Chapter Text
“This is a terrible idea.”
“You got any better ones, Duck?” Aubrey shot back. Barclay nodded in hesitant agreement.
“You’re telling me that we’re going to try to fit like 15 to 20 people in one apartment for, what, like a month? That’s a terrible idea.”
“Where else are we gonna go? The Lodge is under surveillance, the Hornet’s Nest is gone, and the Cryptonomica-“ Aubrey stopped, looking down at her hands. “I can’t- we can’t do that.” Duck tried to ignore how her voice cracked, but his heart broke at it.
Barclay sighed. “She’s right, Duck. You’re the only one of us with a home not under FBI control, and you could… probably fit all of us?”
“No, actually, I can’t. I have a two-bedroom apartment! For one person! And a cat!! I can’t fit a bunch a’ cryptids and also Aubrey and Minerva and a half-dead Thacker fella and me and Millie in a two-bedroom apartment!”
Aubrey couldn’t hide a snicker. “Millie?”
“Jane named her after the old Julie Andrews movie,” Duck explained with an eye roll.
“Holy shit, Thoroughly Modern Millie?! I love that movie!” Barclay exclaimed suddenly, coughing awkwardly at the surprised glances he got from Duck and Aubrey. “Okay, anyway… look, Duck, this isn’t negotiable, alright? We don’t have anywhere else.”
“Bull. There’s a Motel 6 just down the street.”
“That’s too close to topside. Not an option.”
“Just camp in the woods?”
“Christ, Duck, it won’t be for long!” Aubrey laughed in disbelief. “What are you so worried about?”
“Look, I just- I don’t get visitors often? It’s not very clean, or- or anything like that, and there’s no way I can feed all of you on cans of chili and ramen packets. And I-I don’t wanna make anyone uncomfortable, some of the Lodge folks don’t even know me, and now they’re just gonna stay at my place? And there’s only one bathroom! You’ll have us up ‘til one just with the showers! It just doesn’t make sense.” Duck concluded, running a hand through his hair.
Aubrey looked up suddenly, a sparkle of an idea in her eyes.
“What are you thinkin’, Aubrey?” Barclay asked, obviously glad that someone was finally making progress.
“Leo lives right next to you, right, Duck? You’ve got three apartments on your floor,” Aubrey reminded.
Duck’s eyes widened. “Absolutely not. We’re not gettin’ Leo and Mrs. Pearson into this! They didn’t sign up for this! I did, and I guess Leo kinda did, but- hell, Mrs. Pearson’s like seventy, she’s wayyy too old to deal with this. No way.”
“Okay, we don’t wanna disturb her, but Leo, at least? Maybe? Please, Duck, we wouldn’t ask this if it wasn’t the last resort, you know that.” Barclay pleaded.
Aubrey gives Duck an expectant look, with just a hint of the same “Duck, you better do as you’re told” glare his mother used to give him.
“GODDDD, FINE. Fine! You know what, just fuck me! Aubrey?”
“Yes, Duck?” Aubrey asked, raising an eyebrow and giving him a victorious grin- more like Jane would instead of his ma.
“You’re sleeping on the goddamn couch.”