Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"True loves kiss!? That's what you think they went for as a cure!?" Vee paced back and fourth in her room, Brightney listening intently. 

"It does seem quite... fairy-telly, we actually read Snow White in book club the other week! Did you know the apple isn't the only time the Evil Queen tries to-"

"Seriously! You believe they couldn't have made an actual antidote!? That is utterly i-i-illogical!" Vee's voice box and screen glitches out with her fury. 

Brightney flinched back at her outburst. 

"...So is making actual posion apples? I'm not even sure what they were thinking, tampering with something that could hurt toons. But, surely they thought of a way to undo it?..." 

Vee huffed, and sat with her arms and legs crossed. "Well regardless. It was not properly disposed of, and now I am back to square one, I do not like this. Infact, I hate it."

The lamps face softened, and she rubbed Vee's arm comfortingly. "Hey, I know... it's rather stressful. I think maybe we should go read for a bit, it could help your systems cool?"

Vee looked the other way, "I don't have time to take a break. My calculations along side updates from Astro indicate Glisten's state is worsening, and the worsening is accelerating... I need a solution, now."

"And we will find one..." Brightney took Vee's chin and turned her towards her face. "But you can't run yourself into the ground, you won't be able to help if you're glitching out..."

Vee's digital lips pursed. 

"...I'll be fine, my systems can and will take it."

Rodger scanned over the material again, and again.

The apple modification is a failure, alas, I tried. This was a waste of resources, but not my time. I can use this knowledge for further opportunities. Until then, I'll dispose of these. The paragraph read.

It was entirely foolish. 

There was absolutely no way they went through the effort to create a literal posion to toons for an episode. Why not have them just act the part as always? This had to be part of a bigger picture. Especially with the implications of using this sort of chemistry elsewhere. 

His working theory, is since toons can't be starved, frozen, overheated (most of them anyways) and other ways of death, besides blunging, they needed a way to... dispose of them.

And what better way than a story as deadly as a Grimm fairy tale?

Perhaps that episode plot was a cover too... he remembers there being some criticisms to the toons that so happen to have been planned to be in the episode. 

Teagan was criticized by parents for bring too 'Sexy' looking. 

Gigi was a nightmare for staff to control. 

Razzle and Dazzle were a mistake to begin with, he saw their concept art—They we meant to be two separate toons.

And Astro... seemed to be too shy of a 'character' to really engage with the children. (Of course, upper management only saw them as props as opposed to people.)

Not to mention he could just tell Glisten was getting worse... the mirror began running a fever the other day. His keen eye observed every little change for the worse. 

He was on a deadline, but didn't know the date. And that scared him.

He groaned, leaning over his desk with his head rested in his hands. He was utterly exhausted, and worrying out of his mind. Because he was undoubtedly attached to the mirror... he knows the healers have been trying to help, giving medicine and well, healing to the unconscious toon, and Astro's attempts to wake him weren't unnoticed, simply fruitless. 

Rodger himself was theorizing how to concoct an antidote. Putting any clues together and providing them to Shelly, Boxten and Brightney. Surely, he thought, Gardenviews most brilliant brains could come up with something, yes?

And yet, they provided nothing.

While thinking of those toons, his mind wandered back to a theory Brightney had. True loves kiss. As she put it.

It seemed ridiculous to him, especially with the evidence supporting the idea the entire fairytale plot was an attempted murder.

But also, from his knowledge. Glisten simply... wasn't interested in anyone. 

Not like how Rodger was interested in him.

A small, tiny part of him indulged in the idea. Of being the so called prince, of waking Glisten up because the mirror felt the same way. What a foolish man he must be, to even entertain such obserdity.

He needs to get back to reality. 

He came to visit Glisten again. He's been doing it less and less as he threw himself deeper into his work as Glisten's condition only worsened. 

As he stepped into the room, he half shut the door, not quite paying attention to anything but the body in the bed. 

His golden frame seemed to be losing it's colour, slowly turning into a grayer, less shiny gold. And his ribbon drooped pitifully, it's once vibrant pink gone dusty. His cheeks had since lost its perky blush, and deep eyebags seemed to form under his eyes despite the over extended rest.

