Donroweek2023 - Blog Posts
Donro Week Gift Day
I come bearing gift art. :O Day 7, Gift for @donro-week
Each graphic is inspired by a different creator!
For @sikyurame - A family night up on a hill to stargaze, set in the Paralyzed AU. With a special someone. ; ]
For @gyorslab - You had me at "apple farm donro!" Originally proposed a donro week much earlier on in the DT fandom, so I hope you don't mind me making a tribute to you! Would not have had the idea to run this donro week if not for you :)
For @owlsong74 - Inspired by "A Pancake-Sweet Morning". Sweet fic with a very slow, domestic donro dynamic that I adore.
For @endtr0ducin - Gyro Beats Up an Ableist, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo. Sorry Pete, someone had to play the villain for this. tw blood just in case.
If you would like to be untagged/unmentioned in this post please let me know.
QOTD: Which donro creator/fic do you recommend?
Aside from the people mentioned here, @wacky-nameless-inventor-24 and @shychick-52 write Donro fanfiction I enjoy!
Level 7 On the Danger Scale (AO3 account req.) is another fun story with DT17 Donro. As is A Nudge in the Right Direction.
There were many people who came and went making donro art and fic, and I appreciate every one of you. Also, thank you to everyone who participated in the Donro Week; you made this week full of gaiety and, well, gay birds. Two positive things!
Family
movie night
QOTD: Of course the Duck and Gearloose families will support this relationship. HDL probably are hyped that Donald has a tech bf who can show them how to build cool stuff. And while they seemed to be somewhat indifferent towards Daisy (who was very hot-and-cold to Donald), they like that Gyro makes their uncle genuinely very happy. Scrooge would be all for it, so he can score a "family discount" from Gyro's workshop. As if he doesn't pay the poor guy enough. Newton enjoys this arrangement since he's buddies with HDL at school. They get to carpool! And hang out a lot! Plus, he is probably a huge Paperinik fan and Donald is "Paperinik's best friend"... so...
Day 5: Family for @donro-week
Invention Gone Wrong
Somewhat Erroneously but Gently Corrected
"Dear, I think you forgot to wire that circuit." "Oh! You seem to be correct. Well, Helper, can you give me a hand?"
because old married donro has me in a chokehold
For Day 4: Invention Gone (Wrong-ish?) of @donro-week
QOTD: What is your favourite thing about Gyro?
The most striking thing about Gyro is his genuine desire to help people. He is able to go through any crazy ordeal, or any morally ambiguous situation, in order to invent what his clients want. Not to mention the incredibly low prices/willingness to work for free. This guy just sincerely believes in the untainted betterment of society. Comics Gyro, anyways. DT17 Gyro seems most content getting to play around with his robots. More power to him, I suppose lol.
Boats
Fanfiction for Day 3: Boats of @donro-week!
Shape of Change
As he pushed his cart down the street, Gyro Gearloose spotted a curiosity in the front yard of 1313 Webfoot Walk.
Donald Duck sat on the grass folding a paper boat.
In fact, he surmised, given the sprinkle of scattered paper boats strewn around him, he had been folding them for some time.
Gyro was of an investigative disposition, so he abandoned his cart of tinkerings and gadgets to uncover the mental mechanisms behind the paper-folding mania.
This sheet of paper had Donald bound in an unblinking transfixation. His tongue stuck out in concentration as he folded it. In this state, the usual nuisances of squirrels chattering above him or the hiss of nextdoor neighbour Jones' lawnmower seemed to roll off his bubble of hyperfocus. He could commit his mind to any little oddity, and that quality always endeared him to Gyro.
He made a cacophony of his entry, knocking the mailbox and exclaiming, "Morning, Donald!"
Donald perked up at Gyro's arrival, as he always did, and waved at him. "Hiya, Gyro!"
“What have we here?” He eyed Donald's fingers pressing a crease into the sheet of paper, folding two symmetrical halves.
With a smug grin that betrayed his bemusement, Donald said, "Why, these things? They are called paper boats."
For the sake of theatrics, Gyro sighed. He joined him in the grass, smiling despite himself. "Very funny. But what for? Helping the kids' with a school project, perhaps?"
Donald's face of cheer unmasked into something morose. "No, I just wanted to get out of the house. A lot has been going on, and it's overwhelming." He flopped backwards into the grass. The paper boat tumbled out of his grasp, joining the rest in becoming bright white lawn ornaments.
Gyro waved a fresh sheet pinched between his fingers and let it rustle. "Shall I take over on boat-making while you rest?"
A single thumbs up popped out from the grass.
