AUTHOR'S NOTE: Esavivi on AO3 won this one-shot during Game Night on a Discord server we're a part of. I appreciate their patience as I worked out this idea. Check 'em out and support DonUno/DonOdin, y'all!

Donald Duck stepped slowly down the hall, listening to his webbed feet pat down on the cold floor against the still, silent air. If it were daytime, he would probably see his reflection where he stood, but it was dark, the only light coming from up ahead, where the hallway merged with the clearing. He wouldn't normally be awake at this hour, but the duck found himself unexpectedly risen after a vivid dream with an off feeling in his belly. He wasn't sure where it was coming from.

Sure, he may have been literal centuries away from his comfy bed in the 21st century, but duty demanded that he stay the night to get back on a tough mission in the streets of future Duckburg. Multi-gazillionaire Odin Eidolon had generously offered to set him up in a room in his luxurious penthouse home, with the finest of amenities available to him. Donald, under his hero identity of Duck Avenger, was too tired to refuse, and thus found himself staying over in the house of the most influential figure of the 23rd century, a real renaissance duck.

Donald found his thoughts drifting to Odin as he crossed the end of the hallway and into the expansive main area, on how nice he had been to him every time Donald visited the future. It was as if they had been friends for years yet they hardly knew each other for a fraction of that time.

From his view on the second level, Donald could see the entire wall-to-wall-to-ceiling window and the lush garden it was protecting. Moonlight washed everything it touched in an ethereal white glow, from the trees and flowers outside to the railing Donald walked alongside, to the doors to his left, to the grand spiral staircase in front of him.

He thought he was seeing colors strewn in the moonlight as well. He looked down over the railing and saw Odin at the couch facing out the window. He was waving his hands in the air at some holograms, poking and prodding, and occasionally shaping them with his palms. Was he working? At goodness knows o'clock at night? Surely he needed to sleep sometime?

Donald leaned in closer to get a better look at the holograms, easing himself on top of the railing carefully. A palm slipped, and Donald wobbled as his balance over the railing was compromised without warning. He tried to lean back, but his grip was lost from the railing entirely, and he tumbled over with a squeal. With a thump, Donald landed on his back on the cold floor below.

Odin looked around the room at the sudden noise, drawn away from his work by a yelp from behind. He shoved the holograms to his side and turned around to see Donald laying on the floor, groaning in pain. He rose up and strode over to help the poor duck.

"My goodness, D.A., are you alright?" he said as he approached.

Donald sat up slowly, rubbing his temples. "Just peachy, Odin. Just a little stumble is all."

"Am I right in assuming you 'stumbled' right over the balcony up above?" he said with a knowing look.

"...maybe. I saw you working on something weird, so I wanted a better look. Guess I got too bold and slipped."

"What are you doing up? Is something the matter?"

Donald stood up, stretching his back and letting out a moan at the pop that sounded. "I dunno. I had a really powerful dream, then woke up randomly with this weird feeling. I figured a glass of warm milk or something would put me at ease."

Odin smiled tenderly at Donald. "Sit down, D.A. I'll bring you some milk."

Donald wandered to the couch and plopped down next to the armrest. He had begun to settle in when the air next to him moved suddenly, and he fell away from it in shock. A table had sprung up beside the armrest from out of nowhere. Upon it was a steaming mug and a sugar cookie on a plain white saucer.

As Donald took the mug in his hands and blew some of the steam away, Odin sat down next to him. "You don't mind if I keep you company, do you?"

"Nah, not at all," Donald said, sipping gently on the milk. "Didn't you have work to do?"

"Eh, it can wait 'till tomorrow. Would you like the television on?" Odin asked. "We have some soothing programs on this time of night."

"You don't mean that Personal Virtuality stuff, right?" said Donald, wariness tinged in his voice.

Odin shook his head. "No, don't worry. I keep around an older television system." He raised a hand and a holographic panel followed suit. He tapped a few virtual buttons and the window suddenly darkened. Static enveloped it for a brief moment, before an image of a program already in progress appeared.

