Chapter Text
“TÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Glisten was awoken by the sound of a loud voice and quick pitter patter of paws on the floor, heading rapidly to his room. He barely even had time to sit up before he was tackled back down onto the bed by a very happy balloon kitten. She rubbed her face against his, getting a giggle out of the mirror toon as he scooped her up into his arms, planting a kiss on her cheek.
“Oh good morning, darling! It is wonderful to see you this morning, but please do not tackle me in a hug like that again. That hurts quite a bit.”
“Sorry, Tío Glisten..” Parti muttered as she snuggled into his arms, “I got really really excited!”
He just let out a soft chuckle as he slowly got out of bed, placing Parti on the floor.
“That I can see, Parti, but do let me get ready for the morning, alright? I can’t go out without looking my best.”
“May I put on your make-up? Pleeeaaaassseee?” She begged, wagging her tail more. Oh Parti was such a delight, and it had only been a year since she was born. However, she was six years old toon-age wise, for they seemed to grow faster, but her acceleration of age stopped there. Though, it didn’t really matter now.
“Not today, but thank you for asking. It seems you’re learning manners quite well from Auntie Teagan,” Glisten bent down, going to tap her on the nose before he paused, then rubbed her head. Right, she hated nose taps, need to remember that.
“Aaaww, ookaaayy, I’ll wait,” she mumbled as she began to leave the room. She was trying to be cute to lure him into letting her do it, and while he LOVED to spoil her, well, she wasn’t going to get him that easily. Not today.
It took an hour to get ready. Nothing more, nothing less. Simply perfect on the hour, as he always did. He stepped out of his room, making sure his bow was on correctly. Can’t have it looking out of place, that would be DREADFUL. Parti seemed to hold true to her word, for he felt her arms suddenly wrap around his leg, causing him to nearly stumble.
“GOODNESS, Darling! You normally aren’t this clingy! Is something the matter?”
“Mmmm, I had a bad dream last night. Uncle Astro made it go away, so I don’t remember it anymore, but I know it made me very sad.”
“Oh, I see.”
If only he could quell Boxten’s, then Glisten wouldn’t be woken up at night. Though, he would definitely miss making tea and late night movie watches.
“Yeah, I didn’t like it. Uncle Astro said I was crying. I think I remember crying.”
Glisten nodded slowly. Not much made Parti upset. Not falls, or bumps, or even not getting candy. She was so much like her mother. Didn’t let much bother her. For a dream to make her cry, it must have been VERY serious.
“Well, we can discuss this more after breakfast, alright?”
She nodded enthusiastically as she let go of his leg and began to run ahead. Glisten let out a playful scoff as he began to walk after her. Goodness, he loved that child, yet, he always felt so embarrassed showing said affection out in the open. It wouldn’t ruin his perfect image, at least, he didn’t think it would. However, he had built his walls so high up, and it would be a travesty to break them down now.
As he walked down the hall, he began to hear the idle chatter of the other toons, but one voice suddenly made him freeze in place. Ribecca, a halloween toon, sat at one of the tables, occupied with the other halloween toons, save for Gourdy, who was sitting with Bassie and Bobette at the ‘holiday mains’ table. Glisten just stared as he watched Ribecca talk with Soulvester, Eclipse, and even Connie. Whatever they were talking about, he didn’t know, as he couldn’t hear, but it seemed to be a good one. She looked so happy. As if she had a sixth sense, Ribecca looked in his direction, but he quickly hid behind some crates nearby. Goodness he hoped she didn’t see him staring. Why was he even staring? That wasn’t right. Simply RUDE to just stare like that. So why was he peering over the crates to look at her again.
“Uncle Glisten?” Glisten jolted harshly and looked next to him, seeing Parti now standing on a crate, staring over it like he was, “what are we looking at?”
“Shush! N-Nothing! Just-”
“Is that Miss Ribecca? Are we looking at her, Tío?”
Glisten fell silent as he turned his gaze back to the skeleton toon. Parti stayed quiet before she began to talk again.
“Why are we looking at her?”
“I-We, um, just…admiring her makeup! It’s gorgeous today!”
Parti didn’t seem convinced, as her voice suddenly went slightly more deadpan.
“I’m gonna tell her that you’re looking at her.”
“You are NOT. Wh-what can I do to make you NOT do that?”
Parti thought a moment, tapping her paw to her chin, a tiny bit dramatically.
“You gotta listen to TWO puns from Tío Finn and Papá. Each.”
Glisten felt a shiver go down his spine at that. That sounded like torture, but to keep Parti from embarrassing him, he had to endure.
“You drive a very hard bargain, darling, but, fine. I accept the deal.”
“YAY!” She cheered, grinning ear to ear with a toothy grin just like Yatta’s. That grin suddenly faded in an instant as she seemed to look at Glisten more carefully.
“Tío Glisten, what’s that on your lower back?”