NE0N SLAUGHT3R

Now that you're coherent enough to know better, you refrain from trying to jerk your head in the direction of Null's voice, even if you're slightly startled by it. As you take in the sight of the leather couch you're situated across, you presume he's across the other side of his office, at his desk. You faintly hear the sound of his rolling chair sliding across the floor as he stands, followed by the clicking of his dress shoes as he approaches you.

"...How long was I out for?" You grumble past the harsh pulsing of your heartbeat in your temples. Everything aches, tremendously.

"An hour or so. You didn't tap out when you were supposed to in order to continue the scene, and you got your ass beat as a result." It almost feels like he's lecturing you. He probably is.

Because of that, you retort, perhaps too harshly, "I didn't know I was supposed to tap out, let alone that I could in the first place."

While you aren't able to see his expression clearly from this angle, it's obvious by the change in his tone that whatever anger he had towards you moments ago just vanished. "...There's a special set of rules for you due to your lightner status. Clearly whoever I told to inform you of that didn't follow through." Null sighs irritably, and in the corner of your stabilizing vision you can see him settling himself on the edge of the coffee table, his height adjusted to be closer to yours for once – it's not often he does that. You've seen him without the suitcoat a handful of times so far, though you're still somewhat taken aback when you manage to glance over and catch sight of his pinstriped button-up and the chest harness buckled over it. You're not sure if the quick and faint bout of dizziness you're struck with is because of your current condition or not.

Null toys with the hem of his gloves to make sure they're still tucked under the sleeves of his button-up, before regarding you once more. "I'll have a chat with them later. For now, it looks like you're still in pain."

"Yea, a lot." You grunt out, leaning over to rest against the back of the couch. The cool leather feels nice on the flushed skin of your cheek, though whether it's from the pain or something else is beyond you. All that's taken the forefront of your mind right now is how much it hurts to move, with the initial adrenaline out of your system.

Null hums briefly in acknowledgment, almost passively. Then, you see his gloved hand reach out to you, just in your peripheral. Carefully, you turn your head enough to look at it without straining your eyes too much. After a somewhat tense silence, you question him, "...What?"

"Give me your hand."

"...Why?"

"Look, do you want more healing or not?" Null gripes briefly, but quickly takes in a deep breath. After he seems to compose himself, he reiterates, "...I only used enough healing magic earlier to stop you from bleeding out, and then I took you here to rest. If you're still aching, then..."

It's clear he struggles to elaborate further. Coupled with the suitcoat on your lap, the situation couldn't be more blatantly unfamiliar to someone like Null. But, you're not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak.

Wordlessly, you reach out your hand closest to him, settling your fingers over his gloved palm. His fingers just barely twitch at the contact, but since you don't point it out, he doesn't either. After a long moment of Null presumably processing what's happening – you actually accepting his offer for care – his own fingers slowly encase over yours. Notably, his claws are nowhere to be seen right now too.

You can see faint shimmers of green light where your hands are joined, and slowly, your aches begin to ease. Letting out a breath you didn't realize you were holding, your body relaxes further into the cushions, your muscles having been strung taut from the pain since you woke up. The hand holding yours squeezes its grasp slightly, which makes the twisting in your stomach more apparent that it isn't being caused by your general condition.

Even as the green shimmers fade into nothing and you're left in significantly less agony than moments ago, you're now stuck with a different dilemma: Null's not willing to let go, and neither are you. With your vision relatively cleared now, your eyes flit uncertainly between his screen and your hand. Part of you wonders that if you make it clear enough, he might get embarrassed about his affections becoming obvious again and let go sooner or later, and you could promptly tease him to try to lighten the mood, now that you're feeling better.

Instead, he tilts his head down some, the upper edge of his frame furrowing as he frowns. He still hasn't let go of your hand, and judging by the way the glow of his screen cascades over it like a spotlight, you decide against pointing out...whatever's happening. More often than not, Null's in a bad mood, but right now it's hard to discern what exactly for.

"...You scared the shit out of me, y'know." His voice is deep and quiet when the words slip out, accompanied with a faint layer of staticky compression. That statement alone, and coming from him, is enough to make your eyes widen, but he continues, "I had a bad feeling about that script, but it seemed like you were actually having fun, so I didn't say anything until..."

Then, he sighs sharply, seemingly disregarding the rest of what he was about to say. "You still weren't properly informed about the rules regarding you during fights onstage. So, if you're good now, I need to go and talk to—"

"Wait."

Despite Null's split-second of irritation upon being interrupted, he stays quiet as you shift on the couch to fully face your body towards his, making sure his suitcoat doesn't slide off your lap. Your knees nudge against his, and you can't help noticing how he slightly twitches in response before settling into the feeling. Carefully, you take his hand between both of yours.

"Thank you. Really. I'm okay now, thanks to you."

Null still keeps his screen angled down towards your hands, though it's clear your words affected him, as he slowly relaxes after a long moment. His tense shoulders drop, and the dip in his upper frame smooths out, if only a little. Eventually, he manages an almost curt nod, adding, "...I simply just know better than to overlook your pain or exhaustion now."

"And I appreciate it." You smile, gently squeezing his hand and chuckling when he returns the gesture. That seems to get his attention, judging by the way his head lifts up to face his screen to you again, as if watching your expression. You add, "If I'm gonna spend a lot of my time here, I appreciate that you look out for me, Tenna. It helps me feel safe."

"...Safe..."

For a moment, you swear you spot a dust of color across his screen, but it's gone as quick as it comes. He suddenly clears his throat. "Right. Of course. I— This is my studio, after all. It only makes sense I look out for you, given how difficult the others get."

You bite down the comment that he initially wasn't much better.

Instead, you pull the hand not in Null's grasp to beckon him closer. Though he briefly regards you with skepticism, he ultimately leans down to you, his elbows pressing into his knees. With your free hand, you press the bottom corner of his frame against your palm as you lean up to give a small peck to the other corner. You'd only done this to him once before, and given you're still alive, you figure he doesn't mind the gesture.

His reaction is...interesting; the hand holding yours tightens its clutch, just enough to sting, and his entire body tenses in shock. When you pull away, it's even more apparent how your chaste kiss affected him, judging by his shoulders raising again and that dust of color across his screen lingering stubbornly this time. They almost appear as blurred colored lines, like when a TV's signal is out, funnily enough. You've only seen this from him once before with the last kiss, but this time you're able to get a good look at it, without him quickly brushing it off with his usual bravado.

