Work Text:
A final note from the bass caused a reverberation strong enough to shake the audience to its core.
“Thank you, House of Mouse!” Donald quacked happily, waving his hand at the roaring crowd. “We’ll be here all week!”
"¡Vamos a estar aquí toda la semana!"
"Estaremos aqui a semana toda!"
The curtains fell. “Great show fellas, huh-ha! Listen, I was thinking about flying you guys to the House out in Acapulco.” Mickey wrapped his arm around José’s shoulder and led the bird off to discuss flights. Donald grinned to himself and headed off to the Three Caballeros’ dressing room in order to put his instrument away. He was surprised to find that Panchito had beat him there, the rooster slumped on the sofa miserably.
“Um, what are you doing here? I thought you had a whole plan set up!”
“I don’t think I should go through with it, Don!” He pushed his hat down so that it fell over his eyes. Donald immediately rushed to his side.
“Come on,” he nudged gently. “You don’t want to miss out on your chance.”
“Sí, yo sé, pero...what if he doesn’t like them?”
Donald held back a snort. “Are you kidding? I’m sure he’ll love them. You put in a lot of effort trying to find the perfect ones.” Donald omitted the fact that José was obsessed with anything Panchito touched. He wished the stupid lovebirds would get over themselves and admit their feelings for each other, but, since they wouldn’t, he took matters into his own hands.
“So...José. What do you think would be the perfect gift from a romantic partner? Massage? Dinner? Fútbol tickets?”
José sighed, taking his eyes off of the sunrise. “Why do you ask, Don?”
“Oh! I...um.” How could he answer without messing things up for Pancho?
“You’re not interested in me, are you?”
Donald sputtered, his feathers reddening. “No! I mean, I love you, but you're my best friend. I was just curious, you know?”
José’s eyes brightened. “Oh? That is a relief. I love you too, Donal’, but I...my heart is with someone else. I was afraid of having to hurt your feelings!”
“Your heart is with someone else, huh?” Donald teased lightly, elbowing the parrot. Shyly, José quickly turned his gaze back to the sky. The beautiful tangerines and violets reminded him of the comforting serape Panchito had just gifted him for his birthday.
“I know it is simple...but I like flowers. They are the ultimate symbol of life’s beleza. They hold our ecosystems together. They smell nice. They’re...how should I say? Risky.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you pluck a flower, knowingly or not, you’re ending a precious life force. You should only do that in the name of a greater good.”
“Are you sure, Don?”
He placed a friendly hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Trust me.”
Panchito nodded, standing up and jumping in place. He exhaled a long and low whistle before stepping out of the dressing room. He was immediately jabbed with an umbrella.
“Ah, my apologies, meu amigo. Great show tonight! I really liked your grito. I think you might’ve broken a window or two!” José noticed how his friend was unusually quiet. “Oh...are you okay? Did something happen?”
“I have something to give you,” Panchito chirped. He lifted up his sombrero and pulled out a brown paper bag. He rested it gently in José’s wings. “They are seeds.” Before José could ask what was going on, the rooster continued. “I understand that love is a greater good, but I would have to uproot all of the flowers on the earth in order to show you how much you mean to me.”
A teardrop fell onto the packet. Panchito finally laughed. “Espera. Let’s water them after we put them in the ground, yes?”
Still unable to form words, José took Panchito’s outstretched hand and they pushed on the backstage doors that led out of the House of Mouse.