we'll always be together in electric dreams 📺💕

Programming

You're feeling low and in need of some cheering up. You ask Tenna if he'd play something for you, but his programming isn't exactly cheery: non-stop bad news, true crime, intense sermons, and so forth. Those broadcasts kept his previous Lightners hooked, but they don't interest you.

Although, he does have a few channels the children enjoyed binging when no one else was home, so he offers to play one for you. Intrigued, you agree.

With a spark between his antennas, Tenna’s feed switches over to a ghost hunting show. It's not long before you've started to smile and snicker. This show's incredibly campy, and the editing is very overdramatic.

As soon as aliens get brought up in a deadly serious tone, you're sent into hysterics.

Tenna's a little taken aback, because he doesn’t believe the show is trying to be funny. He feels like he should be offended – and yet, there’s a dizzying fluttering in his stomach. When's the last time he made a viewer laugh..?

He's glad you can't see his face right now; watching you have so much fun watching him has got him grinning far too wide, and his chest swelling with warm, stupid pride.

Nicknames (Lightner reader)

Tenna’s not big on nicknames. Saying a person’s full first name tends to elicit a quick, knee-jerk response, so he sees no need for shorthand. However, he does give nicknames to a select few who've left an impression on him, for better or worse – though any he doles out carry a sarcastic edge. Like the ashtray in his office that says 'Casanova'...

Or the nickname he gave his new, easily startled, and sensitive Lightner: “Oh you poor, sweet thing.” It was followed by raucous, scratchy laughter at the horrified, yet indignant look on your face. Priceless.

To your dismay, it stuck. Although, slowly…

Tenna took one look at you as you lethargically entered his office and barked out a harsh laugh. “God damn ____, you look pathetic. What's got you upset this time, sweet thing?” You didn't respond, and were unable to meet his gaze as you shrunk further in on yourself. He stared blankly for a moment…then beckoned for you. “...Get over here. Now.”

You stood behind him on shaky legs, heart thudding uncomfortably against your ribs. “____. Listen to me.” Tenna took one of your shaky hands in his and gave it a firm, grounding squeeze. “Get out of your head. I won't let anything happen to you, sweet thing. Don’t forget that again.”

Tenna cupped your cheek, bathing your face in the light of his screen. With a low rasp, he whispered, “My sweet thing…” before pressing his buzzing, glassy lips to yours.

…the bite it carried fell away bit by bit, until all that remained was something...gentler. Still unkind, yet strangely affectionate.

Even after being together a while now, Tenna sticks to calling you by your name most of the time. In addition, he's also come to favour calling you his ____, his Lightner, or simply his.

Sometimes when he wants to get a reaction out of you, he'll casually slip a pet name like “dear” or “honey” into conversation, then dryly chuckle at the look on your wide-eyed, flushed face. He’s sparing with those to ensure they won't lose their punch anytime soon.

Silliness

You have some silly mannerisms and traits. You love to bounce and twirl, are sometimes overdramatic on purpose, crack yourself up often, and are an accident-prone klutz.

Tenna looks at you blankly, his gaze lingering a moment too long. You figure he must find your mannerisms stupid. Surely he's looking down on you, judging you.

In actuality, Tenna finds himself feeling wistful – even a little jealous. He remembers when he used to express himself in much the same way. He grimaces remembering his past self...and yet there's a part of him that misses when he was unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and be so animated, so expressive.

It emboldens him to never let you lose that light shining so brightly within you.

Sweet Tooth (Lightner reader)

One day, you casually let yourself into Tenna's office – only to hear him splutter and choke. You whipped your head up just as he hastily shoved something in one of his desk drawers and slammed it shut. You tried to ask what was going on and if he was alright, but he just waved you off. 

You furrowed your brow, then took a slow breath to try and ease your nerves. Tenna's office smelled of cigarettes like usual, though this time it was accompanied by something...sweet? Something light and fragrant.

The faint but unmistakable scent of vanilla.