Donald recognized the actors as he sipped the soothing liquid in his hands, watching them passionately hamming it in as cornily as possible on screen. "Hey, this is Anxieties," he pointed out.

"Indeed," Odin replied, "an old favorite of mine, from many years back."

Something about that reply struck Donald as odd. He turned to study Odin as he watched the scene play out with fondness on his beak. "How do you know about Anxieties? That's from all the way back in my time."

"You should know," said Odin, keeping his gaze on the screen, "that I'm a very resourceful individual. Although, I was lucky enough to be attached to the show during its first run."

Donald raised his eyebrow. No way this guy was alive during the first run of Anxieties! he thought. Even if it ran for a stupid amount of seasons. His mind drifted to One, and his obsession with the show. His partner back home claimed he was studying biological behavior with the show, but Donald knew better. He knew Saxony Starbright made his circuits swoon. She did that to everyone, even artificial intelligences.

A line had connected two dots in Donald's brain. He gulped and attempted to process it as his mind spun like a hamster wheel. All those hints and he had never seen it before. Was it really possible that…

He turned back to Odin and saw he was sending a knowing look his way. He knew something. "I've been waiting for this day for centuries...old bean."

"...One?" breathed Donald. "You were One the whole time?"

"In a way, that's correct. On the outside, I am Odin Eidolon. On the inside, I am the same One that adventured by your side years ago."

Donald couldn't help but stare wide-eyed. He couldn't make himself move. He thought he was alone in this timeline, that this world of flashy tech, far-out life, and monumental threats had no place for Duck Avenger or Donald Duck. But here One was, saving a place for him for any time. His friend. The greatest person, biological or artificial, he had ever known.

Donald's eyes began to water as he fully processed his feelings. He scooted close to Odin and wrapped his arms around him. He nuzzled into his chest as his tears began to drip. Odin tensed at first but relaxed after a moment, and Donald felt him return the favor with a gentle caress of his own.

"I thought I was alone here," Donald whispered.

"You're never alone, D.A.," Odin replied, "Not then, not now, not ever."

Donald pulled away from him to study his face, the one that transcended centuries just for him. He held a gentle smile across his beak, eyes glistening against the light from the screen. One looked at Donald in just the same way. He had always wondered if what he felt about his friend had the potential to be something more. No one else truly made him feel the way that One felt. It was as if Donald couldn't be apart from him.

And, in a way, now he would never have to.

Donald smiled back, closed his eyes, and kissed Odin as time stopped around them. His heart was filled with warmth not felt in a long time as he expressed his feelings, beak to beak. It didn't matter that he was biological and Odin was not. This unlocked love was still very real. Odin was still very real. He had touched Donald to his soul, and he would be forever grateful.

Donald broke the kiss and stared at Odin, cheeks cherry red. Odin's were the same, shock over his face. It soon faded as he chuckled lightly and looked down.

"My...what a...pleasant surprise…" he said. "I suppose the warm milk did you some good?"

Donald had to laugh. "Oh, it wasn't just the milk."

He smiled a tender smile and cuddled up close to Odin as Anxieties continued to play. Donald breathed slowly, comforted by Odin's company, the best gift he could've ever given.

"Y'know, my dream was about you," said Donald, a yawn glazing across his words.

"You don't say?" laughed Odin. "Why don't you tell me all about it?"

"Well, you were there, and we were talking about somethin'. Then we sat down together a lot like this and just snuggled. I'll never forget that feeling…" Donald continued weaving the picture as much as he could, yawns breaking it up every now and again. Eventually, his words ran away, slurred from his tiredness. Happy, content thoughts laid a path back to dreamland as the warm duck settled down and snoozed against Odin's silk robe, safe and sound.

Odin scratched Donald's head gently and rested his head upon it, as the credits began to roll. "I'm alive, Avenger. As long as you never forget that...I continue to exist."