Chapter Text
“I should’ve stayed with Teagan,” Rodger sneered, his one eye glaring viciously at Glisten. He forgot how they’d gotten to this point. Was it Glisten who started it? Was it him? Regardless, he didn’t care. He just wanted it to be over. He wanted them to be over.
“I beg your finest pardon?!” He spoke, mouth agape. “Aren’t you the one who divorced her after having a child with her?! Goodness, you’re insufferable! You’ve left Toodles without a mother, and now without a father? Are you serious? How pathetic, Rodger,” Glisten spat, fists clenched at his sides.
“Don’t bring Toodles into this. Hell, you’re just as bad as Teagan was.” Rodger rolled his eye. “Always up my handle about how horrible of a father I was. Who are you to dictate what makes a good father, Glisten? You can’t even look in the mirror without crying for Dandy's sake!”
Glisten gasped, putting a hand on his chest. “How dare you.” He frowned, tears welling up in his fragile eyes. “You know what. I’m done. I’m done with this–I’m done with you.” Glisten sobbed out before storming out of the room in a mess of tears and despair.
“Glissy?” A small voice whispered as he ran off to his room. Toodles peered at Rodger from behind the door frame, innocent eyes wide and brimming with tears. “Dad…? Dad, why were you two yelling..?”
“Get out, Toodles.” Rodger hissed, brows furrowed. “This is none of your business.”
“But dad-”
“Now.”
Toodles whimpered, hanging her head low and taking the walk of shame back towards her own room.
timeskip??
Glisten sobbed, trying to stay quiet. He clutched one of his satin pillows, his tears soaking into the delicate fabric. His acrylic nails dug into the pillow, threatening to tear the seams. Glisten wondered what he did to deserve this. To deserve Rodger yelling at him. He tightly shut his eyes, trying to combat the insecurities gnawing at him.
Was he really that imperfect?
“Why…” he weakly whispered out, eyes opening a fraction. His pupils moved towards a picture frame on his nightstand–a picture of him with Rodger and Toodles. He and his Boyfriend (were they still together? Did Rodger want anything to do with him now?) smiling brightly, Toodles on her father’s shoulders, laughing.
The picture only made his cries come louder, flooding his room with the sound of his despair. He snapped his eyes shut and turned over, trying to erase the picture out of his hurt mind.
“Glisten…?” The sudden voice broke Glisten out of his trance. He held his breath, waiting to see if the person who interrupted would leave.
“...are you crying?” Glisten cursed under his breath. It was Boxten. Boxten wouldn’t leave him alone. Not unless he asked.
“Glisten, I know you’re in there. Are you okay?” Glisten stayed quiet. “Toodles told me you and Rodger had a fight…” Glisten let out a quiet sob. He didn’t need any more reminders.
Glisten heard a quiet creak from his door as Boxten let himself in. He hurriedly buried his face in his tear-soaked pillow. He wouldn’t let Boxten see him with his face stained in tears and smudged make-up.
A sigh was Glisten’s only warning before he felt his bed shift as Boxten sat down. “Glisten…” Boxten spoke quietly, bringing a hand up to gently brush through the mirror’s hair.
Glisten trembled under the easy affection. Rodger had hardly touched him, other than that simple handhold in public that told people you were romantically involved, or a quick kiss on the cheek. He hated this. He hated how sensitive he was. He hated how badly he wanted to succumb to Boxten’s soft hand.
“Shh… it’s okay.. Uh- sorry. I’m not really good with comforting people…” Boxten mumbled, feeling a little self-conscious. Glisten wanted to tell him that he doing a perfect job. That he’d never felt lighter on his bed–but nothing came out. Just a weak whimper.
“Glisten, I-”
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. (how do people write sound effects bruh.)
The two toons jumped. Glisten’s head whipped up to stare at his door, eyes wide in fear and confusion. Boxten’s hand paused its ministrations. Glisten wished it would keep going.
“Glisten. I know you’re in there.” Rodger’s gruff, anger-filled voice came from behind the door. Glisten sunk further into his bed, clutching his pillow. “Don’t hide in your room like an incompetent worm. Come out, now.” Glisten cried, starting to shake in fear.
Boxten gulped nervously, looking from Glisten to the door. He wanted to help…he wanted to tell Rodger to leave–that Glisten didn’t want to talk to him. But nothing came out.