Null frowns again in the midst of your blatant staring, the colored bars of his screen darkening. "What?" He questions almost defensively.

You hum, amused. "Nothing. Your blush is...pretty."

Even as the blush in question worsens, Null clicks his tongue, feigning annoyance. He still smiles when you do, however, despite how his upper frame still tries to furrow down. "Pretty, huh? What, are you trying to rile me up now? Getting a kick out of seeing me like this?"

"It's just nice seeing you when you're not upset about something, for once."

That seems to catch him off guard. Null's amusement practically freezes, and he slowly readjusts himself from where he's sitting on the table. He tries to angle his screen away, yet pauses a second later when he subsequently pushes himself more into your touch. He makes another attempt at a frown, then seemingly gives up not long after and blanks again. It almost looks like he's nervous, all of a sudden.

"...It's not often I get to feel like that." His words are hesitant, quiet. "It's...strange."

With that admission, you get an idea. You smile again, carefully prompting, "Well, I'd like to see it more, if you're willing. Think of it as...me looking out for you. That way I don't owe you too many favors."

Null suddenly clicks his tongue again, yet it's hard to ignore the faint smile in his expression. Turning his screen back to you, his shoulders sink again as he tells you, "Sure, doll. Whatever you like."

There's something about seeing him so relaxed for once – thanks to you, no less – that compels you to be impulsive once more, and a lot more daring, at that. You're painfully slow when you lean close this time, paying attention to the way Null barely twitches again, this time from the realization about what you're trying to do.

You pause, suddenly feeling unsure. He hasn't made a move to stop you, yet hasn't leaned in at all either.

...

Null closes the space before you have time to question him, startling a small gasp out of you that's stifled by his own mouth before it fully slips out of yours. It takes a moment, but you're quick to relax into the feeling.

You're not sure what you expect, kissing a sentient TV, but it's...nice. Really nice. It's pleasantly warm, for one. There's a faint tingling on your lips that you think you could get addicted to, accompanied with the taste of both the smoke from his latest cigarette and the mint he took in an admittedly poor attempt to cover it. You smile against his mouth when you feel Null's free hand cup your face in return, the hand holding yours rubbing a thumb over your skin and sending a shudder down your spine.

As the two of you eventually separate to give you a chance to catch your breath, you snicker at the sight of his screen fully developed with colored bars now. Null pulls his hand away from your face to clear his throat, though it only subdues the blush to dust across the middle, as it had originally appeared moments prior. "...Was that another stupid act of impulse from you?" He tries to ask with irritation, however it comes out far more unsure than he probably anticipated.

You answer honestly, "Kind of. It's, uh, not the first time I've thought about doing that though, just the first time I...did something about it."

Null's hold on your hand tightens again, just slightly. Though he may not have any eyes to speak of, you can feel how intently he watches you for a long moment. He lets out a small breath – probably his attempt at a curt sigh, only for it to escape with a minor tremble to it. "I hope you understand what doing something like that means for you, then."

"...For us to date?"

"Don't speak about it so casually. As of now, you're mine just as much as I'm—"

Null pauses, his upper frame suddenly rising a little. You tilt your head with a smirk at the sight of his blush worsening again. "Just as much as you're...what? Go ahead, I'm listening."

He clicks his tongue again, this time out of genuine irritation. It hardly has any bite to it though, even as he frowns again. "Now you're trying to get a rise out of me."

"Sorry, sorry – I just like knowing I can make you blush like this."

"Oh, like you're fairing any better."

He's not wrong, with how much your cheeks have been burning this entire time. Still, you can't help laughing, your amusement subsequently muffled as Null reaches to cup your face again and pull you back in for another kiss. Whether he's trying to shut you up or not is beyond you, but you're not about to complain if this is how he plans to do so now.

Tenna

Tenna was so excited for tonight's game board. Even though his beloved little lightner never voiced any disinterest or boredom with the games, he still felt as if there was something lacking. They were getting really good at his games, and while he adores their dedication, he can't help noticing that they're finishing his games a bit...too quickly now. So, what better way to make the game fit the time slot for his show by amping up the difficulty a little?

He's always told his staff to go easy on them, but tonight, he didn't insist on it. In fact, he offhandedly mentioned that they'd get a bonus if they keep his star occupied long enough to fill the show's time slot.

And now, as he watches them suddenly fall limp on the stage floor, blood dripping from their head, his regret has never felt so swift and overwhelming. He's never felt his internal wiring fray so fast.

"STOP! STOP, STOP, CUT! CUT THE CAMERAS!" Tenna's voice booms through the studio, and everything immediately comes to a screeching halt. The canned audience cheers pause to a deadly silence, the blinking red lights of the cameras shut off, and the overhead stage lights all blink to their default blinding yellow as the showman rushes from where he'd been idling offstage to tend to his dear contestant.

His dear lightner. His star. And they're heavily injured now, maybe even worse thanks to him.

The first thing he does once shrinking closer to their height is to kneel down beside them. He's admittedly not an expert on human anatomy, but he's seen enough of those hospital drama shows to get a general idea of what to do. While he cups the side of their face with one hand, he uses the other to press two fingers just under their jawline. Tenna feels a light pulse, as well as taking notice of the gentle swell of their chest.

They're breathing. Their heart is still beating. He can still fix this if he's quick.

With that affirmation, he lifts himself enough to turn his head towards the staff that were playing as the final boss not too long ago. They're practically frozen in shock, though they jump a little when Tenna turns to them. "What are you doing just standing there?! Go get a first-aid kit!" He tries not to yell at them too harshly – they were doing their job as he instructed, after all – but he's still freaking out, somewhat. Even if they've only fainted, their condition needs addressing, now.

That gets the staff to start moving, and they scurry away to wherever the nearest first-aid kit is kept. Tenna turns back to his star, and something in his chest clenches at the sight of them; unresponsive, banged up, and bleeding on the floor. Thankfully, they're not bleeding fast enough to form any kind of puddle, yet the small red droplets nearby and the light stream slipping from the back of their head is concerning all the same.

He slides the hand at their jaw to cup the other side of their face now, and after taking in a small breath, Tenna focuses as much of his energy and power as he can into a healing spell for them. Green shimmers begin to flicker from between his gloved hands and their cheeks, and slowly the bruising that spots their exposed skin fades into nothing.

Despite how they can't hear him, he starts cooing, "It's okay, it's okay, I've got you. It'll be alright, sweetheart, just—..."

