Chapter Text
It was a Friday afternoon. A large school bus drove down the street; Its heavy wheels rolled against the rough gravel, the engine letting out a continuous loud hum into the crisp autumn air as it descended down it’s charted path. Inside the bus was littered with the indistinct sound of children talking, playing, even yelling amongst one another.
In the back by the window seat was Donald. Knees knit closely together, hands in lap, Donald simply focused his attention outside the bus window, His mind aflutter. The reason for such was one thing. A game system.
It’s been the main thing going around Duckburg—possibly the whole world for two weeks. It’s all most everyone has been talking about; The only exception being really bitter old folk. Unfortunately, his uncle was one of them.
Reminiscing, Donald remembered the first time one of those bright—cheery commercials popped up on their TV screen. It showcasing cool things the console could do. The cutting edge 16-bit graphics it held.
He and Della were instantly enamored; Quickly running to their Uncle to ask him to pay for it. Scrooge’s face only held a bit of a disgusted sneer at what they were begging him to buy; The conversation soon turning into the miser going on a long-winded spiel about how much of a waste it would be. How each cent spent towards that thing could go to something more useful. Like an investment.
Now, Donald sat anxiously, eyes still focused outside, waiting for the bus to stop where he gets off at. He was nervous beyond words, but he still was gonna do it. Donald burned with envy every time he heard kids in the halls talking about how awesome their new game was, or taking a walk in town and inevitably hearing people clamor about this game. Donald wanted to be able to talk about how fun this game was too. He wanted to join the fun.
My Uncle is a millionaire, something like this shouldn’t even make a dent in his money bin! Donald thought, an attempt to muster up inner strength, a source of confidence within himself.
Then, soon enough. He sees that familiar scenery. That tall hill leading up to the manor not too far in the distance; His stop was coming up. Turning his attention to the front of the bus, he prepared himself as the bus suddenly braked, giving that all too infamous sickening screech that always made kids cringe before covering their ears.
Standing up, hands gripped the straps of his backpack tightly as he walked down the aisle along with a few other kids. Della was going to spend the night with a friend so today, Donald was getting off alone.
Walking up the hill to the manor, Donald pressed the button announcing himself, before the gate slowly opened for him.
Entering the house, Donald let out a shaky breath. He could just back down and try to just deal with it like Della did.
However, Donald’s stubbornness quickly outweighed his fear. Going a bit slow up the stairs; Donald walked down the narrow corridor before stopping at Scrooge’s study. The door was closed. A sign he was working.
Opening the door, Donald walked in to see Scrooge focused on some papers; His head almost buried in the crevasse of his shoulders.
Soon enough before Donald could make himself known, the miser’s head was picked up and he spots Donald, a fond smile coming across his beak.
“Ah, Donald! Nice tae see ya,” Scrooge greeted, taking his attention away from his work just for a moment. “How was school lad?”
“It was okay. Just the same ol same ol.” Donald responded, taking a seat right by Scrooge’s desk.
“Hm...” Scrooge hummed a bit low before focusing his attention back to his work; A silence filled with awkwardness wafted for a good moment as Donald stayed by his desk, tight-lipped.
“Is there any reason you came to me right now?” Scrooge questioned, beginning to look at Donald a bit quizzically.
“Well yeah,” Donald began, taking a bit of a hard gulp before continuing. “I...you..remember that one game me and Della came to you about right?”
Scrooge’s face deadpanned at the comment before he looked away from his nephew; A frown of discontempt beginning to settle in on the miser’s face. “Ah geez...you’re not talking about that dratted device again are ye’?” Scrooge questioned, his arms beginning to cross.
Oh no. That’s never good. Donald thought, already ready for that upcoming overdone lecture/rant before being kicked out of his study. Still. He wasn’t ready to give up yet.
“Yes. It...It could be a lot of fun! We could play together! You know that they have this cool little thing where you ca-”
“Enough Donald.” Scrooge sternly interjected. Turning his head back to look at Donald. “What makes you think I want to even play this little fon dangled game?” he asked harshly, causing Donald to reel back almost on impulse.
For a moment, Donald contemplated leaving it at this. Apologize for interrupting his uncle’s work and stew in his own feelings silently. But, A flame flickers in his heart, and it couldn’t be stamped out.
“Well, if you don’t wanna play it, you could still get it for us. You are a MULTI millionaire..it wouldn’t hurt your pocket.” Donald pointed out, hands going to his hips. Looking at Scrooge; He could see the miser’s fists were clenched and his frame was stiffening up. Donald’s heart practically beat in his ears and out of his chest. There was no turning back.
“It doesn’t matter whether Ah’m a millionaire! I said ah don’t believe in purchasing that piece of garbage and that’s final!” Scrooge snapped, his voice projecting throughout the study. A burning glare now focused in on Donald.
“At least tell me why! I wanna know why you don’t--" Don't do it, Donald, please don't do it. His rational silently begged, "Why you barely ever do anything for us! You don't even need to save money! There are kids at school who's parents are dirt poor but they STILL manage to do things for and with their kids! They actually save up their money and they do nice things with it! They still...have fun! You’re rich but all you do is sit back and hoard it all! It’s not fair!” Donald yelled back, his webbed feet going down to stamp on the floor; Fists tightly clenched in a ball.
His angry stance quickly extinguished, however, when his uncle suddenly pushed his chair back, standing up now to practically loom threateningly over him.
“Donald Fauntleroy Duck,” Scrooge said menacingly, his voice going low, a tactic that always managed to shut him up.
“I can’t believe ye’. I thought I raised you way better than that. Way better.” Scrooge began, that calm tone sending a shiver up Donald’s spine.
“Ye’ come begging to me not once but TWICE for some game system. Ye’ come frolicking to me for handouts! Like some...money sucking leech!
“I worked hard for every single cent ah made, every single coin in that money bin was earned Donald. And I will never use my hard earned money for some silly gadgets, or toys, or whatever you kids play with. Ye don’t need it and ye don’t deserve it. You don’t deserve anything.” Scrooge stated as a matter of fact.
Donald could only lower his head; Not sure whether it was out of shame or fear. All bark he had was silenced before it even really got started.
“Ah take ye’ two in. Ah could’ve let you both be split up in some foster care but Ah took you two in.” Scrooge reaffirms to Donald.
“Ah give ye’ both a home with food and water, clothes on your back, and this is how you repay me?” Scrooge growls before a deep sigh is given and he goes back to sink into his chair.
“If you want this game so bad, go get a job and earn it,” Scrooge said, beginning to focus back on his paperwork.
“But, I’m nine years old? How am I gonna get a job?” Donald questioned.
“Around your age, I was polishing shoes. You figure it out.” Scrooge bluntly responded, a wave of tense silence going through the air before Donald simply got out of the chair and left. He could’ve gone with the theatrics, said he hated him, have a tantrum. But, he didn't. He couldn’t.
He didn’t deserve anything from his Uncle. The words practically stuck in his heart.
Even though Scrooge McDuck was the richest duck in the world; Donald knew he wouldn’t spend a single dime for him. He didn’t deserve it.