Reflective Detective One Shots!

Forbidden

[I heard some people talking about how because Dandy's World's show was streaming in the 90's, things would be super censored between some ships and Glisten as a whole character would be hard to pull off! So, I'm making so angst out of it :3]

"Glisten?"

Rodger's voice echoed, the empty hallway was so quiet now. He heard shuffling behind the shut door, and Glisten's weak sniffling. Rodger sighed, making sure nobody would see as he crept into the room, shutting the door behind him. Rodger's gaze settled on the mirror toon after a moment.

Glisten was hunched over his vanity, letter after letter strewn about. Rodger recognized the words on the page, some of the more innocent ones asking if he was a girl, and the worse demanding he be removed from the show entirely, demanding that he was erased and never mentioned. Simply because he was different, simply because the average home despised how he was.

Glisten was crying over the letters. He tried to act perfect, try to stay in the lines, yet there was still so much hatred. Glisten didn't even notice Rodger's presence until he felt hands around his shoulders, lightly massaging him. Glisten startled, tilting his head back to look at Rodger.

They had to keep their love a secret. On the show, they could never dare to be so obvious. Glisten tilted his head back, letting the back of his head touch Rodger's stomach as he continued to cry. Rodger remained still, a sorrowful gaze filling his single eye. They shared the same suffering, their love said to be wrong by the masses. But how could it be so wrong, when they loved each other so tenderly? When they cared so deeply?

Rodger began to clear away the hateful letters. Rodger didn't receive any such things, but he knew Glisten was more prone to it. The detective tossed the hateful notes in the trash, before he scooped Glisten up in his arms to hold him tight.

"I'm so tired, Rodger. They hate me. They'd hate our love if they knew."

Glisten mumbled. Rodger held Glisten tight, silence loud as he did so. He took a few moments to decide what to say.

"What they think doesn't matter. You're perfect in my eye, and I love you. They're small minded, they just can't stand the idea of someone being happy how they are."

Glisten only let out a small 'mhm' after Rodger spoke. Rodger knew little could help his lover's state. Glisten was almost always on the brink of being removed from the show, just barely liked enough to stay among the cast. They both knew that. Rodger didn't want to know what would happen to his lover if ratings lowered again.

Rodger laid Glisten on the bed, feeling the mirror toon cuddle up to him. Rodger wrapped his arms around Glisten, snuggling him in hopes of distracting him. Rodger sighed, a deep longing in his chest. He longed to storm out into the hallways, into the lobby, and scream that Glisten was perfect the way he was, scream that he loved Glisten so loud the sun itself would hear him. But Rodger knew better. He'd put their lives at risk if he did something like that.

And so, there they remained, fighting the ever constant battle of hatred for simply existing. Rodger watched Glisten fall asleep, silently vowing to check the mail more regularly to get rid of the hateful notes. He rubbed Glisten's back, hoping one day they'd be able to declare their affections and exist without fear stopping them in their tracks. Alas, it wasn't today, and the two may never live to see the day they could say such things without terror.