Tenna's breathing trembles, both from the exertion of the spell and from the heavy waves of his emotions. He pauses the spell for a moment, and while he catches his breath, he startles slightly at the sight of a glowing, staticky droplet falling onto his sleeve.

...He disregards his tears and starts the spell again.

While he can't do much about the blood that's already escaped them, aside from snapping his fingers to clean it up instantly, he's grateful when he notices the small stream slow to a stop. He wants to lift their head to check if the injury they sustained is gone, but continues to focus on the spell instead – they've yet to wake up, after all. He needs them to wake up.

Another staticky droplet falls, this time landing on their cheek. Tenna dutifully wipes it away, his thumb trembling but leaving a trail of faint green sparkles in its wake. The glow of both momentarily blend together on their skin, before ultimately fading away.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep the spell going, due to the power it drains from him and the unbearable guilt wracking his entire body, so he almost feels a sense of relief when the staff from earlier return with the first-aid kit, as well as a sizeable group of more employees that either witnessed the incident on the many TVs in the studio or already heard about it. They're all fretting over the lightner as well, given how they've circled the scene with no shame, but seemingly know better and keep their distance while the Shadowguy carrying the kit approaches to offer it to Tenna.

Even as the prolonged spell leaves the showman about to collapse on his star, he keeps casting it as he instructs, his voice compressed and strained, "Get the gauze."

He can't bring himself to turn away from them as the Shadowguy unlatches the box – not when they're still unconscious. Just out of his peripheral however, he spots a pitch-black hand holding out the gauze, and after a moment of deliberation, hesitantly pauses the spell again. He feels almost breathless, like the exertion knocked the metaphorical wind out of him, yet he pushes himself to sit up enough to take the gauze, briefly startling at the sight of a small red dot on the tip of his glove.

Tenna then realizes that it's about to get worse, but steels himself for it – anything for his star.

Carefully, very carefully, he lifts their head just enough to slip the gauze underneath where he'd seen them get hit. While he anticipated it, he's still deeply unsettled by the red splotches over his entire glove now, so he grabs it by the hem, swiftly tugs it off, and tosses it aside before he looks at it for too long. A few crew members gasp at the sight.

Taking their cheek into his now bare hand, he continues the spell once more, this time with a lighter amount of power involved so he doesn't completely exhaust himself. He needs to be stable for them. He's trying to, even as more glowing drops slip from the bottom of his frame and hitting their neck, their collar, their cheekbone—

Tenna startles hard when one of their eyelids twitch. Immediately, he leans closer, his free hand planting on their other side so he can further lean over them, and though he can also hear the crowd of his employees hushing to a near silence, he's more focused on their breath hitching in pain. He tries to be quiet as he mutters, "It's okay, _____, it's okay. Shh, shh, don't move. I've got you. You're gonna be just fine, okay? Just breathe for me, please."

His voice trembles with exhaustion and desperation, yet he keeps talking to them, insisting they'll be okay. Can they even hear him yet? Is he saying these things to them or himself? He doesn't know, but one thing is for sure: they're going to be okay, and he'll make sure of it. He will make sure of it. He has to.

After what feels like ages of uttering constant mantras and promises, their eyes slowly flutter open to a squint, and he's never been so grateful to see their eyes again as he is right now. Their eyelids suddenly shut again, and they attempt to turn their head, prompting Tenna to purposely shut down his screen and gently nudge their head back to its original position. "Shh, shh, it's okay – is that better, sweetheart?"

They quietly groan, and squint their eyes open again. Despite the stage lights still blaring overhead, the showman's shadow casting over them seemingly gives them enough reprieve for him to see their eyes clearly, finally, as they open them more. They hum a faint affirmative, muttering their thanks. Tenna finally ceases the spell, lets out a breath – one he'd been holding since they collapsed – and carefully leans down to nudge the lower half of his screen to their forehead. Even though he can't properly kiss them with his screen off, feeling them against his screen regardless is enough for the tension in his shoulders to finally relax.

"...'M sorry—"

"Don't. Don't apologize, you didn't do—" Guilt suddenly courses through Tenna's wires again. His hand situated at their side to keep himself propped up clenches into a fist, his claws nearly slipping out and digging into his palm. His words tremble as he continues, "I'm just glad you're okay..."

After allowing himself a long moment to just feel them against him, he attempts to pull back, only to feel their arms rise and wrap around the back of his neck. Tenna startles with a yelp, but immediately relaxes and nudges his screen to their temple when they sit up a little. The hand at their cheek slowly slides to the back of their head, and he silently breathes out when he doesn't receive much of a response to the gesture. He's going to get blood – their blood – on his bare hand now, but at least the injury seems to be gone.

"...You feeling okay? Nothing hurts?" He asks hesitantly. He's aware his healing spell can only do so much, despite its immense power, yet he still needs the reassurance. He's more than willing to continue doting them all the same – he's absolutely doing so tonight, for both their and his own sake.

"I'm okay." They tell him in a near whisper. "All thanks to you."

That elicits what feels like a spark somewhere in Tenna's chest. He huffs out, lightly, until it morphs into a gentle laughter as he moves his other hand to wrap over their backside. With their chest somewhat pressed into his now, he's able to feel their warmth seep into his, bringing him a sense of comfort he needed after witnessing them falling limp earlier.

Tenna doesn't mention how he thought that, for a moment, they had died. That's not what they need right now. What his star needs right now is something much more lighthearted and happy; he's already planning how he'll take care of them tonight and what shows to play for them, to take their mind off of this accident.

He just hopes they don't mind that he needs a moment first to really assure himself that they're alive and okay.

Null

Null admittedly likes to test his star's limits at times. He loves pushing their buttons, getting them all worked up in various ways given how he's found himself fascinated by them. Correction: he adores them, actually, however he also worries at times that his favoritism towards them has let them relax too much in a place that's still dangerous for them. His staff is unruly at times, and he doesn't quite trust them with his partner just because he's their boss.

There's special rules for them regarding scripted fights – not just because they're a lightner, but because Null doesn't trust that his staff won't try to push their limits in their own fucked up ways.

The only reason he didn't intervene sooner during tonight's show was because they seemed to be having fun. They'd mentioned something about liking the extra challenge tonight, and since they only came out of the last few battles with some scrapes and bruises, he simply rewarded them as usual and kept the show going. He'll get on his employees' cases later about amping up the difficulty without consulting him first.