Upon looking at him more closely, you couldn't help but notice a white splotch on the collar of Tenna’s dress shirt. When you pointed it out, he initially denied anything was there, but then he noticed it too. He swore and tried to scrub away the evidence, but he knew it was already too late.

“...You're taking this to your grave, ____.”

That earned him a laugh. “You know it.”

Now that you've learned one of Tenna's most closely guarded secrets, you're more than happy to indulge him. You bring him all kinds of sweets, like cakes, cookies, candies, pastries, puddings – anything you can get your hands on, really. 

He turned your gifts down at first, so you'd find sneaky places to leave them before returning to the Light World. Since you were being so insistent, he begrudgingly began accepting them – usually without saying anything, other times with a hum or flat "thanks."

Your actions confuse and frustrate Tenna to no end. Surely you’re getting a kick out of lording this juicy blackmail material over his head, knowing full well there’s little he can do about it.

…Right?

Yet, you seem almost giddy when you give him a gift, as if you're the one receiving something. The next time you visit, you ask him what he thought of his latest treat with expectant eyes and poorly-masked excitement in your voice. 

Why you'd believe he of all people is worthy of these gifts is beyond him...but Tenna really does appreciate your thoughtfulness, and everything you pick out for him.

Tenna keeps them stored away, waiting for just the right moment. When he knows he won't be disturbed, he brews some coffee, collects the treats you've brought him, and indulges – they pair nicely with his black coffee. He takes his time with them, savouring every bite, as he thinks of you.

Tenna comes to associate you with sweetness – both metaphorically, and the taste of sugar on his tongue.

Lap Cat

Tenna will never admit it, but he likes having you sit in his lap when he’s at his desk. He makes it pretty obvious, though – he often orders you to come sit with him, or just takes it upon himself to grab you and drop you in his lap.

He needs to focus, so the two of you don’t talk much while he’s working. He finds the weight and warmth of you leaning against him relaxing, and grounding. It makes the busywork a little easier to get through.

You lay your head on his chest and listen to his mechanisms click and whirr. From where you rest, you can smell that he's tried to cover his persistent cigarette scent with cologne. Its lavender notes are pleasant, and soon cause your eyelids to drift shut. 

Slowly, to the sounds of pages turning and pen to paper, you're lulled to sleep.

Once Tenna notices you've fallen asleep, he places his hand behind your shoulder blades so you won't fall.

Then, he leaves it there. 

He idly strokes your head and back, and runs his fingers through your hair, which never fails to make you melt further into him. Sometimes it's a little too effective, so when your body grows too lax to stay upright, he carefully lays you across his lap.

He watches you for a moment. Just to make sure he's got you in a secure position, of course.

He carefully scratches your scalp, causing you to shiver. With a quiet hum, you lean into his touch. Swirling warmth blooms in his chest, weaving all through his internal components and causing a few indigo pixels to dot the cheeks of his screen.

...You look so cute like this.

A Pippins barged into his office while you two were like this once – it barely escaped with its life. And yet, ever since, rumours have been flying around the studio that you and Mr. Tenna are like a cartoon villain and their spoiled cat.

Surveillance

Tenna always wants to have an idea where you are.

After barely being home one too many times, Tenna convinces you to start telling his Light World counterpart when you're going out, and the time you plan to be back by. And oh, he holds you to it. If you aren't back when you said you'd be, you won't hear the end of it. 

So, to save yourself the trouble, you start giving him an overestimate of how long you'll be. Better to surprise him by being home a little early than waste the precious time the two of you get together by bickering.

When you're in the Dark World and he can't be there with you, Tenna tasks some of his goons to stealthily trail you and keep him posted on how you're doing. They aren't exactly great at the whole stealth thing though, so you know what's up. Still, you pretend to be none the wiser, knowing full well if you don't, they'll surely incur his wrath.

You find the hovering kind of annoying, to be honest. Yet, you can't help finding it kinda cute Tenna’s come to like you so much that he’s gotten clingy, even if he would vehemently deny that claim if he ever heard it.

For the sake of his sanity, Tenna has to know you're safe not trying to run from him.

