All that time never truly seeing the things the way they were...

[moneymatters]

Scrooge walked away from the balcony room, shaking his head lightly and chuckling, faintly, to himself. What an interesting day this had turned out to be.

At a thought he glanced beside him, watching Louie out of the corner of one eye. When he figured they were far enough away from their other guests, he spoke.

"I never would've figured you for a romantic, lad. That seems more Huey's area than yours." A more defined chuckle. "No offense at tha', o'course."

Comments

[talkyourwayout]

Interesting was a good word for the day, all things considered - Louie was wiped, but not in an unpleasant way...? It was more of a cozy sort of tiredness. He'd been smiling as they walked, until Scrooge made that comment. That smile vanished quick, then - and he stopped in place for a bit, before picking up his stride again.

"I'm not," he said with a one-shouldered shrug. "I mean, they're my friends, and I've known for a while that they liked each other, so it's just... Kinda nice, I guess. But I'm not- I'm not really into that stuff, usually."

[moneymatters]

"If I hadn't given you my handkerchief, we'd have to run your hoodie through the dryer again." A little light tease, as he started descending the stairs.

[talkyourwayout]

"What? I said usually," Louie pointed out, with a hint of a laugh in his tone, as he rolled his eyes. "It's okay with other people, but..." He shrugged again. "Eh."

[moneymatters]

"It's alright, you know. To be caught up in a moment like that. I admit that even this old salt felt somethin', watching them connect like that."

[talkyourwayout]

He was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, you're right. You are an old salt," he teased, before sighing. "I guess I know that it's okay... I mean, there was a long time where I didn't think it was? But-" He smiled up at Scrooge, then. "-A lot's changed lately."

[moneymatters]

The first part got an honest laugh out of him, though as Louie went on, he listened fully. Glancing at him, he nodded and smile.

"Aye, quite a lot has happened recently." He reached the bottom of the steps and glanced up a moment, then back. "To stick with the subject at hand, I think you've changed quite a lot just since you caught that wee Fraggle in the garden."

[talkyourwayout]

"I..." Louie paused. It was a little hard to say it, but he managed, and even smiled as he did so. "I never had friends who were just my friends before - I've always shared with someone. I mean, I guess that'd change anyone, huh?" He paused, chuckling. "I mean, Gobo and Mokey do have other friends, but it's... Different."

[moneymatters]

"Believe me, I'm no only child, and I'm also surrounded by sibling groups. I know what it's like to feel like everything is shared, and how special it is to have something that's just yours."

Smiling, he led Louie into the kitchen, where he intended to make good on the earlier abandoned idea of something warm to drink.

"But there's something else, some quality I cannae quite put my finger on. You've already begun opening up just on your own experiences from home, and the ones we have shared, but I think your friendship with Gobo has done you well so far."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie leaned against the kitchen counter, arms folded on top of it, and stared off at nothing in particular.

"I think so, too... It's a little weird, but I like who I can be with those guys - it's kind of like - I don't know - coming home."

[moneymatters]

"Oh?" He looked up with a curious smile, while getting some mugs down. "Why do you think that is?"

[talkyourwayout]

"I'm not sure, really," Louie admitted. "I guess with all the playing around, and singing and dancing, and just how simple things can be down at the Rock, it's kind of like... When I was a kid. Huh. Yeah, it is like that."

He smiled a tiny, lopsided smile at that realization.

[moneymatters]

He elected not to point out Louie still was a kid, technically; he knew what he meant.

"They do seem to live quite the carefree life, don't they."

[talkyourwayout]

"They do! It's really cool, Unca Scrooge. I mean, I don't know if you'd like being down there for too long-" A little snicker. "-but whenever I go visit for a while, I don't know, it just feels really nice. Like home did before I knew some of the stuff I know now."

Before he'd realized how tough things were for Uncle Donald, honestly - and how tight the family's money was. Before he'd figured out they were barely making ends meet. Before he'd promised himself he wouldn't grow up to struggle like that, and would never put in all that work for nothing, like Donald did.

[moneymatters]

That got a genuine curious glance from him, as he handed over Louie's drink.

"Before you knew.. what?"