But the second he sees them get knocked upside the head during the bossfight, he yells from offstage, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Then, he sees them fall limp to the floor, their head hitting the wooden boarding of the stage far too hard for his liking.

Everything's already stopped due to his voice booming so loudly, with the stage lights blaring to life as he makes his way to his collapsed partner. The employees that had been acting as part of the bossfight scramble to get out of the way and rush offstage in an attempt to avoid his palpable wrath. In any other case, Null would likely be verbally tearing them a new one already, but right now he needs to tend to his star of the show.

His staff will have much worse to deal with if he loses them.

Null forces himself to slow down once he's near them, given he's still at his full stature. Pursing his lips, he shrinks himself down, closer to their height, and settles on one knee beside them. He reaches down to press two gloved fingers underneath their jawline, and relaxes ever so slightly when he feels a faint pulse underneath their skin.

They're only unconscious, but at least they're—

He catches sight of a stream of blood beginning to leak from the back of their head on the floor, and suddenly it's as if his wires are fraying at a rapid pace. "Shit—"

Null's quick as he moves the hand at their jaw to cup just under their cheek and begin casting a spell to try and heal them. The green sparkles shimmer softly against their skin as they're absorbed, slowly causing the various scrapes and bruises they'd sustained earlier in the night to fade away.

He can't tell if it's enough to heal what seems to be a severe laceration on their back of their head, judging by the stream of blood already developing into a small pool underneath. Would the spell be enough for internal injuries, or only external? He's only bothered starting to learn this kind of magic upon getting close to them, so he's regretfully not as familiar with the depths of its abilities as he wants to be right now.

"...I didn't know the boss knew healing spells like tha—"

"Either go make yourself useful or get out." Null snaps harshly, whipping his head in the direction of where the staff initially operating the cameras were whispering to each other. "At least I'm actually doing something instead of gawking like a bunch of braindead idiots. If you give even a modicum of a shit about your paychecks, then get the first-aid kit from the dressing room, NOW."

That seems to get them moving, as he hears them quickly scramble over each other to get to the dressing room first while he turns his full attention back to his partner. The spell's already starting to make him run warmer than usual, yet he continues casting it anyway.

"Come on, come on..." Null mutters, briefly gritting his teeth. He shifts his position to settle on both his knees now, disregarding how he ends up with a few blood droplets that had splattered earlier now seeping into his slacks. He cups the other side of their face with his free hand, allowing the spell to hopefully flow into them at a faster rate.

Everything feels warm, almost stuffy now. He can hear static begin to develop across his screen, and despite how he doesn't bother with the act of breathing, he can't help letting out a shaky huff as he's forced to pause the spell to compose himself. He only gives himself a moment, as once he hears the static fade, he resumes the spell.

Part of himself wants to be mad at them for not saying anything to stop the fight when it was clearly becoming too much for them to handle. Another part of himself wants to keep them off his show for a long while, because he's not willing to endure seeing them collapse like that again until they and his entire staff know better than to do this.

The forefront of his thoughts however are begging them to open their eyes, to come back to him. He needs them, as much as he's unwilling to outright admit that. But, if he won't say it, the least he can do is show and prove his desires.

The fear and guilt starts to dawn on him the longer the spell draws out. This can't be how he loses them, not like this. Why aren't they waking up yet? Why didn't he intervene sooner before this happened? Why couldn't he have just lightened up on them at least a little and given them better equipment, so they at least wouldn't have gone in so ill-prepared? In a way, this is all his fault, and—

Null huffs out another quiet expletive when he realizes the spell was fading, the green glow between his hands and their cheeks disappearing, and reestablishes it to the best of his ability. He mentally chastises himself for getting distracted during such a critical moment, which only further cements the guilt weighing on his shoulders.

...He's never going to be better like this. He's never going to be good enough for them, especially if he can't bring them back to him right now.

Just when he's about to get desperate enough to start calling for Mike to do something, he finally hears the employees from before rushing back. The Pippins carrying the first-aid kit hurries to the other side of the collapsed lightner, asking, "What do you—"

"Gauze, in the largest container as soon as you open it." Null's voice strains as he instructs. While his healing magic seems to be helping with their minor injuries, he needs a way to try and stop the bleeding from their head, and fast.

He hears them open the first-aid kit, and when he sees them offer it to him just out of his peripheral, he relents and stops the spell so he can better tend to his star, now that he has more equipment than his shoddy magic. He takes the gauze padding and carefully lifts their head to press it against the laceration. Though he can tell his gloves are going to need intense cleaning after all this, he doesn't care. His dry-cleaners have dealt with worse.

With one hand occupied with keeping their head propped up and pressed into the gauze now, he slips his free hand back to their cheek. They'll probably get on his case for this, but quickly disregards the thought and resumes the spell, even as he starts to smear blood across their skin.

Null hears some of his employees whispering to each other again, but frankly he's too focused on the spell this time to give them any attitude. They're still not waking up, why aren't they waking up, he felt their heartbeat earlier, so they have to still be—

He perks up at the sound of groaning underneath him. His star murmurs something incoherent, and just as they try to shift their head at all, his hold on their cheek tenses, just to keep them as still as possible. "Don't move too much." He tells them, his voice scarily soft compared to his usual – it nearly takes him by surprise.

They slowly open their eyes to a squint, and Null's quick to shut off his screen before they open them any further. That allows them the comfort to open them more, their gaze almost fogged over. "Wh...What happened?"

"You took a hell of a beating, that's what happened." Null jests, if only to deter from the lighthearted tone of his voice as his entire body finally relaxes at the sound of their own. "Don't— Don't do that again."

He tries not to react to the desperation that slipped into his words.

They groan again, squirming enough that their head shifts against the gauze being pressed into the back of their head. They don't flinch in response, however, prompting him to ask, "Anything still hurting?"

"Not that I can tell... Just— God, just lightheaded... I think... Everything feels heavy..."

"You were bleeding a lot from the head a minute ago. Should be fine now, though you left a huge mess in the process."

"...Sorry..." Their voice falls to a near whisper.

(Shit.)

He tries to assure them, "No, don't. You held out way longer than I ever thought you would against these guys when they're being difficult."

Null hears the hushed whispers just nearby fall deadly silent. If his screen was on, he's sure he'd be smirking.

He continues, running his thumb across their cheekbone, "You're taking it easy for a while. Don't argue with me on this."

