Work Text:
Wayne 'Duck' Newton wakes up to an empty apartment.
For a moment he stares around at the places where he had grown accustomed to having people in. The couch, where Aubrey and Dani would often sit together and cuddle Dr Harris Bonkers. The kitchen, where there was always someone (Thacker, most likely) rummaging through the fridge for something to eat.
He shivers, the apartment being so bare isn't something he'd had to deal with for a couple of months now. And having everyone gone now… he had just begun to realise how lonely he had been before this whole ordeal started.
His cat meows, catching his attention as she scurries over to the empty food bowl. She paws at it and yowls again, making her wants obvious.
He sighs.
"Aw, Fig, you've already been fed t-" The sentence dies in his throat. Normally either Aubrey or Dani would have been up to feed her, but they had been gone overnight. Well, now they were gone for good. Not actually for good, but still gone.
Two choices, Duck Newton thinks, picking up a bag of cat food and heading over to fill up Fig's bowl, They made their choice, and I made mine.
Of course the others chose Sylvain, for one it’s their life's work and for the other, it is practically their life.
And it isn’t like the three of them will never see each other again. With the combined magic of Sylvain and the wits of the Sylvans, Aubrey and Thacker, Duck's sure they can come up with some other way to create a connection between the two worlds again.
Still, it feels odd.
He feels somewhere deep in his heart, that if Ned had been there, he would have also chosen earth. That he would've stayed, and it would have been nice. Nice to have a friend with him.
But there was no chance of that. For as much as Aubrey and Thacker seemed gone, Ned was much further away, some place that they couldn't reach him, no matter how much magic was used.
No more Beacon, too.
That thought doesn't upset him, but some odd part of him actually misses the sword. It's like not noticing the static noise in the air until it's gone and everything is left feeling far too quiet.
"Wayne Newton! I have returned with the groceries!"
Well, maybe not too quiet.
"Minerva." He greets, small smile coming onto his face in a way that only she could make happen. His friend gives him a wide smile in return, placing down the several bags of groceries onto the wooden table in the kitchen.
"I believe I have managed to purchase everything you asked for." Minerva states and without hesitating she starts placing the groceries in the fridge. "I decided it would be good to leave you time to process all that has happened."
Fig walks over to her, immediately rubbing her head against Minerva's legs, much to Minerva's delight. She bends down and uses one finger to scratch Fig's head, who purrs in pure bliss.
There's something so damn domestic about that, that it makes Duck's heart squeeze. She had taken the grocery list and money and had gone out herself to buy what they needed, just so he could have time to get used to the changes that had taken place in the last couple of days.
"Thanks, Minnie."
He slumps down into a chair by the table, gazing up at the taller woman. She pauses in her actions, shutting the fridge door and turning to him.
"I sense that being left alone with your thoughts hasn't made things better, or worse." She takes a seat next to him, now that the food has all been put away.
"Would you…" Her voice is soft, Duck notes, this is one of those rare times where she's gentle. "Would you like to talk about it?"
He snorts. Though immediately regrets it when Minerva frowns, he's known her long enough to see that a stab of hurt went through her at that.
"Aw shit, Minerva. I wasn't laughin' at ya." He rubs the back of his neck with one hand, the other with it's fingers tapping against the oak table. "It's just been a lot these past couple days. There's a lot to say. I dunno where I'd even start. It's not like ya don't know everythin' anyway"
She's been there from the very start of it after all.
Her eyes widen in that sincere way, the way that Duck knows she can see right through him, that he can't even make an effort to lie to her (though him lying would fall flat with just about anyone).
"Wayne Newton." The way she speaks his name has him softening, there is a reassurance in the way she says it, the bond of trust built between them has been proved by his real name leaving her lips.
"Wayne Newton, I may know the events, but I do not know your story. I will not pretend that I know anything about what goes on in that head of yours."
She moves her hand, placing it firmly on top of his own. His heart stutters for a moment, and he stares at her. She merely stares back, unnerved by the flush that comes to his cheeks.
He breaks the eye contact, turning to focus on their touching hands, yet making no effort to move his away.
"Damn." His voice breaks slightly, "Damn, okay, fine. Shit."
Duck Newton takes a deep breath, closing his eyes as he pushes down whatever feelings are rising up in his chest. There's time to deal with that shit later, he tells himself.
There's time now. He realises. There's time to deal with things.
A feeling of hope floods his chest and as he turns to look back up at Minerva, he feels that maybe, just maybe everything will turn out okay.
"Alright. Let's- let's fuckin' start from the top."
Time to close this book and start fresh. A new beginning and a better start, for both of them.
This time, Duck Newton is gonna make his own destiny, he'll make sure it's a damn good one.
And he doesn't have to do it alone.