Normal

3sides1eye:

this is not a ship, idk anyone who ships mama and duck but well. u never know

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She knew Duck wasn’t as ‘normal’ as he acted.

It had begun subtle- his lack of reaction to the supernatural, his elusiveness over his background, just how much it frustrated him that he couldn’t lie- he was, without a doubt, hiding something. The sword was, of course, a bigger tell. It raised even more questions though- because the sword wasn’t Sylvan. She’d initially assumed that Duck had simply been exposed to Sylvane before, but Beacon wasn’t Sylvan. This was something much bigger.

 Besides, Duck was human. And yet, like Aubrey, he was magic. He was, for lack of better word, lucky. Unnaturally so, inhumanly so. He should have died, so many times, but he hadn’t. But unlike Aubrey, this magic didn’t function in the way Sylvan magic did. It was something else.

There were other signs too. If they were having a meeting around 6, Duck would stammer out an excuse and leave mid-way though, only to return a few minutes later. She’d started to schedule meetings specifically at 6 just to see if it was just a coincidence. But sure enough, about 15 minutes in, consistently, he would leave. She wasn’t stupid, she could tell something was up. But for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what.

She didn’t trust him. Aubrey, she trusted. Aubrey was open about her background, she was a young, good-natured thing. She was just a kid. She was like the Sylvans- a wayward spirit far from home. Ned…nobody trusted Ned. But at least Ned was openly distrustworthy, the con man was more than aware of it. She trusted him to keep their secret, and that was about it. It was Duck’s subtleness that concerned her. Nobody else seemed to realize just how much he kept hidden. It was almost comical in combination with his horrific lying, but Duck had far more secrets than the rest of them. That concerned her.

She cornered him, one day. Asked him. And he said- he said he wouldn’t betray them. That he would never, never hurt anyone. He was telling the truth. But that wasn’t an answer.

It was after the trio had met Indrid where she started to get an inkling.

Indrid had started to help them, relaying information about his visions. And there were times where…where Duck knew. Indrid would start explaining and Duck- ever so subtly, it was always just barely noticeable with him- would fill in the gaps. An off-hand suggestion or sly comment that always, always, hit the nail right on its head. Those days- the days where he’d help fill in- he seemed more tired, those days. Exhausted. But he was always, always right. And, yeah, his suggestions were vague, more unclear than Indrid’s. But he always right.

Indrid knew, too. Of course he did. He knew more than her, more than anyone, maybe even more than Duck. She’d asked him, one day. Marched right on up to his grimy trailer, and knocked on the door. He’d simply smiled, the smile he’d always have when he knew something she didn’t.

 All he said was, “Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough.”

(He was right, of course. The bastard.)

She knew it was something with the future. Something with another realm. But it seemed the closer she got to answering one question, thirty more questions were raised. She didn’t know.

She found out during a fight with an Abomination. Or rather, after one. It had been a rough fight- Duck was the only one left standing. Aubrey and Ned were in the hospital undergoing surgery- they’d both been hurt pretty badly. Duck was roughed up too, probably a broken rib, but he’d adamantly refused to be treated until he knew for certain Aubrey and Ned would be okay.

Duck was…terrified, it seemed. He was restless, pacing the floor, sitting down for a few minutes anxiously tapping his foot, before standing up and pacing again. He was on the verge of tears, kept glancing at the door, desperately awaiting some news about their conditions. She’d never seen him this distraught. And while she didn’t trust him she wasn’t heartless. Of course she still cared for him and his team. So she spoke up, trying to calm him down,

“Duck, they’ll be okay. I’ve seen things like this happen, trust me. They’ll be okay. Neither of them were in critical condition. Just…try to relax.”

“It should have been me,” he’d murmured in response, still anxiously pacing.

“What?”

“It should have been me!” He finally stopped pacing and turned towards her and she could see the tears rolling down his face. “I’m the tough one! I’m the one who can take hits! If I had been them, I woulda been fine! But no! I’m always gonna be the one who fuckin survives! Because I-“ he pulled at his hair, voice getting thicker with emotion. “Why did it have to be me? Why- I” a sob burst through.  Tears wracked his body, as he fell to the floor.

She quickly got out of her chair and rushed to his side.  “Hey, hey-it’s okay, they’re okay.” She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and he sank into her. She was reminded of Aubrey, in the waiting room all those weeks ago.

There was a long silence, and finally, he explained. “When I was 18, I- I was told I was meant for something…greater. Something otherworldly. Not human, not Sylvan…I don’t know what it was, honestly. But it was terrifying. So for years, I…ran.  But then it all caught up on me, and I couldn’t run anymore. Not since…the day I met you and Aubrey and Ned.  But I’m still terrified because…do you know how it feels to be told you’re meant for something greater, and not believe it? And I just…what if destiny was wrong? Or what if I ran away for too long? Because If I’m right…if I fail. Then according to destiny, I’ll be the only one left standing. And I…fuck.”

Mama…she didn’t know how to react to that. It explained…a lot. Not everything. It confused her even more. She still didn’t fully trust him. But answers didn’t matter right now. Trust didn’t matter right now.

“When I first joined the Pine Guard, I was terrified,” she began, softly. He looked up at her. “And it…didn’t get better. We lost a lot of folks, good folk. People the same as you an’ me. I’m one of the only original members left. And, hell, I’ve made mistakes that cost people their lives. And I’ve watched my closest friends die. And I’m worried that one day, I’ll make a mistake that will cost…everything. Or that we don’t stop the Abominations, that we’ll fail, and I’ll be what’s left. And I can’t promise that I won’t fail, or that you won’t. But what’s important, Duck, is that you’re not alone. Destiny chose you to…join us. Heroes don’t work alone. So…we either succeed together. Or we fail together. No matter what, we’re a team. Alright?”

“I…thanks, Mama,” he said, smiling weakly. And as they lay there, on the floor, she came to a realization.

Duck wasn’t as normal as he pretended to be. But in her world, neither was anyone else.