"Wasn't planning on it." They sigh, leaning just slightly into his touch. Then, they grimace a little, furrowing their brows. "...You're getting blood on me, aren't you?"

"I had to tend to you somehow, _____." The teasing he intended comes out more sincere than anything. At least his suspicion that they'd get on his case was proven right.

...For a moment, anyway. Instead of griping like he anticipates, they quietly stare up at him, before slowly raising their hand to press over the one at their cheek, seemingly unbothered by the mess this time. Null feels something strange in his chest when they shift their other hand to take hold of the side of his frame. Having their touch on him always sends a spark through his wires that he struggles to contain, and right now, after what just happened, he actually leans into the feeling, as well as their hand.

"Then... Thank you, Tenna."

Getting to see them okay and smiling again – thanks to him, no less – nearly makes his system overheat from the influx of emotions. In a poor attempt to compose himself, he leans down enough to press the top of his frame to their forehead. When they shift to lean up and kiss at his screen, despite the lack of a mouth to work with, it's enough to prompt him to finally let go of the spell, now completely assured that they're alive and well.

The foreseeable future is going to be busy for him, such as dealing with the aftermath of tonight's accident and going back to managing his show on his own for a while without his favorite guest star, but one thing he makes a mental note to work on in the little free time he has is to practice that healing spell. As much as he'd rather not deal with this again, if practicing the spell means he's not going to be in another prolonged limbo of begging for his lightner not to die on him, then he deems it worth the efforts.

He doesn't want to go back to a life without them.

SPAMTON

Spamton is harder to get a grasp on purely because of not knowing what his overarching role is in Deltarune.

Anyway, I picture Spamton as some "cleaned up" Conman who says he's not the same guy he was before, but really he's just saying that so you'd let your guard down. He acts invested and overly ecstatic to try and earn one's trust, despite having full intention of betraying them to get what he wants. Maybe he uses mirroring as a way to get what he wants too? The odds are in your favor, he's here to help you !!! (YOU SCRATCH HIS BACK HE'LL STAB YOURS!!!)

This song by musician neutrina really helped me figure him out more because of the title itself, WANT WHATCHA NEED? YOU GOTTA JUST TAKE IT.

IMO THAT'S EXACTLY what it is, that line I feel is how DN Spamton would carry himself throughout possibly every era. Also, probably a line he would've said to Tenna during the time they spent together.

Which I think would've put Tenna off at some point.

It goes without saying that Spamton really deep dove into the madness, almost like an addiction. Maybe he thought he was a bit invincible during his big shot era. Really basking in his success.

Also, he definitely lives in his car at the dump. A thank you and Credit to Milkaroos for that genius idea.

TENNA

I want to say instead of being afraid of being abandoned/not liking change like DR Tenna,

DN Tenna’s problem would be more so that maybe he’s a bit apathetic. He’s comfortable with how things are because he worked hard to keep it all together despite losing himself (The Apathy) practically becoming desensitized in a way?

He’s probably not happy, but he’s comfortable. This is what he wanted, right? Type of deal.

He can front like no one's ever fronted before. He's serious, he means business, and You will trust that he's always right.

His thinly veiled anger management issues...(idk where to put this)

I think the deal with him too is that he'd 180 from who he initially was (that being closer to his DR counterpart), which is where the whole "losing oneself" comes from. He'd use tactics he originally didn't want to use or believe in using. But then forced himself to use.

Tactics including the Hypnosis Channel, Subliminal Messages, fearmongering, Twisting the narrative. (JUST LIKE REAL TV, BABY!!!)

I might even go on a whim and say these tactics might be some that Spamton might've brought up to him before their eventual separation.

I believe both Spamton and Tenna influenced each other in different points of their lives..? Tenna rejecting Spamton's initial ideas, but then eventually falling into the same habits/mindset as Spamton in order to stay relevant and "Successful".

THEIR RELATIONSHIP (A HEAVY WIP)

I think here it would be more prominent, I’m trying to mirror Underfell’s Alphyne already dating and getting engaged at the end of the trust/closure routes. IN A WAY. So bear with me.

One of those - they kind of know they’re together, but don’t really outright make it “official” deals. At first, it definitely was just business, Tenna wanting to know his secret, Spamton riding off of Tenna's already present significance and stardom. One thing led to another etc etc etc. CLOSE, but not TOO close. Definitely no I love You's being said here. Maybe one of them thought about it? Who knows.

All I've gathered so far is that the two were definitely a bit closer than their DR counterparts here.

AT SOME POINT, Spamton becomes more and more addicted to the madness.

Tenna definitely witnesses him going off the deep end in real time, it gets to a point where Tenna tries to break off their "Private Business" aka their unspoken relationship, thinking that maybe that would give him a reality check. Obviously it doesn't.

They both convinced themselves it wasn't anything special.

I want to say after Tenna broke it off, they both revert to pursuing their initial goals. Trying to get secrets, life advice, bigger from each other. It's a little messy, idk.

Instead of Tenna sweet-talking Spamton to let him in on his secret, Tenna would've probably given him an ultimatum? Another shot? I'm still figuring this out, but Spamton would still leave. Without a word.

Which forces Tenna into a last resort, using the hypnosis channel on Asgore to get better signal. (The new Rabbit Ears) Which is where his whole 180 would come in.

Random: Instead of "tropic of love" island for Defernull I think there'd be something called "LAST RESORT" because that's basically what Tenna would've come to, a last resort. Lawl.

Annnyywayyy That's ALL I got so far, my word vomit.

THIS IS NOT ALL OF MY THOUGHTS.. THERE IS SOOOO MUCH MORE...THIS IS JUST ENOUGH TO AT LEAST GET A BALL ROLLING.

I TRULY HOPE THIS MAKES SOME KIND OF SENSE.

As you're helping out with tonight's set, you're tasked with fetching a few things from one of the storage closets just past the green room. Upon stepping inside, you're somewhat taken aback by just how cluttered the space is, but you figure that as long as you're careful, you should be fine...

Seeing various props stacked on top of one another like some kind of jenga tower doesn't exactly bode confidence for your well-being, but what you can see is mostly either cut-outs for various game boards or relatively lightweight props. At worst, you'll probably get a soft bump to the head and a slight startle. Hopefully.