Scraps was also in there. Sitting on one of the many chairs that had been brought in, she had a sketch pad and pencil in hand. Seemingly sketching the sleeping Glisten.

"Keeping yourself busy, I see?" Rodger commented as he came in, putting his brief case down and settling into a chair next to her.

"Oh, Rodger, hey!" She smiled softly. "Yeah, uh... just figured it'd be good for me... I kinda miss him." She admits.

Rodger near pouted at that. "He isn't gone... not yet." 

"Well, I know that, but... he kinda is gone, just... not dead..." Scraps erased something from her sketch, "It's not the same without him around... Goob's really upset about it."  

He cringed. Dead. Nobody had really brought up the genuine possibility of death until now. Rather he admired her or resented her for the suggestion, he didn't know.

"...Right." He looked away. Now just watching over the peaceful Glisten. Even now, in such a dire situation. He looked like a God, gorgeous and elegance. It was a small comfort to Rodger. 

And then he heard a gasp. He turned around, and saw a frankly scared looking Toodles had opened the door.

He didn't shut the door. 

"Sweetheart-"

"Whats wrong with him!?" She yelped, running over to the bed and crawling into it. Looking distressed at how bad Glisten seemed.

"Oh, Toodles! Hey, hey it's okay!" Scraps quickly got up. "He's just sick, remember?" She said in her big sister tone. Picking up the girl and putting her down, crouching down a little to be on Toodles level.

"...Yes, Toodles... we can't get too close." The lie felt bitter in his body.

"Liar!" Toodles pushed Scraps away. "You all keep saying he's sick! But you all keep coming in here! And you're leaving me out! I like Glisten too!" She cried.

"Dear, please- it's... Grown ups can handle the... sickness, better..."

"But you're lying! You're still lying!" Toodles looked mad now. "I'm big enough to know he's not the kind of sick I can get! I wanna see him too, it's not fair!" 

Before Rodger could screw up any further, Scraps stepped in. "You're right, we did lie. And, that wasn't okay, I'm sorry." She got to Toodles leven again, now on her knees instead of crouched down. "We thought this might be too scary for you, but we should've told you the truth instead... Forgive me?" Scraps offered the half done Drawing to the child as a peace offering.

The girl took the page, looking down at it before hugging it, and nodding. 

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, still pouting, but less so. "...We need to make him feel better!"

Rodgers heart broke at that. 

"That... would be desirable, yes..." Toodles started climbing onto the bed again. This time, Rodger helped her up.

Toodles got near his face, comparing him to the sketch and stuck her tongue as she thought. Before suddenly running off.

"Uh-" Scraps confusion was just as obvious as Rodger's was.

Then the eight year old came running back in, paper exchanged for a doggy stuffy in hand. And held it up. "This is my puppy! She keeps me safe! But I think you need her more right now..." Toodles tucks the toy in near Glisten's head.

"That's really sweet of you, Toodles..." Rodger sat down on the bed next to her. "I'm sure he would appreciate it."

She nodded. "And now we gotta kiss it better!"

"Uh, what?" 

Scraps snorted. And Toodles continues. "The moms and dads used to kiss their kids scrapes and bruises better! So we should do that! Like this!" Toodles kissed her doggys head. 

"Ah, I see, yes." He gave a 'kiss' to the puppy plush. 

"Now you do it on Glisten!"

"Oh my gooooooshhh-" Scraps wheezed in the background. Rodgers slightly blushed. "Toodles... I don't think that's a good idea..." 

"Why not?" 

"It's... you should ask permission to do that..."

Toodles hummed. "But... you sometimes kiss my forehead when I'm sleeping! So you should kiss his forehead!" 

Scraps laughed at that. And Rodger shot her a dirty look. Before back to the little one. "It's just... more complicated than that- no, no." Toodles started using her puppy dog eyes.

"Pleeeeeasssse?"

