Work Text:
The battle to save the Earth was far from easy, and it would take a long while before the temperatures regulated around the globe. However, that wasn’t any reason to not celebrate their victory. Family and friends were invited to share some hot cocoa in McDuck Manor a few hours after the battle, and Mrs. Beakley was generous enough to prepare so many cups.
Della, Donald, Fethry, Gladstone and the kids were all cuddled together under one blanket on the floor. The residue of hot chocolate marked their snoring beaks, which Scrooge couldn’t help but smile at. The rest of the guests were either sleeping or talking quietly to each other… Except one.
Glomgold sat alone across the room, gripping his mug tightly. After several congratulatory handshakes following a crowd cheering his name, everyone around him began to disperse. They were grateful for his contributions to save the world, but he still wasn’t exactly easy to have a conversation with.
Scrooge stood up quietly from his chair, still wrapped in his blanket. He made his way across the room, careful not to step on anyone who had fallen asleep on the floor. Launchpad and the purple guy were quietly murmuring to each other, and Scrooge tipped his hat to them. He was in a good mood, which is perhaps why he let so many people into his mansion at once (even if they were all only allowed in one room).
Glomgold met Scrooge’s eyes as he was coming towards him, and he stiffened up. He quickly looked back down at his mug and took a slow sip.
“Flinty.” Scrooge sat down beside him.
“Scroogey.” Glomgold didn’t look up from his cocoa.
“How is it?”
“Too McDuck brand tasting.” He wouldn’t admit how good it actually was, especially compared to the Glomgold Industries brand cocoa he was used to.
Scrooge sighed. “I suppose I ought to thank you.”
Glomgold immediately perked back up. “You’re givin’ me my company back!?”
Scrooge laughed, though he was careful not to do it too loudly. “Of course not! I cannae just hand it back over to you.”
“You expect me to believe that’s a real ‘thank you’ without any sort of gift!?”
Scrooge narrowed his eyes and gestured towards the sleeping guests. “I didnae say that I came giftless! Now pipe down or you won’t be getting anything!”
Glomgold opened his beak to loudly object, but Scrooge clamped it shut with his hand.
“You impressed me today.”
He immediately tore his beak away from Scrooge’s grasp. Despite the glowering stare, his beak still flushed red. Scrooge took note of this, but didn’t comment.
“Of course I did! I impressed everyone in this room!! Or did you just so happen to miss the loud cheering of my glorious name!?”
“Curse me kilts! It’s impossible to give you any sort of compliment!” Scrooge had to refrain himself from raising his voice. He frustratedly rubbed his temples while drawing in a long breath.
“I don’t need compliments from you, McDuck!”
“Fine!”
The two ducks sat in silence for several moments. Scrooge had crossed his arms. Glomgold’s eyes scanned the sleeping figures all around the room. His gaze eventually made it to Launchpad and some purple guy sitting on the couch. They were talking quietly to one another, but seemed pretty distracted. He shifted himself slightly closer to Scrooge.
“I DON’T need the compliments from you, and I don’t even want them either! But if I did, tell me what you’d say!” Glomgold spoke much quieter than usual.
Scrooge sighed. Though he was still irritated, another feeling that was even stronger compelled him to stay.
“Not too many things can still surprise me, but you managed to today. Multiple times, in fact… I’ve always found the element of surprise to be rather exhilarating.”
Glomgold stayed silent, but began to run his fingers through his beard.
“It always reminds me that there’s always more to do and see in the world. New things to experience, new feelings to have… Sometimes it’s nice to have those reminders. They often come in the most unlikely of places.”
It took awhile for Glomgold to really process what Scrooge just said to him. Nobody had ever spoken to him with such a genuine, kind tone before. It almost felt like a foreign language.
“Uh, yes. I am pretty great.” Even in the dim light, the red hue on Glomgold’s beak grew even more obvious than before. He quickly pretended to drink from his mug, despite it obviously being empty.
Scrooge gave a curt nod to him before standing up. “Well, I better start collecting my mugs before—“
“Wait just a minute, Scrooge!”
Scrooge looked back at him with confusion.
“Uhh.” Glomgold had called Scrooge’s name on impulse, and he wasn’t quite sure why. He had to think of something, though. “I have something important to say!”
“I see.” Scrooge sat back down, a look of amusement on his face. “Go on, then.”
Glomgold’s eyes wandered the room as he toyed with his beard, thinking about what he was going to say.
“There may be the smallest, itty-bittiest chance that I don’t hate you. Not fully, any way.”
Scrooge didn’t seem surprised by this, and Glomgold felt mildly offended. However, he couldn’t bring himself to talk more about it. Something about this discussion had started to make him feel ill.
“The feeling’s mutual, Flinty.”
Scrooge held out his hand. Glomgold hesitated for a few seconds before reaching his own out to shake it.
As they were shaking hands, Glomgold remembered something Scrooge had mentioned earlier. He hoped it would help distract him from the odd sickness he was feeling.
“So… You mentioned a gift?” Glomgold grinned. Surely any gift from the richest duck would be great, even if he wasn’t getting his company back yet.
“Oh, right. How could I have forgotten?”
Scrooge leaned toward him and gave him a small peck on the cheek.
Glomgold quickly covered his cheek with both hands as Scrooge pulled away. He froze.
“Yeah, Mr. McD!”
The two old ducks looked back at the couch. Launchpad was quietly clapping his hands together, and the purple guy simply just gave them a thumb’s up. Scrooge quickly mimicked zipping his beak shut with a hard stare. Glomgold simply just glared.
Scrooge turned back towards Glomgold and took his empty mug before standing up rather hastily. “I really should begin collecting these.”
Glomgold stood up so quickly he nearly fell over, but he fortunately managed to steady himself. He didn’t want Scrooge to leave.
“Wait!”
He quickly snatched the mug from Scrooge’s hands. Fortunately, he was able to come up with an idea rather quickly.
“I bet I can collect more mugs than you can!”
Scrooge grew a competitive smile that Glomgold was all too familiar with.
“You also must remember to be quiet. If you wake one of my guests, it’s an automatic loss.”
Glomgold smiled mischievously. He was already one mug ahead of Scrooge, so he had practically already won. A part of him hoped for another little gift if he was successful.
“I’d start preparing for your loss, Scroogey!”