As luck would have it, however, what should've been a menial task falls apart as swiftly as the tower of props does. There's a small opening in the midst of it that you lean down to see if you can spot what you were sent here to look for, and apparently so much as breathing on it causes the tower to start wobbling. You don't get enough time to back away, as the mess of props from the top come tumbling down, pinning you to the mess underneath you. Thankfully, nothing's jabbing into your body, however being pinned like this doesn't give you the space to push against whatever's digging into your backside. With your feet still thankfully planted on the floor, you attempt to try and wiggle yourself out one way or another, your arms trying to push at anything you can reach, but to no avail.

You're stuck. Seems these props aren't as lightweight as you assumed. Even worse, you can tell you're stuck in an incredibly unfortunate position as well – whoever walks in next is going to get a full view of your behind with your upper body obscured.

Despite your face quickly flushing with embarrassment, you decide to start calling out for help so you aren't stuck like this for too long. Maybe someone's already on their way, given how loud the props were as they fell, but better to be sure. "Hello? Anyone out there?"

There's a lapse of silence, leaving you to groan as the situation further dawns on you. So much for being careful... You can already imagine the earful your beloved showman is going to give you when he inevitably hears about this.

You try again, louder this time. "HELLO?"

There's another pause where there's nothing, and just when you're about to give up hope of getting out of here sooner rather than later, you suddenly hear a door click open just behind you. As if being caught like this wasn't bad enough though, you hear a familiar voice say your name, clearly confused.

Tenna

"_____?"

"Tenna?" Even though you can't see him like this, you still try to turn your head as best as you can towards his voice. "What are you doing out here? Uh— Actually, can you help me out of here first?"

"Well, I noticed you had left and heard a bit of commotion when I was coming to find you, so I wanted to see what was going on!" You hear his voice coming closer after the door shuts behind him, accompanied with the sound of his shoes clicking against the floor. "You, ah..."

There's a brief pause where everything goes silent. While you're not sure what's caught his attention, you frankly don't care right now, given you currently have much bigger concerns. You prompt again, "Tenna? Can you help me?"

"OH! R-Right, right! Silly me!" He laughs somewhat nervously, which only makes you more curious. Despite that, you're still more focused on getting out of this mess first and foremost before it can get any worse.

You feel some of the props against your back shift, until suddenly the weight against it is lifted. Taking this advantage, you push against the props beneath you to push back, quickly slipping out and falling onto your behind as Tenna drops what he's lifting once you're out. A few smaller props fall to the floor from the harsh jostle, with one of them audibly shattering on the other side of the pile. Both you and Tenna grimace a little at the sound – that'll be a problem for whenever this storage closet gets cleared out, if it ever does.

After a moment when the pile seems to fully settle, you sigh, relieved. "Thanks, Tenna. I, uh... I don't think I'm gonna find what I was looking for in here now, so let's head back and—"

"UH— W-Wait a sec, why don't we just—!"

Tenna turns further away from you, and it occurs to you that he never looked your way in the first place after helping you out. As you help yourself to your feet, you watch the way he darts his head this way and that across the pile of props. His voice sounds a pitch higher than usual and almost frantic when he explains, "Surely we can find something similar in here at least!"

"Mm, maybe, but... I just don't think it's worth going through all that, especially since there's broken glass involved now." Even though he's not looking your way, you still gesture to the mess in question. You know he can be a bit persistent or stubborn at times, but you know better than to risk your luck again just so you can be helpful to him and his crew. You're lucky you were only uncomfortably squished for a few minutes, so you're not really willing to try again when you know the chances of getting cut just got a lot higher.

"Right! Right, you make a good point, sweetheart! Uhm, why don't you head back then, and I'll stay back to try and look for it myself?"

You tilt your head curiously. He's still firmly turned towards the pile, yet he hasn't touched a thing yet. You question, "...Are you okay?"

"Huh?!" Tenna whips his head towards you, and you're finally able to see his screen as he glances over his shoulder at you. You're made even more suspicious of him when you immediately notice the heavy tinge of colored bars across the upper section of his screen, but he quickly deflects before you can say anything, "Wh-What do you mean? I've never been better, haha! I-If anything, I should be asking you if you're okay, what with that little mishap and all!"

"I'm okay. But you're blushing a lot right now."

"Ah— Haha! So I am! Uh—..."

Tenna stiffly turns his head away once more, angling his body to face his backside completely towards you now. You furrow a brow; why are you the less embarrassed one in regards to this entire predicament? It's not like Tenna's the one that got caught with his ass sticking out for anyone to—

...It dawns on you that he's not embarrassed – well, not embarrassed for the reason you had initially thought. You can't help smirking a little at the idea, if what you suspect is true.

What a way to be reminded that Tenna's a bit of a pervert.

You step over to his side, turning your attention to the pile of props, though it's hard not to acknowledge when Tenna's screen peeks at you just from your peripheral. "Regardless, I'd like to help, if you're planning to stay. I couldn't get much of a look around before I got stuck, so... Two heads are better than one, I suppose."

"But... The glass...?"

You chance a glance over at him, and smile. "I'll be careful. Promise. It sounded like it was on the other side, so I should be okay if I stay on this side."

With that assurance, you step away and over to a plastic tub that had been sitting at the bottom of the pile, towards the front. Carefully, you tug it out from underneath what had fallen on it, and when only the props just nearby fall while the rest stays intact, you tug the box a bit further out and pop the lid off. Of course there's more miscellaneous props packed inside, alongside various gadgets and what looks to be some old prizes for that giant gacha ball machine Tenna has.

You lean down to start digging around, and promptly hear a hitch of breath just behind you. It takes every ounce of self-control to not look back or laugh at his absolute lack of subtlety. Yet, he still doesn't acknowledge the predicament he's found himself in now. While you do find him sweet for trying to remain polite after finding you so embarrassingly compromised, you figure that if the two of you are here, you can allow a bit of fun – his staff will be fine for now while you indulge him.

In an attempt to further provoke him, you glance over your shoulder, trying not to snort at how he whips his head away to face his flushed screen back to the pile he still hasn't touched at all. "Could you come here, Tenna? It's a bit difficult to see in this tub with the poor lighting in here."

He jolts slightly, turning his head back to you. Despite the severe blush across his screen, he still smiles at your request, albeit awkwardly. "Oh! U-Uh, yes, right away, dear!"

So cute.

You turn your head back and listen to the click of his shoes as he steps closer, and judging by the light of his screen blanketing the contents of the box below you in an array of colors, he's situated himself right behind you. Figures.

But perfect for your next move.

