Author Notes:

Hi, I'm Krueger4Eva. The timeline for this story is complicated. This takes place in an alternate timeline where at some point in season 3, where Steelbeak and Fethry became a couple. I do love the interesting dynamic of this possible relationship and how it affects the other characters. Let me know what you think of the story.

All of these characters belong to DuckTales (2017), not me.

Donald and Fethry were playing a game of Duckopoly in the houseboat. So far, the scatterbrained scientist has taken the deeds of three railroads, five hotels, seven restaurants, and one from his unlucky cousin. It took all of Donald's will to control the growing fury within him after his game piece landed in jail for consecutive times. Even though he already beat Donald the previous six games, Fethry could never pass up spending as much time with his favorite cousin as possible. Though he was afraid this boat may turn into a war zone if the temperamental duck lost another round.

"..and I really appreciate you helping pay for the damages at the arcade.", said Fethry as he bounced his scuba diver shaped token along the pathway of the gameboard. "That virtual reality headset has such realistic graphics."

"That is the last time you're ever playing The Sea Cow Savior Chronicles, VR or handheld." grumbled Donald, forced to move his ladder shaped game piece two steps back after the card he pulled out of the deck instructed him to do so.

"I'm really, really, sorry, Donald. Sea manatees are just so majestic. They're like giant blobs of dough with fins and a face. I just have a weakness for them, especially if they're in danger."

"Yeah, you've got a weakness for rescuing big, dumb ani-…"

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

The cousins immediately stopped what they were doing and tried to trace the sound of the anguished scream.

"What the heck was that?", asked Donald, setting the game aside to investigate the noise.

"Sounds like it came from the mansion!", said Fethry, joining Donald to see if anyone was in danger.

"Game's over!" proclaimed Donald while he cracked his knuckles with a determined look on his face.

Donald and Fethry quicky rushed to the door to see who needs their help.

Until… SLAAAMM!

The door was slammed wide open from the outside before the cousins even get a chance to open it and a hulking figure rushed into the houseboat, knocking Donald and Fethry out of the way in the process, before jumping behind the couch.

Fethry was on the floor, flat on his tail feathers, while poor Donald was shoved hard into the Duckopoly game. All the tokens and cards were scattered all over the ground while the board was broken in half.

Meanwhile, their unwanted visitor was shaking behind the furniture.

As Donald gradually regained focus, he finally noticed the damaged game board. The sight of it was enough to turn his white feathers red. This game costed him $20. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that he could make that type of money.

"Uhh…someone get the number of that semi-truck?" asked a dazed Fethry, as he steadied himself off the floor, feeling a headache from the crash. "Are you ok, Donald?"

Donald was busy trying to hold in his anger at the sight of twenty dollars gone to waste.

"Donald?" repeated Fethry.

Having heard his cousin the second time, Donald let it go…for now. Now, he had other business to attend to.

Both ducks turned their heads as they heard heavy breathing from behind the couch.

"Shhhh!" whispered Donald to Fethry, holding a finger to his own mouth. He gestured Fethry to quietly fetch his speargun from the other side of the room. Once it was handed to him, Donald held it in position to aim for protection.

Fethry quickly hid behind Donald, while the two slowly walked around the couch to see who was there.

"Whoever you are, we were not expecting visitors. You have until the count of three to come out slowly with your hands up, or your head becomes mounted on my wall!" shouted Donald.

"1…"

"Ok! I'm coming out! Don't shoot!" said the mystery guest.

The visitor slowly stood up out of hiding, holding his hands in the air. As the look of the stranger is finally revealed to them, Donald lowered his speargun and both cousins gasped in shock.

In their line of sight was a large, muscular rooster covered in soot and coughing up smoke. He was wearing a white suit that had large holes and burn marks ruining the material. In addition, his distinguished green tail was on fire.

"Steely, what happened to you!" cried Fethry with concern.

"Who did this to you, Steelbeak?!" shouted Donald, surprisingly concerned for the metal-mouthed rooster's well-being.

The naturally suave rooster was now a scorched, nervous wreck. "HIDE ME!".

Donald and Fethry were taken aback by the rooster's rare display of panic.

"YOUS TWOS GOTTA HIDE ME! HE'S AFTER ME!"

He rushed over to Fethry, picked him up and hugged him tight. "Babe, ya gotta help me! I need a disguise, the witness protection, a guardian angel! Help me!"

"Gio- I mean, Steely, please calm down, I can't breathe" said Fethry as he struggled under the weight of his boyfriend's biceps pressing down on his ribs.

Donald, folding his arms, growled at the rooster to signal him to stop.

"Oh! Sorry, Feth" apologized Steelbeak. He gently put his shorter boyfriend down on his feet. Then, he took off Fethry's hat and lovingly patted him on the head before placing the hat back.

Fethry dusted himself off. "It's okay, Steely." Then, he held Steelbeak's soot-covered hand to calm him down. "Now, tell us what's going on? Who's after you?".

Donald asks "Is it someone from F.O.W.L.?"

Steelbeak softly answers "No."

"Was it Falcon Graves?"

"No."

"Negaduck?"

"No. Much worse than any of them."

"Even worse than when Mrs. Beakley gets mad at you for chomping on the curtains to relieve stress" questioned Fethry.

Donald just stood there with a confused look on his face at Fethry's statement. What did he miss?

Steelbeak sat down on the couch and held his sides together nervously. "Even deadlier! I'd be safer back in prison."

"What could scare you more than all of our enemies combined?", Donald asked the jittery rooster.

Steelbeak gulped and whispered one word.

"Huey..".