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If there was one thing everyone knew it was the fact that the Warners Brothers studio was in fact, owned by the Warners Brothers. If there was a second thing they knew it was that that was basically meaningless. Sure, they oversaw everything, but everybody knew Bugs Bunny made the final decisions.
Perks of being the Mascot.
Not that he ever abused it, no that was unbefitting of the well-mannered, morally-superior bunny he was. But if he used it to his benefit every now and then, well, that was nobody's business but his own. If he used it to help out a certain duck every now and then, well, that was definitely nobody else's business.
Speaking of said duck...
Daffy was mad, Daffy was very very mad. Furious even. Absolutely no one was listening to him! All day he had been trying to tell them they were shooting the wrong script, but to no avail. At first he thought it was some kind of joke, ha-ha let's pick on poor Daffy- again, but he quickly realized they were just ignoring him. Again.
So he did what he always did when he was being slighted. He yelled at the director about it. It did not end well.
He was so insistent that it was the wrong script- of course it was, he was nowhere in it! He hadn't been in a script for months, obviously something was going on here. Why didn't anyone else see that?
Why was it always him?
Eventually the director had had enough of him and told him to leave the lot, he had been told that enough of times to know what it really meant. Well, fine! If they didn't recognize his talent he would go somewhere that did! There had to be somewhere...
He was an acclaimed star! He ushered in the golden stage of Looney Tunes! He was the best of the best, and he always had been! Yet from some strange reason no other studio in Hollywood ever wanted him. For some reason he always came back. And the cycle repeated.
As soon as he heard Daffy got fired, again, Bugs rolled his eyes and wondered what happened this time. It could've been anything really, Daffy always pitched a fit about the tiniest things. But working with him for years made Bugs realize he got slighted, a lot. Working with him for years meant Bugs knew just what to do to get him his job back. Not that it took a lot really, all he had to do at this point was talk to whoever fired him and convince them to get over whatever Daffy had done.
It took less than five minutes usually. And then he would tell Daffy the good news and try to get him over whatever angered him. That one took longer.
But Bugs did it, every time he did it, and he couldn't tell you why. Couldn't tell you why he always kept Daffy from being fired in the first place. Couldn't tell you why he put up with him more than everyone else did. Couldn't tell you why he only put up with Daffy.
The only thing he could tell you was he liked having Daffy around, and he would do whatever it took to keep him around.
Well, maybe he wouldn't tell you that last part.
He wasn't surprised to find Daffy right outside of the studio, ranting to himself about how he would find somewhere better. He waited for him to calm down or notice he was there, whichever happened first.
"Neh, what's up, Duck?" He asked as soon as Daffy saw him, pulling out a carrot and munching on it. He glared at Bugs.
"What isn't up, rabbit?!" He replied rhetorically. "I just got fired again! And all because I pointed out a simple mistake! The injustice!" Bugs rolled his eyes and let Daffy complain to him, trying to figure out the right response. If it was anyone else he'd know what to say immediately, but he never knew just how Daffy would react to his words. Sometimes he agreed with whatever Bugs said, sometimes he yelled and argued until Bugs lost his cool. Sometimes he didn't do anything at all.
Bugs might've hated those times the most.
"What are you doing out here?" He was suddenly asked, which tuned him back into the conversation. "Shouldn't you be filming your 20th script for today?" Daffy sarcastically added, with a hint of bitterness. Great, this mood. The mood where he blamed Bugs for everything wrong in his life like he wasn't the only person who ever stood up for him, who actually wanted him around. Bugs never understood this mood. But the duck had to take his anger out on someone he supposed.
"Thought I'd come tell you the good news." He said nonchalantly, choosing to brush it off. If he ignored it Daffy was more likely to tire himself out. Normally, he loved to rile him up but he had enough awareness to know now wasn't the right time.
But Daffy wasn't having it. "No! Unless things are going to change, I don't want to hear it! I am tired of being treated like this! Nobody even listens to me anymore!" He looked right at Bugs. "I haven't been in a script in months."
Bugs turned away at that and Daffy scoffed. Leave it to the bunny to not know how to handle it when things get serious. Finally Bugs sighed, "Look, Daff..." He sighed again and fidgeted with his hands. Daffy fought the urge to roll his eyes, knowing Bugs was trying. And considering he wasn't written to be sincere... it meant a lot that he would do this for him. It meant a lot every time he did this for him- few times they were. He didn't know what it meant that Bugs only ever did it for him. "If they can't see how talented you are, that's on them. But since when do you scream and yell instead of demanding to put in scripts?" He pointed out.
Daffy froze.
That, was a great point. Since when did he do that? Since when did he pitch a fit but ultimately not do anything? Since when did he let other people decide things for him? Since when did he just accept things? He was a duck of action; he always had been. What changed that? Well, monotony got to everyone he supposed.
Still.
"You're right! I should be in there right now making them do just that! I'm Daffy Duck, not some two-bit nobody." Bugs smirked, there was the Daffy he knew and- he knew. "And I suppose you want to take credit for this epiphany?"
"Well, it wouldn't have happened if I weren't here."
Daffy scoffed. "Please. I would've gotten there eventually. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a script to go rewrite." He added before Bugs could say anything else.
Bugs mockingly beckoned to the side and held back a snicker as Daffy stomped past him. This should be good. Still, maybe he would skip this one. If Daffy thought the only reason he was getting what he wanted was because Bugs was there... Well, it'd probably be true, but it'd cause an argument he didn't feel like having right now. Nah, it was better to just let Daffy have this one. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't be lording this over him for the foreseeable future. How could he not? It was too good to pass up, and riling Daffy up had long become his favorite pastime. There was just something about the duck's reactions that always managed to amuse him, no matter what kind of mood he was in.
But Daffy was good at that, good at a lot of things, and it always genuinely baffled Bugs that more people didn't see how talented he was. After all, not just anyone could keep up with Bugs. It took a special kind of toon to do it, and Daffy sure was special. So special in fact, that... Bugs wasn't sure he'd be able to do any of this without him. Wasn't sure how he did any of this without him before they were friends.
He owed a lot to Daffy, not that he'd ever tell him. They weren't written that for that kind of stuff.