You shift to step back, just a little, and as you plant your hands on the rim of the tub, you feel the back of your leg nudge against the front of his. Tenna's breath hitches again, and suddenly you feel both his hands plant themselves around your waist. They're warm, and just large enough that they envelop you just the way you like it. "Ah— Ahaha, c-careful, sweetheart, we wouldn't want you—"

You glance back at him once more, flashing him a cheeky smirk, and the awkward grin on his screen morphs into one of guilt as something seems to dawn on him. He purses his lips, angling his head away just enough to make his shame clear. "...You already found out, didn't you." He doesn't even phrase it as a question.

"Found out what?" You ask teasingly, adding a small lilt to your voice. As you turn away and straighten your posture to lean back into him, it's then that you finally feel his excitement press into your backside, eliciting a soft giggle out of you while the showman tries and fails to suppress a whiny grunt. "Ohhh, that... Yea, I knew. You're not subtle, Tenna."

You know that if you looked at him now, he'd have a plethora of pixelated sweat drops on his screen. He mutters, clearly ashamed, "...I'm sorr—"

"Don't be. How much longer are the commercials running for?"

"Huh?" You feel his hands grasp your waist a little tighter for a moment, taken off guard by your question. "Oh, uh... Given the elaborate set-up we're doing, I had them throw in a whole filler episode while we get it put up, actually."

"Then we have plenty of time to take care of you."

"Wh— Take care of—?"

Your arch your back slightly, and that's enough to push against the strain at the front of his slacks. Tenna gasps sharply, followed by a trembling mix of a sigh and groan as he curls himself in a little to press more of himself into you. With another smirk, you prompt, "I can think of a few ways to thank you for helping me out when I got stuck in that mess. You want me to show you?"

There's a small pause as Tenna seems to ponder his options for a moment. Then, suddenly, his hands around your waist tug you closer, pressing you firmly against him and letting you feel just how excited he is, as well as how hot he's running. He leans his head down, enough to nuzzle his screen in the juncture between your neck and shoulder. The warm tingling of static on your skin exhilarates you, especially when he murmurs, "...Only if you lean down again."

You don't need to be told twice.

Null

"_____?"

Shit. The moment you recognize that voice, you already know you're in a heap of trouble. What kind of trouble, you aren't sure yet, but all you know is that Null's going to get a kick out of your embarrassment, one way or another.

You don't get a word out to ask for help before he starts chuckling. "Oh, now this is priceless. Let me guess, are you stuck?"

"Tenna, please just help me out of here. Don't make it worse."

"But where's the fun in that?" You listen to the sound of the closet door clicking shut, followed by the click of his shoes as he steps closer to you. "I feel like I walked straight into the plotline of a cheap porno."

"How do you know about those?!"

"I think you have other things to be concerned about right now, _____. Namely, how exactly are you getting out of this?"

"Well, are you gonna help?"

"Hard to say. I'm liking the view I'm getting from here, frankly."

Oh my god. You're well aware of his perverted fascination with your ass, but frankly now isn't the time for that. "Tenna, please, this is uncomfortable and I don't know if I'm gonna get hurt if I stay stuck in this!"

There's a small pause, a lapse in the blatant teasing towards your predicament. Just as you're debating whether to gripe or plead with him again, you hear Null let out a sigh. "Alright, alright, no need to start crying. I wouldn't let you get hurt in the first place – not if I can help it."

Part of you is tempted to get snappy with him again, but given what you can tell is sincerity laced in his tone, you relent and stay quiet for the time being. You hear him step closer, and jolt slightly when you suddenly feel a touch near your waist. "Calm down, I'm just trying to figure out how to get you out." Null teases just a little this time, his gloved thumb rubbing into your side to try and soothe your tension.

It works somewhat, at least. You attempt to relax, even as you hear his other hand shifting some of the props above you and tossing others towards the back of the room. Given you're not sure what all is in this mess, you figure it's best you don't question his admittedly slower method of trying to get you out – you've already seen some weirdly heinous shit in the studio, so who knows if there's anything dangerous in here.

With seemingly some time to kill, you decide to ask, "...So... Was the commotion from all this what brought you out here?"

"Technically, no. Originally, I was keeping an eye on you after you left the stage room, and I came out here when you hadn't returned yet."

Null tosses something that clearly had some weight to it, landing towards the back with a loud bang and startling a yelp out of you. Your heart races in your chest, accentuated by the pressure against it, though you slowly ease up not long afterwards by the feeling of his hand rubbing your side again, presumably to comfort you.

Once your heart feels less stuck in your throat, you question, "Keeping an eye on me?"

"Security cameras, doll."

Right. Honestly, you shouldn't be surprised – you just didn't think he'd use them the second you're out of his immediate line of sight. But knowing him and his weariness of letting you hang out around his staff, it only makes sense.

"What about the others?"

"Trust me, I'm keeping an eye on them too. They know this, so they'll behave – for now, at least."

A few more items are tossed, and thankfully you're starting to feel the pressure against your back lessen over time. You take in as deep of a breath as you can get to try and relax once more.

...It takes a moment for you to notice that everything's gone quiet again. Null hasn't tossed anything else, yet the hand at your waist hasn't moved at all, so clearly he's still next to you. Or right behind you. It's impossible to tell from here.

Hesitantly, you question, "...Tenna? Is something wrong?"

You hear a faint huff after another pause, as if he took amusement in your words. "...Just...give me a second."

Suddenly, you jolt again when something slim wraps around one of your ankles a few times. You only get a second to register that it's his plug-in cord before it's gently tugging your leg away from the other. When you feel Null's other hand situate itself on the other side of your waist, you decide to pipe up before he can escalate this any further, "Are you kidding me right now?!"

"Hey, can you blame me?" He chuckles again. His thumbs dig a little into the flesh of your waist, causing you to twitch and fail to suppress a quiet whimper that slips out of your mouth. Whether he heard that or not isn't acknowledged as he continues, "It's hard to resist a sweet little thing like you trapped like this."

"But the—"

"I moved everything I deemed a hazard to you already. You can push yourself out now if you wanted to; I know you're capable enough. But... If you don't feel like moving just yet..."

His thumbs press a bit harder, and you swallow thickly. If you're technically safe, like he says...

Null releases one side of your waist to trail his gloved hand up your lower spine – what isn't still caught under the props pinning you down, at least. His touch sends a pleasant shiver across your body, pooling into a needy warmth developing in your stomach when he shifts to close what little space is left between you and let you really feel just how excited you've made him. He prompts you again, audibly a little breathless, "Give me a color, _____."