Kisses🌹

Tenna's not one for romance, so he normally won't go out of his way to initiate anything romantic. He'd rather burn his studio down than be seen as "going soft," or remotely sensitive – even by you.

However, when the lights are dim, and the two of you are hidden away behind locked doors...he's willing to make an exception.

A long, shared look soon turns into him looming over you. Tenna plants his arm beside you on the sofa – both to support his weight as he brings his face closer to yours, and to give you no chance to escape.

When his lips find yours, his kisses start slow, chaste. His glassy lips are surprisingly soft, and crackle gently against yours as you eagerly return his affections.

It doesn't take long for the kisses to turn hungry, however. 

They’re suffocating, all-devouring – you barely get a chance to catch your breath before Tenna's chasing your lips for more. He boxes you in, pressing you into the cushions. You can feel his claws prodding your skin as he cradles your face in his large palm.

It's barely noticeable, but still there – Tenna’s hand is trembling.

Despite his controlling, domineering behaviour, there's a quiet desperation there – like if he lets you go for even a moment, you'll slip away forever.

He can’t have that. He won’t let you.

Weakness

Initially, Tenna doesn't let his feelings show. He doesn't want his love for you to look like weakness, or potentially even make you a target. So, for a long time, he keeps you his little secret.

However, he eventually decides he won't let you be his weakness anymore. 

He makes you his strength.

Tenna pushes everybody else away, yet he keeps you close. He's not one for PDA, yet he keeps your hand held firmly in his everywhere you two go. Whenever people try to talk to you, he clutches your shoulder – not tight enough to hurt you, but enough to be noticeable and make the other person uncomfortable.

He doesn't need to say a word, the message is clear: you're his, and if anyone tries to mess with you, the fallout won't be pretty.

This goes especially so much further down the line, when the two of you wear matching rings...

——— - + ★ + - ———

Tenna doesn't talk about you on the air, but he leaves his ring on during broadcasts. He figures it makes him appear more trustworthy to the folks at home – like he’s an ordinary family man, just like them or someone they know.

Laughter

To Tenna, laughter is a tool.

During his late-night show, Tenna laughs along with his guests to make himself seem more approachable and charming. During his news broadcast, Tenna laughs dismissively to encourage his audience to disregard things he doesn't want them thinking too hard about. During conversation with those he deems beneath him, Tenna slips in harsh, condescending barks of laughter to get a reaction out of whoever he’s talking to – to rile them up so they make a fool of themself, to intimidate them and shut them down, to make them feel stupid. He knows exactly how to use laughter to get what he wants.

Though, frankly, he's forgotten what it's like to truly laugh. To laugh because he found something funny or endearing and he can't help but show it, rather than as a means to an end.

At least, until you came along.

You're the only one who can pull real laughter from Tenna. It's dry, wheezy, and world-weary, but genuine. He feels light and fuzzy inside after a good laugh...

He hates that you have this power over him – and loathes that it actually feels kind of nice to laugh for someone again.

bonus: a doodle i did when i first thought of the idea above 💕

inspired by the crazed laughter at the end of saga!'s defernull: tv time! i love how raspy and intense the voice clips are, it's a great fit for him

Tenna

The atmosphere in the Green Room is easygoing as usual. A few Shadowguys sit at the bar, chatting away in a symphony of delighted saxophone notes, joined by a Zapper doing their best to keep up. A pair of Pippinses fiercely compete in a racing game for a small crowd of spectators, all cheering and shouting for the player they've bet on to win. Meanwhile, a green Pippins stands off to the side, paying little mind to the others. He’s got his eyes trained on the glittering gateway across the room, where a certain Lightner should be making an appearance anytime now.

As if on cue, there's a mystical whoosh from above, before you plunge down into the room. As you get to your feet, you see a few Darkners at the bar waving at you, so you return it with a chipper smile and wave of your own. The green Pippins has noticed you're usually pretty reserved, so it seems to him you're in high spirits tonight. He hopes that means good things for him and his fellow staff.

He sighs before turning away and putting two fingers to the side of his head, speaking in a hushed tone as he disappears down the hall. That catches your attention, and makes you raise a brow. Before you really have time to think about it though, you hear the long, familiar strides of a certain, very special someone.

Tenna emerges from the hall, ducking under the doorway. He's a little smaller than usual, standing about a third taller than you to fit in here better. When his gaze lands on you, his screen lights up, glowing bright with a big grin.

“Oh, STARLIGHT!!” He shouts excitedly, his voice oozing with joy and fondness. He starts making his way over to you as he exclaims, “You’re just in time!”

Your heart races, and you feel tingly all over as excitement courses through you. You can't contain it; you match his grin and start bouncing on your heels. His showman’s smile relaxes a little, turning a little wobbly as his antennas curl around each other. “Heh, great to see you so excited about the show! I am too!! So,” he leans forward and holds his hand out to you, “let's get a move on!”

Without any prior thought, you break out into a run – and you're gunning straight for Tenna. He freezes, his whole body shooting up straight and pitching backwards in alarm. He starts to say your name with a confused lilt, but you don't give him time to finish, nor escape your path. The second you're close enough, you lunge and ensnare him in your arms. 

He sharply gasps and stumbles back. “W-WOAH MAMA!!!”

Bewildered, Tenna studies you for a moment, watching as you tug him close and settle into a nice hug. Small lines of pink pixels dust over his cheeks as he smiles, still a little wobbly with confusion. “Well! Can't say I was expecting that one! Way to keep me on my toes, huh? Haha!” He clears his throat, then gingerly pats you on the shoulder. “So, uh, what's the surprise attack for, hm?”

You press the side of your face against him, enjoying the glossy fabric of his suitcoat. “I'm just really happy to see you. You've been on my mind all day...I missed you.”

Tenna’s breath hitches. Was that...too much? You look up to check on him, and he's looking back at you with a big dopey smile and screen tinted a cute shade of pink. He leans down to return your embrace, and gives you a little squeeze. 

“Mm, I missed you too, darling! SO so much! Ohh, it's so nice to know you've been thinking about me..!!”

The space between your arms suddenly increases. As soon as you notice it, you start to scramble as your feet leave the ground. As he lifts you up into the air, he notices your panic, so he presses you securely to his chest. You breathe a small sigh of relief and settle into his hold, hugging his neck. You lay your head on him, and he rests his screen atop it as he sways slowly back and forth. 

Tenna hums blissfully as he squeezes you tight, really tight – you involuntarily gasp. He flinches and immediately eases his hold on you. “Ah! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya..!” He turns his face away, his head and shoulders drooping. “Please don't be mad at me…”

You shake your head with a small sigh, yet you’re smiling fondly. “I'm not, you're fine.” You nuzzle your face into the crook of his neck as you hug him a little tighter. “Mm...I like your hugs, they're nice.”

You can hear the mechanisms in his chest whirr as they kick up a notch. “A-aww, really? Ya mean it?” When you respond with an affirmative hum, he chuckles. “Oh, you sweet talker, you…”

Tenna trails off into poorly suppressed snickers. He shifts to turn himself, then keeps turning, and turning. The sudden motion causes you to gasp and squeeze him tighter, but as he begins to spin in circles...your stomach explodes with ticklish warmth, and you positively burst into giggles. Your outburst startles him a bit, but oh, he's so delighted by it, too. He can't help but join in with giddy snickers and giggles of his own. As he spins faster and faster, he breaks out into full-blown laughter and sprouts a flower from the tip of his nose. He continues to spin you around more and more, until it sounds like you’re out of breath from laughing so much.

When Tenna finally decides he should stop, he's teetering back and forth. He thinks he sees stars laughing as they dance around his head, but he wills himself to stay upright for your sake. Once he's stable enough, he lowers himself to carefully return you to the floor. Everything spins around you, like you're seeing the world from the perspective of a hula hoop. You try to keep yourself upright on your wobbly legs, but they really don't want to cooperate with you. 