So he started folding, flipping, creasing the sheet of paper with the press of two fingers, hearing it schliff. He transported himself to a time of short desks, tall teachers, and recesses spent in the library, all to access the long-buried knowledge of how to fold a paper boat. No memory was perfect, of course, but eventually, he had a crooked paper boat cupped in his two hands. Some corners stuck out in places and others were dulled by fold retakes. Asymmetry defined each face.
He turned to show his creation of irregular polygons to Donald, who had already sat up with crossed arms and a smug look on his face. Presumably, he had made Gyro’s earnest attempt to create a paper boat into a tragic spectacle.
"Hey, you," Gyro grunted. Possessed by a mischievous urge to get back at the little duck, spurred on by whimsy, he balanced the misshapen boat atop his bill.
It immediately toppled downwards.
Donald snickered, and then there they were. Two adults playing in the grass making paper boats. Donald quacked in laughter, and it wasn’t that amusing, really, but he replayed the moment the boat fell off his beak and maybe it was a little bit funny, so Gyro started laughing too. And was there anything better than sharing a little chortle together on a sunny morning?
When the laughter bubbled down, Donald said, "It's alright."
"Hm?"
Donald picked up a blank sheet. "Folding paper shapes is hard. Surprisingly hard. It requires a lot of attention and precision, and at first it felt like I couldn't ever do it well." His hands worked deftly as he continued, "The boat looks so different from a flat piece of paper, and I'm not very good at visualising how each fold affects the shape. But, you know? I took it little by little. Even though I don't see how, I have to trust that each fold matters." Presented in two hands, he held a freshly made paper boat with crisp edges and clean faces.
“I see we’re not really talking about paper boats, are we.”
Donald tilted his head with a smile and looked at him teasingly. “Nah, I was talking about paper boats.” He set the new one down on the grass.
Gyro chuckled. “If you say so.” They were, after all, surrounded by paper boats.
"But… I do feel better. The mess indoors has got nothing on me." Donald flexed an arm for emphasis and winked.
Right then, a curiosity struck at his heart.
Gyro leaned forwards and nuzzled the tip of his beak into Donald’s cheek feathers.
They were soft. Donald leaned into the preening and it filled him with warmth, the kind he felt when they shared a hug, he supposed. The moment passed as quickly as it arose, and mid-morning air filled the gap between them.
Donald moved to stand up, but his legs trembled. For a second, he inhaled, waiting for something to be released, but he only expelled a breath. Then, he smiled brightly at Gyro and extended his hand out to him.
Naturally, he took it.
“I’ll help you clean up the yard.” That was all that needed to be said.
Gyro assessed the task ahead. There were many paper boats littered around the grass. Still, he couldn’t imagine the yard without them after everything that had transpired. It must’ve meant something to Donald, because he kept sneaking glances back at Gyro. He didn’t know the shape of this change, or what it meant. But for now, he simply picked up each boat, one at a time.
QOTD: What's your favourite thing about Donald Duck?
If I had to pick one thing, it's his perseverance. In pretty much every iteration of Donald Duck, he doesn't give up when it's his big moment. He'll come close to it, of course, but at the end of the day he pulls through. He doesn't succeed all the time, but that's what makes him remarkably relatable and admirable. This quality is tied with the fact that he is a family-oriented person. I think Donald is at his most charming and likable when his loyalty and love for family is at the forefront.
Nights and Mornings
The next week....
The dawning horror of realising you are both night people.
QOTD below.
QOTD: What do Gyro and Donald not like in each other?
They adore each other in many regards, but when it comes to Donald's impatience and temper, plus self-loathing-fueled envy, Gyro finds himself more concerned for Donald. It's not always comfortable to watch the lengths Donald might go for a crumb of public validation. On Donald's part, he is unhappy that Gyro stretches himself out thin often, and for so little pay from Uncle Scrooge. Despite chiding him to not overwork, Gyro wants to be useful and disregards his advice. Donald always sticks up for his partner, but it creates some strain when Gyro once again retreats into the workshop for days trying to meet the quota.
For Day 2: Conflict of @donro-week
Lazy Days
Gamers :0c
QOTD: How did Donald and Gyro first meet? Then became partners?
I don't think there's a canon first meeting for these two. They likely met by being in the same neighbourhood. Gyro went out selling his gizmos on the street, and Donald, new on the block, was captivated by clever inventions he had in his cart. Gyro offered to follow Donald and make sure the gadget worked as intended, and as per usual things don't go as intended. So they get roped into a silly adventure together-- and a new friendship!
You could also go the childhood friends route....
And PKGyro real. I think they get together after working together in the PK-Gyro team. They start to really trust in each other through that, and it's even sweeter that Gyro and Donald share in a secret together. Donald probably asks him out first.
For Day 1: Lazy Days of @donro-week