ready, guys? Three, two-"

"YOU'VE GOT A CRUSH ON VIOLET SABREWING!" They all teased at once.

"I, uh…don't know what you're talking about?" Even Huey sounded as if he were questioning his own denial. His face deepened into a lovely deep shade of pink that clashed horridly with his outfit.

"Oh, Huey, this is so exciting, you've got a crush on one of my best friends! How long?" Webby wondered.

"I-I don't even know; all I know is that I can't get her out of my head! I-I've memorized her schedule, favorite things, cute habits of licking her finger when she turns pages…."

"So creepy, so cute!" Squealed Webby.

"Don't worry, Hue. If anyone knows how to woo a woman, it's your bro here." Dewey said.

"More like if anyone knows how to have a helpless crush on a superhero's adopted daughter." Louie scoffed.

Dewey went red. "Hey, I just think Gos is cool, alright?"

"Suurrre." Louie and Webby agreed sarcastically.

Dewey cleared his throat. "Uh, weren't we talking about Huey's love life?"

"Oh, yeah." Agreed Louie. "So, my brother has fallen for a nerd. Because of course he has." Louie shut his laptop and climbed down the ladder.

"'Fallen' is a strong choice of words that implies a strong feeling of affection and…." Huey started. He thought it out for a moment. "Alright, fine, I've fallen." His face was now positively scarlet.

Everyone screamed in delight. Webby and Dewey playfully threw pillows at him. Huey let out a groan. I regret this so much already.

……

Some days later, he entered the mansion after another Woodchuck meet full of his awkward glances at Violet. "H-hey guys."

"How was the meet, hon?" Della inquired.

"Oh, I finally got my supplies to work on my Level Four archery badge. You know, fire for the arrows and stuff."

"Fire arrows?" Gasped Webby. "Let me know if you need help!"

"You've worked with flaming arrows?" Dewey sat up from the couch next to Della and leaned over the arm to see his cousin a little better.

"Oh, sure. Fire arrows, snake arrows, flaming porcupine arrows.."

"You alright, buddy? You seem a bit anxious." Della noticed. She really is getting better at this mom stuff. Huey realized.

"Who, me? Oh, I just…no, everything's fine."

He sat down on the end of the couch next to Louie, who turned to him and grinned knowingly.

Granny, can I stay at Lena and Violet's place tonight?" Webby called out to Mrs. Beakley from her place on the floor.

"I don't see why not." Beakley formally turned a page in her book. "Say, when are your sisters coming home?"

"Not for a little while." Della shrugged. "You know how my bro and his girlfriend are with this whole 'annual adventure to celebrate meeting their May and June' tradition."

"So, Donald and Della still have the girls out at sea? It's been nearly three months." Beakley pointed out.

Della shrugged again. "They'll be fine. They would have called for help by now if they needed it."

"What if they found themselves in a predicament so perilous that they couldn't send an S.O.S?" Beakley shrewdly replied.

Della looked stumped. And a little terrified. Then, she shrugged it off again. "Uh, everything's still fine?…"

Scrooge entered the room. "Alright, what happened? I cannae leave for five minutes without something going wrong, can I?"

"Hey, Dad." Greeted Webby. It only took two years of it, but now everyone was finally used to that greeting between the two. "We were just kinda realizing that May and June and Donald and Daisy aren't back yet."

Scrooge looked troubled as well. "It has been a while…."

"For all we know, they could be lost at sea!" Webby said.

"Or getting attacked!" Said Dewey.

"Or literally right outside as we speak." Louie said, barely raising his head away from his phone.

Everyone whipped around.

……

From outside, Donald yelled at Launchpad, who was, again, attempting to lower the houseboat into the pool out back using a mechanical arm.

"What did I tell you, Launchpad? I just got the paint redone! Don't-no, just-aaagh!"

Launchpad dropped them about five feet before they hit the water, resulting in a humongous splash that seemed to relocate half the pool's contents.

Donald and Daisy stood on deck, soaking wet. Then, two other, slightly smaller ducks rushed upstairs. "What happened?" Cried June. "Are we having an earthquake?" Wondered May.

The rest of the family exited the mansion, Webby and Della in the lead. "May! June!" Webby called, dashing over as her sisters alighted on the patio.

"Webby!" They said in unison as the three met in an embrace. Scrooge walked towards them. "Dad!" The trio greeted, kidnapping him into the hug as well. He chuckled and reunited fondly with his two other daughters.

"Guys!" Della greeted her brother and his girlfriend in a rib-cracking reunion. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick for the past, like, two minutes!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, Della." Daisy responded, smoothing out her knee length, khaki skirt she often wore while adventuring. "Our phones all got eaten by a leviathan and we were way too far out to sea to communicate."

"Daisy slayed it with nothing but her handbag." Donald proudly laid an arm on his love's shoulders, making her go pink. "And look at what we brought home!" He hefted a huge treasure chest filled to the brim with priceless items.

"The Sunken Treasure of the Leviathan." Scrooge murmured, reaching out a hand. Donald slapped it away. "Uh-uh. This is our treasure that we're keeping and putting into savings."

"Well, dang!" Della laughed. "You fit right into the fam, don't you, Dais?"

"Well, I should hope so." She said, shyly lifting one of her hands to show a gold band around one finger. Donald fingered the hand tenderly. "We would have told you all over phone, but….krakens and such."

Della gaped and gaped, then squeezed both of them into yet another hug. "Aaaaggh! Are you kidding me right now? You proposed to her?"

"He found the ring in the kraken's loot." Daisy said, attempting to speak through Della aggressively squishing her face against Donald's in the hug.

"I figured it was now or never." He agreed, glancing at Daisy squished next to him, both going pink again.

Della finally set them down. "Aw, you guys! This is amazing! I've always wanted a sister!"

"Wait, what's this?" The triplets had finally caught up to the rest of the family.

Donald intertwined his and Daisy's fingers, both of them trying to catch their breath. "Boys, you're getting a new aunt!"

They reacted explosively, and so did the three girls, jumping and screaming and squealing and shouting congratulations.

"And Uncle Scrooge, a new niece!" Donald continued. "And…you three… A new…?"

"First cousin-in-law once removed." Webby, May and June said, again, in unison. They giggled.

"Sure." Donald agreed. He and Daisy reached for each other and shared a quick kiss.

"Alright, this is touching and all, but can one of you all point me to that 'other bin' I've been hearing so much about? I didn't sneak on board this old dinghy to see all this fluff." A familiar voice called. Scrooge couldn't believe his ears. Donald stiffened. "No. Oh, no. Please don't tell me she snuck on board."

"Oh, yes, Donnie, oh yes." Goldie O'Gilt leaned confidentially against the railing on board the houseboat. She gracefully leapt out of the boat, landing in front of the family. She turned to her ex-partner. "Hello, Scroogie. It's been a while."

……