You stumble and nearly end up splayed out on the floor, but he swoops in to catch you. “Woah!! Don't you worry, ____,” Tenna takes both your hands and helps you right yourself, “I've got you.” Thanks to his care, you manage to mostly regain your balance, though you're still pretty unsteady on your feet. 

He leans down to see you better, tilting his head. “Gonna be alright, sweetheart?”

You squeeze his hands, trying to ignore your face flushing. “Y-yeah, I'm good.”

He gives you a relieved smile. “Hm, goodie.”

Tenna releases one of your hands and stands up straight, but he keeps holding the other as he begins leading you down the hall. Matching his long stride is already tough when your legs don't feel like jelly, so right now it's near impossible to keep up. Thankfully, he notices your struggle, so he slows down.

“Thanks,” you sigh in relief. Then, you look up at him. “So, what's on tonight?”

He beams. “Oh, I'm SO glad you asked! We've got all SORTS of fun, action-packed, thrilling programs tonight!!”

Tenna begins to rattle off various things from the schedule, excitedly announcing a few of his favourite segments, while leaving others a surprise. You smile, enjoying just how passionate he is about this. His enthusiasm is infectious, getting you excited for what's in store.

Seems tonight's fun is only getting started.

Defernull Tenna

It's getting late into the night, and Tenna’s show is set to start soon. Unfortunately, you need to be up early tomorrow, so you can't join in tonight. There's an unusually tense silence stretching between the two of you, one Tenna hadn't caused for once. He hasn't said a word since he took your hand, which he's holding strangely tight. The closer you get to the exit, the more he's squeezing you in his borderline bruising grip.

After a walk that simultaneously felt like an eternity yet was over too soon, you make it to the Lounge. The wide, short-backed sofas, poker and pool tables, and even the vintage bar are empty, which is incredibly unusual. Seems no matter the time of day, this place is always teeming with activity; Darkners drinking, betting over various games, and subsequently getting into petty squabbles that tend to get out of hand, sometimes even breaking out into full-blown fist fights. This place is a little...unsavoury to say the least, but normally so full of energy, which makes it all the stranger to see it so deserted now.

Without anybody in the way, the gateway stands out all the more. It glitters grey in the dim lighting, twinkling like stars. Normally it's kind of beautiful, but right now, the sight of it makes your throat tighten. You avert your gaze to the black marble floor, taking to tracing its silver seams with your eyes instead. You're frozen to where you stand, unwilling to take the step needed to make your exit.

...In truth, you really don't wanna go.

Senses clouded by your mournful thoughts, you don't register just how long it takes Tenna to let go of your sore hand. You do notice your arm drop back to your side though, so you raise your head to look at him, but he's no longer beside you. You quickly look all around, only to see he's already walking back the way he came. He didn't even tell you bye. Your heart pangs uncomfortably in your tight chest.

Before you realize it, you've broken out into a sprint.

Tenna nearly loses his balance from something launching itself against the back of his leg. He can feel arms encircling him, and small hands clutching at his pants. He assumes it must be that mischievous pair of Pippinses, the ones who just love trying to embarrass him in front of everyone. Those two have NO reason to be all the way back here right now; it makes his coppery wires boil.

Steam billowing out of his vents and claws extended, Tenna turns to yank them off. “What the hell are you idiots doing here, you know damn well you should be—”

He stops in his tracks, breath hitching. It's not the troublesome duo, it's...

“...____? What are you doing.”

You desperately want to say something, anything, but there's a lump lodged in your throat. Unable to meet Tenna’s scrutinous gaze, you bury your face against him. You breathe in the scent of smoke seeped into the fabric of his pants, forcing you to come to your senses.

What the hell are you doing? Hugging him without permission like that, let alone clinging to him so pathetically and preventing him from getting to his show. Worst of all, you can't even offer up an explanation! What a mess you've made – everything's ruined, and it's your fault for being so impulsive and clingy. Shame crawls all over your skin and twists your guts. It feels like you're drowning in the sudden onslaught of thoughts overcrowding your mind, all way too LOUD.

You feel Tenna shift in your hold. Surely he's gonna pluck you off, or bat you away, or..?