“I know you’re in there. I know you know I have your spare key, Glisten. I will not hesitate to let myself in if you don’t let me in,” Rodger hissed, getting increasingly angry. Why should such a big fuss be made from him talking to Glisten? That was his boyfriend, after all.
“Don’t let him in- please don’t let him in…” Glisten whimpered. Boxten had never seen him look so weak and vulnerable. The sight was almost far-fetched. How could just one toon reduce the most egotistical and confident toon in Gardenview to nothing more than tears and tremors? The thought made Boxten nauseous.
“That’s enough. I’m coming in myself.” That was all the two toons heard before Rodger jingled his keys and unlocked the door.
Boxten had never seen Glisten so horrified. Not even when the little human boys harassed him for being effeminate. During those occasions, he just looked sad, which was nothing compared to how he looked now. Boxten wanted to do something—to tell Rodger to mind his own, or perhaps hit him? He didn’t care. As long as he was away from Glisten.
The door opened, revealing the one-eyed monster that was named Rodger. He looked horrible—not in the way Glisten looked horrible, but in the way that a manipulator did after having a tantrum. His suit was wrinkled, his eye looked bloodshot—not from crying, but from nothing but sheer rage.
“Oh. Now I see why you wouldn’t open the door. You were spreading your legs for that filthy box, weren’t you, Glisten?” Rodger sneered, drawing out Glisten’s name. It made Glisten feel worthless—like gum on the bottom of Rodger’s shoe.
Boxten and Glisten’s eyes widened in near unison. Glisten’s eyes brimmed further with tears. “WHAT? How could you ever- is that really what you think of me?” Glisten sobbed. Boxten wrapped him in a loose hug, glaring at Rodger. He had no clue where his sudden burst of confidence came from, but he’d be damned if he let Rodger throw around accusations like that.
“What? Puppy protecting his toy? Give me a break.” Rodger walked over to Glisten’s bed in a few long strides, raising his hand to smack Boxten away.
Glisten gasped, freeing himself from Boxten’s hold and staring at Rodger almost pleadingly. “No- no, don’t hurt him, Rodger, please—just take me, okay? I’ll- I’ll do whatever you needed me for.”
Rodger rolled his eyes, scoffing in disbelief. “Are you seriously this pathetic, Glisten? I’ve seen victims of murder with a stronger will than you,” he snapped, grabbing the mirror’s wrist tightly and pulling him off the bed. Boxten shouted in protest, but was quickly shut up by a nasty glare sent his way.
“Now, Glisten. Come along. That pathetic box can find his way to his own room now, don’t you think?” Rodger said with a smile, tugging Glisten out of his room. Glisten stumbled along the way, legs shaky and brain still scrambled from his earlier breakdown. Boxten could only stare in awe.
Rodger dragged his lover through the hall, up the stairs, and into his own room. He ignored the eyes of curious toons on them—if they had a problem or had questions, then that had nothing to do with him. They could gossip all they wanted to. He could care less.
“Go on. Clean yourself up. You look disgusting,” Rodger hissed, shoving Glisten toward his desk. At this point in their relationship, Glisten practically co-existed in Rodger’s room. As a result, Rodger had acquired a small stash of beauty care supplies in his desk–including make-up and cleansing wipes.
Glisten whimpered as he stumbled towards the desk, just barely managing to not collide with it. With shaky hands, he took a wipe in hand, rubbing off his ruined makeup and tear stains. He thought of the irony of his situation. Him; one of the most confident, egotistical toons in Gardenview making himself pretty for a man who hardly respected the ground he walked on.
He resisted the urge to sob as he did the task of putting on makeup. A task once calming and comforting to him now felt grueling and painful. How one toon could ruin his favorite hobby and one of the things he was best at was beyond him. Maybe Rodger was right, maybe he really was as pathetic as Rodger told him he was. A pissy cat who needed obedience smacked into him.
When he was done, he looked in the mirror. He didn’t feel beautiful like he normally did. He just felt sad. His makeup looked as forced as he felt.
“There… now, was that so hard, Glisten?” Rodger said, sounding as evil as his actions were. His voice gave Glisten goosebumps, and not in the romantical, flustered way. He was scared.
God, what did he do to deserve this?