"Toodles, I'm putting my foot down-"

"PLEEAS-"

"Fine!" Rodger got up, hands tucked behind his back.. "I will do it this once, on the forehead. Nothing more."

"Yay!" Toodles cheered, and Scraps had a fresh page of her sketch book out and ready to capture the moment.

Rodger's face heated up ever so slightly. Looking around the room before he went around the bed, hands planted on the soft covers, he leaned over.

"...Get better soon." He mumbled, before giving an incredibly fast peck on the head. A little clink! was heard.

"There, are you satisfied?" He asked tiredly to Toodles, who giggled and nodded. Honestly, she just thought it would be a nice thing to do, and a little funny! 

Then the covers stir a bit. As the three heads in the room snap over to Glisten. Who whined softly, his eyes fluttering open. 

"Mmm.... Rodger?..." Glisten asked in a soft, dreamy voice. Before being immediately pulled into a hug by both Toodles and the detective. 

"I told you it would work! I told you I told you I told you!" Toodles squealed. Scraps, shocked, had gotten up, and went to go get the others.

"W-What's going on?-" Rodger cut him off.

"I am... so relieved you're alright." 

Glisten's confusion remained, but he forced a slight smile and patted both their backs. "I'm always alright, you know this!"

"GLISTEN!" Vee and Boxten said in unison, before going over to him—Vee took Rodger's shoulder and pulled him back, shooing him. Before back to Glisten. "Do you know your name? On a scale of one to ten how would you rate your pain? How many fingers am I holding up? Are you a homosexual?" She rapidly fired questions to him in a monotone voice, trying to gage the damage.

After a second to process, Glisten answered. "Uh- Glisten, obviously. I'm not in pain? You're holding up five, and, yes??" 

She sighs with relief. "You seem to be functioning, then."

A few more toons, like Teagan, Sprout, Astro and Brightney funneled into the room. Glisten could feel himself starting to feel a bit suffocated. So Scraps took charge.

"Alright, alright! Everyone out! Astro and Sprout, you two can stay to check up on him, Rodger can too since he was here to see him wake up."

"—Excuse me?" Vee's screen glitched.

"You heard me, march!" Scraps upbeat tone said with a playful smile as she pointed towards the door, planning on leaving herself. 

The other toons gave glances to eachother, but nodded. Teagan took Toodles, who waved bye to Glisten as they all shuffled out. Leaving Rodger, Sprout, Astro... and Vee.

"No. I'm staying too." Vee huffed.

"This is not the time for another entitled temper tantrum..." The detective mumbled. 

"I'll show you a temper." Vee looked ready to punch him when Astro gave her a look. Glisten cleared his throat.

"I feel like I missed out on some drama, however, Vee—bestie, bitch, girly pop, I think you should leave just for a bit? You can fill me in after." 

Vee's eyes narrowed.

"Are you actually choosing him over me?" 

Astro shifted uncomfortably, nudging Vee with one of his stars. "...he's not picking sides..."

"Yeah, you need to chill." Sprout crossed his arms. 

"No, you need to stop trying to gatekeep him! He's my best friend!" Vee pointed at, well, eeveryone. "I'm the closest anyone will ever get to him, and you bugs are trying to keep him from me!" Glisten flinched at her harsh words, while Rodger held his shoulders and glared at Vee. 

"Out." Sprout grabbed her upper arm. And her face changed to surprise. 

Hurt. Betrayed. 

"...Fine. You don't n-nEeed me? Perfectly acceptable. I'm gOod enough by m-Myself anyways." She jerked her arm from Sprout, and stormed off. Screen flickering.

"Veeeeee, that's not what I meant-" She slammed the door shut before Glisten could finish. The mirror looked down, feeling guilty. 

Rodger swallowed hard, and sat next to him. "I apologize for her... I had no idea she'd react that way..."

Astro almost headed out to go try to reason woth her, but Sprout stopped him. 

Glisten huffed softly. "Save it for later, pretty boy. Would someone please just tell me what's going on?..." 

Sprout and Astro exchange looks, before Sprout spoke up. "Well... it started when you ate a bad apple..."