He turns, then...lowers himself into a kneel. With the knuckle of his pointer finger, Tenna nudges you away from his leg. He gingerly places his hand on your upper back, then coaxes you closer once more, causing you to freeze up. He doesn't wait on you, instead opting to place his other hand on the back of your head and pull you closer himself. Your mind tries to fight him off, but you catch his familiar scent and the warmth in his touch, which soon lulls you out of your incessant, suffocating thoughts.

You get on your tip-toes to reach, then hug his neck.

Tenna doesn't ask what's wrong. He doesn't say anything. He simply holds you in silence, and lets you hold him. Thanks to his built-in heater, he's surprisingly warm at his core, so his warmth seeps into you from where your chest is pressed to his. You hug him a little tighter and rest your face on his shoulder. Here, you breathe him in much more clearly: his cologne, his favourite cigars, and his natural metallic scent. It's comforting, grounding, and the strong notes of lavender in his cologne put you at ease. You release a small, contented sigh, and your arms go lax around him. You think you're ready to thank him, and apologize, and say goodn—

Suddenly, Tenna squeezes you tight, pressing you flush to him. You gasp, but that doesn't get him to ease up at all. You wince as he only tightens his grip further. You can feel a hint of claws pressing to your back and scalp, a warning. There's no escaping his hold, even if you wanted to. 

In spite of the position you're in, your erratically beating heart flutters.

“T-Tenna, I..! I-it's okay, I'm right...hhhere,” you manage to wheeze out as you rub his upper back, slow and gentle.

“I know,” Tenna states in a low, hushed tone. “I'm not letting you leave.” A tingly sensation runs up your spine – you can't tell if it's a chill, or a thrill.

He eases his hold on you. You instinctively gasp, coughing a couple times as you try to get your breathing back to normal. He runs his fingers slowly up and down your back, almost apologetic. Then, he carefully takes you into his arms and stands to his full height. The floor is suddenly much, much further away than you're comfortable with. You huddle up to him and clutch at his lapel, burying your face against him.

Tenna lets out a dry, amused huff. “It's fine, ____. I've got you.”

...You know he's right. He's not going to let anything happen to you – and based on past incidents, if any misfortunes do befall you here, he'll swiftly and effectively take care of it. There's no place you feel safer, in neither this seedy Dark World nor even the Light World, than right where you are. You ease into his hold, letting your eyes fall closed as you rest your cheek on his chest. 

Tenna turns on his heel and begins walking back the way he came. “You're staying in my office tonight. You better be asleep by the time I come back, or you'll regret it.”

His sharp tone makes you flinch a little, yet you’re smiling a moment later. “Okay..~”

You're not even there yet, and already the world around you is fading away. Feeling your body going limp, Tenna cradles you securely against his chest. As you fall further into twilight, your last coherent thought is just how lucky you are. 

Tenna

Tenna insists on serving you personally. He opens doors for you, pulls out chairs, and regularly checks in to make sure you're comfortable. After physical challenges knock down your HP, he'll even bring you food and drink during breaks.

You try to tell Tenna he really doesn't need to do all this, but he simply won't have it! What kind of host would he be if he didn't? While you're in his world, he wants to ensure you always have anything you could want or need.

You sense some anxieties in his behaviour. Is Tenna...worried you're gonna throw him out if he isn't excessively nice to you? Where on earth would he have gotten that idea from? Sure, he can be a lot to handle, and it isn't always easy – but you'd never even consider getting rid of him, because he means the world to you.

You manage to get Tenna to hush for a minute to hear you out; an incredible feat. You tell him you appreciate the nice things he’s done for you, but you'd be just as happy to be here without them – after all, all you want is to spend time with him. That's hard for Tenna to fathom, so he’s left with his hands on each side of his blacked-out screen for a long, eerily quiet moment...but when he fully processes what you said, the Fun-o-Meter is through the roof! He scoops you up into a near rib-cracking hug, and exclaims that he hears you loud and clear!