"...Yellow."

His movements pause, giving you the chance to add, "Just...help me get whatever's still on top of me out of the way. I wanna be able to look back at you if we're doing this."

A brief lapse of silence follows, until Null eventually begins to snicker. He gently nudges his hips against you once, just barely rutting into you, as he hums with amusement, his tone deeper than before, "Such a cute little thing for me... You have a deal. Just stay like this then, I got you."

You trust he will, not just with getting the props off of you, but with the now insatiable heat in both your lower stomach and where you want, need him more than anything. Clearly, the show can wait until the two of you get this out of your systems.

You're well aware that you've been struggling as of late. Regardless of what you do, whether it be indulging in your interests or hobbies, or simply trying to rest, nothing seems to be helping. When you're not resting, your mind keeps insisting that what you're doing isn't good enough, will never be good enough. And when you are resting, it switches to berating you about being lazy, that you'll never amount to anything if you don't get up and do something.

No matter what you do, you can't win. You want to hope that these feelings will pass, but as each day stretches on, that hope dwindles more and more.

You try to pretend you're alright so you don't concern anyone, but that unfortunately doesn't last very long. The second you step into the green room for tonight's show and your eyes flit over to where Tenna's waiting for you, he's clearly taken aback by something upon seeing you, if the rise of his upper frame is any indication, however it shifts to what almost looks like a bittersweet smile. He adjusts his height closer to your own as he steps closer.

"C'mere, sweetheart." He carefully reaches for your hand, and when you don't oppose, frankly confused by his change in behavior, he tugs you closer to him. Using his other hand to hold your head close to his chest, he releases your hand with the other to wrap it around your waist.

Immediately, your eyes sting with tears. Still, you try to brush it off, hesitantly raising your hands up to his arms as you ask, "What are you...?"

"You've got that glooby look in your eyes, _____. I know it when I see it."

...Is it really that obvious?

Your fragile act breaks more, yet you try to maintain your composure. Despite the faint sound of music playing through the overhead speakers, it's not enough to cover up the fact that you can still hear some of Tenna's staff idling around in the green room. It's embarrassing, but it's almost impossible to stop the tears building in your eyes. You quietly sniffle.

The fact that Tenna immediately noticed your somber mood makes you feel ashamed, yet...understood, in a way.

Whether he seems to take notice in the way you curl into him out of embarrassment or not, he pulls away just enough to take your hand again. You can't bear to look up at him again – not when he figured you out so easily – so you keep your gaze angled towards your hand entangled with his, despite how your vision begins to blur. "Let's go to my office, okay?" He offers.

You don't trust your voice by now, so you simply nod. Thankfully, that's enough for him.

Guilt begins to creep along your skin as you follow Tenna's guidance through the hallways. It's your fault that the two of you are diverting elsewhere now, instead of just starting his show like usual. It's your fault Tenna has to comfort you while you're like this, because you couldn't pull yourself together well enough to pretend like everything's fine. Surely he's just doing this out of pity, or some kind of obligation.

It's your fault. It always is.

Upon entering his office with the door shut behind the two of you, Tenna brings you back in for another hug. Again, you hesitate to reciprocate – you don't deserve this. You're being selfish, forcing all of his attention on you like this. At the very least, you will yourself to rest your hands near his waist, just so he doesn't get the idea that you're upset with him in particular; you're not keen on adding another problem to the pile.

"...Talk to me?" Tenna prompts carefully. "What's got you so down, darling? You know I'll do anything to fix it, right? I already miss seeing that smile of yours."

Another pang of guilt stabs into your chest, and you feel your heart lurch uncomfortably in response. It's difficult to murmur through the growing lump in your throat as you choke out, "'M sorry."

"Hey, h-hey, don't be sorry." Tenna's voice shakes a little with worry, one of his hands sliding up to the back of your head like before. "It's okay, you're okay. But...if, if there's anything I can do to make it better, then please tell me. I can always put one of your favorites on for you, if you'd like. We can stay here, just the two of us, for as long as you need to."

As helpful as spending time with Tenna like that can usually be, right now...you know your mind will just go back to berating you for being lazy, on top of the guilt you already feel for interrupting his schedule like this. You shake your head against him, muttering, "You're busy."

"Not anymore. My star needs me, so everything else can wait. Mike can just put on a rerun for me."

"No, wait—"

"_____, sweetheart, I don't want you onstage when you're feeling like this – so down in the dumps. I promise it's alright, they'll understand."

Unfortunately, that doesn't help, as you start to feel that sting in your eyes again. You're interrupting everything just because you're in a bad mood, and now his staff is going to have to deal with the consequences too. Your voice wobbles harshly when you try to apologize again, however Tenna quietly hushes you partway through and gives you a gentle squeeze. It's nice, enough that you're able to raise your hands to his shoulders to finally reciprocate the hug.

Part of you still feels as though you don't deserve his kindness. But with the way he holds you like you mean something, everything to him, that dwindling hope you had before about these feelings passing is starting to come back, albeit slowly. You want to hope that you'll be okay – for now, you just hope that Tenna can help, despite how your mind aggressively opposes the idea.

You sniffle, one of the tears lingering in your eyes slipping down your cheek and onto his suitcoat. As you try to pull away to wipe your eyes, Tenna's faster, moving one of his hands to cup your cheek. The silk of his glove is soft against your skin as he gently swipes the lingering trail away – he's more gentle with you than you would've been with yourself.

All you can do is eye the dark spot on his suitcoat, still too ashamed to look towards his screen again. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, sweetheart." He assures you right away. "You're just feeling exceptionally glooby right now, but it's okay. I'll do whatever it takes to make you smile again."

"...But I stained your suit."

"Oh trust me, this thing's been through much worse. Remember that stunt I told you about, when I covered myself in gold paint?"

You don't have any kind of remark for that, though you do recall the event in question. He went on for ages about how long it took to get all the paint off, and just how peeved his dry-cleaners were with him after that stunt. If they had to deal with getting gold paint off his entire suit, then some tear stains are probably trivial to them.

You're taken out of your thoughts by the feeling of warm static against your forehead. Your cheeks flush a little, even more so when Tenna tells you, his voice achingly gentle, "I love you, sweetheart. Whatever pesky little thoughts are going through your head right now, please don't pay them any mind. You're still my sweet starlight, and always will be, no matter what. