Chapter Text
He’d begged them not to go. He would gladly take the blame for losing the stupid lamp. Djinn was terrifying, sure, but at least he had morals. Probably.
Louie would rather face the cold, unfeeling consequences of his actions than face Doofus Drake.
It was a ridiculous truth to admit, but it was still the truth. And no matter how many times Louie attempted to force it to make sense coming out of his mouth, it didn’t. He’d almost stopped trying to justify it.
Doofus was creepy; so what? That was obvious.
Doofus made Louie feel uncomfortable; so what? Doofus made everyone feel uncomfortable.
Sure, Louie had been held captive by the guy, fixed to a pedestal prison and made subject to Doofus’s weird behavior. But that had come after an entire morning and afternoon full of fun rich kid things, like virtual reality swimming pools and cotton candy walls and gold bracelets. He had even been rescued before the umbrella and walnuts were put to use. Compared to most of the times Louie had been captured, it shouldn’t have felt so bad.
That didn’t change the fact that it did. It was the worst thing that had ever happened to Louie in his short life, and here he was without the words to properly explain why. He dealt with the nightmares, he confided in no one, and he comforted himself with the assurance that he would never have to go back.
And now Louie stood at the end of Doofus’s driveway, hands in his pockets so his brothers wouldn’t see how they trembled. It’s not worth it. Please, it’s not worth it. He fingered Gladstone’s diamond. It was cold. Not worth it.
But it was a mission for Scrooge, and his brothers would not be persuaded to give it up. No matter what, they would speak to Doofus, with or without Louie, and this more than anything stilled Louie’s resistance as soon as they entered the suspiciously unlocked door. Huey and Dewey were not as scared as they should have been, and if anything happened to them it would be Louie’s fault for not being brave enough to go inside.
Their footsteps echoed in the silent hallway. Even Dewey hushed his voice down to a loud whisper. “Where is everybody?”
“Not home?” Huey offered.
The feathers on the back of Louie’s neck were standing up. His heart was loud in his head. He barely heard Dewey ask him a question. “Louie, you’ve been in here before; where would Doofus keep something like Djinn’s lamp?”
Louie took a breath. “I—upstairs, I think. If it really mattered to him.”
“Okay. Then we head upstairs.”
Huey looked around nervously. “This feels a lot like breaking and entering. Shouldn’t we find somebody and just ask—”
“No.” Louie’s brothers looked at him; he’d spoken too fast. He didn’t meet their eyes. “Let’s just get the lamp and go, okay?”
It worked for Dewey, who shrugged and ran to the elevator button. Huey’s calculating concern scanned Louie for a second. “Louie, are you okay?”
“Fine.”
Huey never was good at detecting simple lies.
“Hello,” Doofus crooned as if he’d been expecting them. His parents stared hauntingly at the newcomers.
Louie felt his breathing pick up, his palms grow sweaty in terror. Dewey tugged him out of the elevator, one step closer to…to Doofus.
An ominous drifting note sounded from whatever instrument Doofus was standing behind. For the life of him Louie could not think of what it was called. Doofus looked at him. “Mmm. You’re back.”
Louie couldn’t hold back a whimper. He had to hold himself together, he couldn’t panic, he just had to keep standing straight and not cry. Easy. Easy.
“You’re just in time to hear my latest composition,” Doofus decided.
“Actually, we—”
Louie grabbed for Huey’s arm, startling him but cutting off his sentence. “Don’t,” he hissed. Huey opened his mouth again, confused, but Doofus interrupted pompously.
“Stand there.”
So they did. His brothers followed Louie’s lead. Louie glanced toward the elevator helplessly. Any hope Louie had that Doofus might not harbor any negative memories was crushed immediately. He saw the glint in Doofus’s eyes. He knew.
As long as Doofus was focused on Louie, and as long as Huey and Dewey stayed quiet, Doofus wouldn’t hurt them, wouldn’t take notice of them, wouldn’t want them.
His brothers were the only thing keeping Louie from running.
Every time Huey or Dewey tried to interject or step forward, the tension in Louie’s brain spiked. He didn’t dare speak, but his hands went out in warning. If he wants this, let him have it. It’s safest, and I need you to be safe.
Maybe they were getting it now, how crazy Doofus was. Or maybe Doofus had toned down the insanity since the last time. Maybe Louie was just paranoid about the whole thing. Maybe—
The soundtrack of the last hour they would never be getting back came to an end.
“You were saying?” Doofus said easily.
“We weren’t.” Huey was annoyed, and only Louie seemed to see the danger. He flinched. Be careful!
“You’ve been playing the theremin for an hour,” Dewey said, stunned and incredulous.
Louie spoke up, put his brothers behind him, putting their mission desperately in his own hands, because anything could set Doofus off, any complaint or disagreement or mild displeasure or desire to leave.
His persuasion skills disappeared; Louie was pleading, appealing, his brain on autopilot for the mission and his instincts submissive in self-preservation. He had his brothers to remember the information; if Louie just kept talking, kept Doofus’s attention on him, and—and he was coming closer, he was too close—
Louie couldn’t help it. His body cringed into itself, his shoulders hunching up and his hands curling and his eyes squeezing closed. Doofus leaned closer. “It was the perfect syrup boat until it ran out.” He was talking about the lamp yet, but it sounded so personal.
“I don’t think I like you anymore…new friend.”
“So I…” Doofus’s breath was on his neck, his voice was in Louie’s ear. “... disposed of it.” Louie made a stifled, frightened sound.
“It’s in your trash?” said Dewey. How can he be so calm?
Louie couldn’t have run now even if he wanted to. Doofus whistled for his butler…father, and all Louie could think was That could have been me. It could still be me. He’s right behind me. I need to get out. We got what we came for. The lamp is in—
A truck beeped out the window. “The trash cans!” Louie blurted, for the first time seeing an opportunity for escape. “The lamp!”
Huey grabbed Louie’s sleeve and they ran to the elevator, Dewey shouting out something back at Doofus that Louie didn’t care about anymore.
There were no cries of Get them! There was no gold band tugging his wrist down. Louie ran, his brothers beside him.
And they were out again. Like nothing had happened. Louie scolded his racing heart, his frantic brain, the tears that wanted to fall.
Nothing had happened.
Nothing was wrong.