Life is Like a Hurricane (ducktales 2017)

Old Rivals

Backstory: Episode 2 included Louie's famous line "Wait, are they going to kiss?" in regards to Uncle Donald and Mrs. Beakley. I couldn't help remembering it while watching episode 7, which included yet another long stare... (and yes, I've added Louie to the scene)

***

"It's a staring contest," Dewey repeated, as the triplets watched the two billionaires glare at each other from their chairs in the middle of the room.

"Ewww, you're not going to kiss, are you?" Louie announced, making a face.

"Louie!" Huey and Dewey shouted, their eyes darting to the youngest triplet.

"What?" the green-clad duckling asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't mind him, Uncle Scrooge. If you like guys, that's fine with us. No judgement," Huey insisted.

"Yeah, we're not that narrow-minded," Dewey added, elbowing his younger brother.

"I didn't mean it like that," Louie groaned, rolling his eyes. Flinging out a hand toward the billionaires, he stated, "They're both like SUPER old. Way too old to be making out."

Flintheart let out a laugh, but continued to hold his stare. "Your boy is a hoot, Scroogie."

"Apparently," Scrooge grumbled in a deadpan tone.

The heftier billionaire's sly grin deepened, his eyes narrowing in amusement. "Should I tell him about the time..."

"No," Scrooge interrupted, his own eyes narrowing at his rival.

"So, have you two...?" Dewey glanced back and forth between the older men.

"Dewey, you can't just ask them those things. That's super private!" Huey argued.

"Scroogie and I have done plenty of things," Flintheart chuckled, not at all phased by the ferocity in his rival's gaze.

"Ewww!" the ducklings groaned in unison.

"Glomgold!" Scrooge nearly shouted, leaning forward in his seat. Without averting his eyes from his rival, he called toward the children, "Louie, we're old, not dead. Our intimate lives are our business, I'll thank you to remember."

"Oh, come on now. I wasn't going to say anything weird," Flintheart insisted. "I was merely going to say that the two of us have gone on many... adventures together."

"Sure, you were," Scrooge grumbled, sitting back in his chair with a huff. He hoped that would be the end of it.

"Well, at least they're not getting hitched," Louie suddenly exclaimed, taking his phone out of his pocket to fiddle with it.

"What? If they got married, Flint would likely move in with us, since Scrooge is richer than he is," Louie explained.

"HEY!" the hefty billionaire shouted, clearly annoyed.

"We'd have to call him 'Uncle Flint,' and then he and Uncle Scrooge would stare at each other EVERY day," the hoodie-wearing triplet said with a groan.

"You know, boys, if I recall correctly, I DID ask your great uncle to marry me... many, many years ago," Flintheart told them, his eyes still focused on the other billionaire.

"Yes, you did. It wasn't even legal back then," Scrooge said, leaning his chin on his hand as he kept up the stare.

"It is now." Flintheart's eyebrows wiggled in amusement.

"Yes, yes it is," Scrooge had to agree.

Huey let out a loud gasp. "ARE you getting married? And can I help plan the wedding?"

"Ooh, you should say your vows while jumping out of an airplane!" Dewey insisted, making jet noises.

"If you DO get hitched, you'd leave your combined fortune to me, right?" Louie added, suddenly on board with the idea now that money was involved.

"Louie!"

"A lad after my own blackened heart," Flintheart chuckled.

Conceding defeat, Scrooge broke eye contact and turned to look at his boys.

"Yesss! I won!" the other billionaire yelled, standing on the chair and doing a victory dance — that nearly ended with him falling off the chair.

"Sometimes it's best to give your rival a small win — to keep their spirits up," Scrooge whispered to his nephews.

"I can't wait to start a wedding checklist," Huey said, clicking his pen and pulling out his notebook with unbridled excitement.

"We've got to tell Webby. I bet she'd love to help," Dewey said. Pulling his brothers close, he yelled, "Come on, boys. We have a wedding to plan!"

"Wait, boys... And there they go," Scrooge sighed, watching the triplets race out of the room. Across from him, his rival was still gloating loudly from atop his chair.

"Flinty, sit down NOW!" Scrooge demanded, pointing his cane at the other man. The other billionaire blinked at him, then sat down quickly. "Now, what are we going to do about this situation? If I know the boys, and I do, they're going to be babbling about this all the way back to the mansion."

"Uh, well... we could get married," Flintheart said. "It is legal now."

"I thought you LIKED being rivals," Scrooge commented, frowning at him.

"I DO! I asked you to marry me decades ago, Scroogie," Flintheart stated, suddenly serious. "You said no, repeatedly. I didn't think the topic would come up again."

"Oh... well, I suppose that's true. I mean, if we DID get married, who would pay for it all?" Scrooge said, leaning back in his chair.

"You WANT to get married? If that's a yes, then I will pay for it. But only if you're saying yes," Flintheart announced, his eyes fixed on the other duck.

"I can't say anything if a certain someone doesn't ask me properly," Scrooge grumbled, narrowing his eyes at the other billionaire.

Flintheart rushed to get down on one knee in front of Scrooge's chair. "I can't believe this day is finally happening. And I left the ring at home, and everything."

"You still have the ring?" Scrooge asked, blinking in amazement.

"Well, yeah. I guess I just always had that small hope that you'd one day say yes. No ring today, but Scroogie... will you marry me?" Flintheart's tone was astonishingly sincere.

"I... er... I suppose so. But we'll have to hash out some legal details in regards to our estates," Scrooge said, trying not to let his emotions show on his face. Inside, his heart was beating rapidly at the idea, and there was definitely a red tinge to his ivory cheeks.

"YES! I finally did it! I WON!" Flintheart crowed, pumping a fist into the air.

Scrooge's eyes immediately narrowed. "You won?" His icy tone was enough to force the other duck to calm down immediately.

"I mean... I'm happy that you said yes, Scrooge. I've wanted to marry you for a very long time," Flintheart amended, sitting back down in his chair to smile, genuinely, at his fiancée.

"Much better," Scrooge said, smiling calmly back. He didn't expect the other man to just forget their lifelong rivalry overnight, but he was sure he could wear Flinty down. Now he just had to deal with his family's reactions to the news.