[talkyourwayout]

He'd never talked about this with anyone. Not even Donald himself... Louie's smile faded a little. But he trusted Scrooge so much- he could talk to him about it. Besides, he'd let that slip out. It was only fair, he supposed.

"Before I knew how much trouble Uncle Donald has... You know, with finding jobs - and keeping jobs - and money- stuff like that."

He finally refocused his gaze as he finished talking, looking first at the mug, then up to Scrooge, then back at the mug as he wrapped his hands around it. It was nice and warm, a welcome comfort just now.

[moneymatters]

"Ahh, I see." Gesturing a little, he walked over to the table and sat down with Louie. "I can certainly see why that might crack one's view a little."

He paused, sipping his own drink, taking his time as he put his words together. Setting the mug down, he laid both hands around it.

"I'd wager that's why you are the way you are, aye?" He held a hand up slightly, then rested it back. "I know because that's the way it is with me, too."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie sat down across from Scrooge, and had opened his beak to protest when the older duck held up his hand.

As Scrooge went on, Louie's eyes went wide, and he swallowed - which was a bit difficult. His throat and mouth were suddenly dry. "Y...Yeah?" he managed to croak out. "Is it really?"

[moneymatters]

"I grew up having nothing. Less than nothing, honestly. And over time, I learned that's why I cling so tightly to everything I've gained since."

A long drink, then he continued.

"That's somethin' about poverty, you know. Growing up in that sort of environment, you get a mindset of 'easy come, easy go.' And it's always more 'go' than 'come,' so when you finally have something, anything, you want to keep it. Especially if it's money.

"Of course, the converse can also happen. One can become quite the spendthrift even if they grew up poor, to buy the finer things you've been denied so long while you've got the money to spend. I, and I believe you, belong more to the former, though."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie glanced off to the side, blushing a bit. "I... Paid a hundred million for an ottoman," he mumbled. "But yeah. You have the right idea."

He sighed and looked back up at Scrooge. "Look, Uncle Donald does a lot for me and my brothers, and I appreciate it! But... I don't want a life like his."

[moneymatters]

Scrooge glanced at Louie, then laughed lightly. "So, you're a little bit o' both. I'm still right."

A lightly teasing smile, and he went on. "I don't blame you, in wanting a life where you're comfortable." He looked up toward the ceiling, thoughtfully rubbing his thumb on his mug.

"Fraggles don't have money, do they."

[talkyourwayout]

That was a nice affirmation, honestly - hearing that it was okay for him to want a comfortable life as he grew older. Sometimes, he wasn't sure if that was something he just... Wasn't supposed to expect to have.

"Thanks. And nah, Fraggles... Don't use money. Oh."

[moneymatters]

He nodded a bit to himself, then glanced at Louie.

"Can I share a bit of a secret with you? Something I've figured out over time."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie nodded, a bit hesitantly. "Sure, Unca Scrooge. What's up?"

[moneymatters]

A slight smile. "I think if others heard me say this, they'd check to see I hadn't finally lost it." He laughed softly.

"Money is nothing but a bother and a stressor. That's not to say you shouldn't strive for a comfortable life, I want you to. But ultimate riches are more trouble than they're worth. I believe you know a bit o' that yourself now, eh?"

He tilted his head back some, looking somewhat toward the ceiling, but more staring off into the distance. "I get plenty of pleasure out of money. Of swimming and diving through it, and tossin' it up and letting it hit me on the head. And I loved the life I had to get to the spot I am now, and the thrill of keeping it there. But at the same time, I can't ignore what it's done to me over time." As he talked, his hand strayed to his chest, fingertips rubbing idly. "The secret is, there's more to life than money. Than having riches, having it all, and fighting to keep it. You can scrape and scrimp and fight and save all your life, even get five cubic acres of it if you really tried...

"But you won't be rich."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie smiled, at first, but his smile faded into something less comfortable and content as Scrooge went on. It kind of shook things to hear him say that, even if he'd alluded to as much in the past.

Besides, he could recall a few other - similar - times where Scrooge had placed a hand to his chest that way, and it left Louie a bit unnerved - he couldn't place why, though.

"Right..." He said after a moment. He did believe Scrooge, it was just a lot to take in. "So what does make a person rich, would you say?"