...And yet, Tenna still continues to spoil you, just not to the over-the-top degree as he had before, simply because he wants to. You find his treatment a little overwhelming, but now that it isn't coming from a place of fear, you find it quite sweet. Over time, you secretly come to enjoy his pampering, but you're too shy to admit it. However, Tenna can tell, and he loves indulging you.

Defernull Tenna

Like his original counterpart, Tenna insists on doing things for you. Sometimes he does small things, like bring you coffee made just the way you like it. Other times, he won't ask if you need anything, he'll simply give you access to whatever he thinks you want. Weirdly, he's usually right. Are you really that easy to read..?

His gestures would seem kind if they were coming from anyone but him. Even when seemingly going out of his way to do something kind, Tenna still manages to come across like a controlling asshole.

Upon questioning him, Tenna claims he just doesn't trust his dumbass employees to do any of this right, but that still doesn't explain why he thinks these things need to be done in the first place. If you try to tell him you're fine and he doesn't need to do this, he shuts you down quick. You’re left frustrated and baffled. 

You get a sense there's something more to this. You know Tenna likes being the one in control. He's the one with all the power here, and he makes sure you know it well; this is his world after all, he just lets you visit. So, you figure he’s just reminding you who’s in charge.

You are right; partially. In spite of his penchant for powertripping, however...there's some part of Tenna that simply wants to dote on you, and he feels this way has the most believable excuses for him to spin. He gets to show he cares, without really showing it.

It's the middle of the night and you're laying in bed. You've been tossing and turning for a while now, but no matter what you do, you just can't seem to get comfortable. You try to will yourself to commit to the position you're in and stay still. A few minutes later, however, the discomfort becomes unbearable, so you turn again. Still no good. You let out a frustrated sigh.

At your side, you feel the bed shift. Tenna sits up and turns his dim screen to face you. “You can't sleep.”

Guilt bubbles up in your core, ashamed for disturbing him. Habitually, you try to say, “Ack, I'm s—”

“Stop that. Talk to me.”

Tenna’s firm tone shuts you up for a second, ironically. After mulling over your words, you explain, “I just…” sigh, “I wanna sleep, but I just, can't for whatever reason...and it's pissing me off! It feels like I've been trying for hours, and I'm just...I'm so tired. My body wants to sleep, so why won't my stupid mind let me?”

Wait...that gives you an idea.

You look up at Tenna. He's still looking at you, his lip pouted a little. Is he waiting for you to continue? Having his full attention on you like this makes your skin prickle, especially because you don't know how he's going to react to your idea. Your rapidly worsening nerves make you retreat inward.

His voice, however, pulls you back out: “I can tell you want to ask me something. Come on, out with it.”

You swallow hard, trying to force down the lump in your throat. “U-uh...what if...what if you played your, uh, hypnosis channel for me? I-is that okay?”

Tenna raises a brow. With a small tilt of his head, he replies with a simple “Oh?” and an intrigued smile.

You fidget with your hands as you elaborate, “Hypnosis can put people to sleep, right? And I obviously wanna, but my mind won't let me, so...maybe you could...make it, uhm...shut up?”

The more you say, the crazier it sounds. This is a really stupid idea, isn't it? You look his way, trying to gauge how he feels about this. He's got a flat, distant smile. 

“You sure you want me to do that?”

Something about the way he said that makes you pause. His tone indicates there's something more, something deeper, to what he's asking – almost like a test.

Honestly, you don't understand. At worst, the hypnosis might not work, and you'll be left continuing to toss and turn until you pass out or tomorrow comes, whichever comes first. That would suck, sure, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. You honestly can't imagine any worse outcome than that. After all, you trust him.

So, you give him a determined look and a firm nod.

Tenna’s mouth twitches. “...Alright then.”

He turns to you fully. “For this to work, I’m going to need you to lay down, facing me.” As he’s instructed, you lay yourself down on your side. You look to him, and he gives you a small nod. 

He reaches over and lifts the blanket up to cover your shoulder. “I know you were struggling to before, but get yourself as comfortable as you can for me.”

You feel your cheeks warm, before you position your pillow so you can rest your head on it, and hold it between your arms. You swear his screen flickers momentarily, but it’s gone so quick you’re left wondering if you imagined it.

“Good?” You nod. “Good.”

With that, Tenna moves his pillow closer to you, then lays himself onto his side, too. With the way he's situated himself, he's got his screen eye-level with you – and so close he's narrowly avoiding prodding your face with his nose.

“Last chance.”

You're so caught up with how close he’s gotten that you nearly miss what he said. Once you register it though, you briefly blink in confusion, before shaking your head. “I'm not backing out. I'm ready, so...please?” He gives an affirmative hum.

Tenna takes a long, deep breath. Then, his face dematerializes, and his screen goes black. A moment later, there's a pinpoint of white in the center of his screen. It expands and curls around into ribbons, floating out to the edges of his screen. Infinitely, more and more continue to enter from that little gateway. You're drawn to the pattern, feeling like it's pulling you in. You start to lift yourself up so you can lean forward.

“Stay put,” he commands, his voice compressed and rippled. You immediately stop in your tracks, then settle back into your pillow. “Good.” In a tone just as slow and calming as the video playing on his display, he tells you, “Focus on the center. Keep your eyes there.” You don't respond, you just do as he says. 

With your focus squarely on the origin point of the spiral, you can truly appreciate how mesmerizing it is to look at. The tension in your limbs loosens, and your mind slowly empties of everything but that mind-numbing pattern. Your eyelids start to feel heavy, and keeping them open becomes a struggle.

“Keep your eyes open.”

Your eyes force themselves open, and you fight to keep them that way. Every time you blink, it's more and more difficult to raise your eyelids again. You try, you really do, but soon you lose the battle, and your eyes close for good.

“You've done well. Sleep now, ____.”

You fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.

…

Quietly, Tenna says your name. You don't so much as stir. He lifts his hand, clenching his fingers tight, before slowly reaching out to you. He carefully grazes your cheek with the knuckle of his pointer finger. When that doesn't elicit a response, he gently cups the side of your face, stroking your cheek with his thumb. You're sleeping so contentedly, unbothered, breathing slow and soft...

His display blinks off. His hand leaves your face, traveling down your arm, then around your back.

...Very gently, Tenna pulls you into his arms. He moves closer to close the gap, awkwardly trapping your arm between the two of you. He carefully plucks it up...and rests it over his side. With your arm out of the way, your head falls forward slightly, leaving your forehead resting on his chest. He can feel the warmth of your skin seeping into his exposed metal...

He cradles your head, pressing your face to his chest. Your name leaves him in a sigh, sounding soft, almost reverent. “Do you have any idea what you do to me? Actually, don't answer that.” He clicks his tongue. “...Not that I'm expecting an answer, anyway. Not while you're...like this.”

Tenna stares down at you for a long, contemplative moment.

A dissatisfied sound rises from his throat. "There's...so much I wish you knew. Yet, I can't stand the thought of you hearing it coming out of my mouth. I just...want you to know it, without hearing me say it.” He lets out a small, humourless laugh. “Ridiculous, right? Mm…”

He holds you proper, pressing your body to his. He can feel your hand clutching his sleep robe.

“...You're very dear to me, ____. Never doubt that, and don't you dare forget it.”

The next words he wants to say come from deep within his chest. His throat bobs, and he nearly chokes on them. But, with you unconscious like this, he hopes they'll worm their way into your subconscious. He needs you to know it, even though he's too much of a coward to say it to your face.

“...I love you.”

Tenna shudders, discomfort crawling all over his plating. His mechanical heart beats erratically, hard and fast. Jagged, electric butterflies swarm his abdominal components, escaping out into his circuitry. He hates this feeling, it's so weird, so wrong.

...And yet,

“I...I love you, my sweet thing. Rest easy.”

Momentarily, he rematerializes his mouth to plant a lingering kiss to the top of your head, then rests his screen atop it. He squeezes you in his protective hold, shielding you from the world, and the worries once permeating your mind. He won’t let anything get to you, nor disturb your rest. He'll keep you safe.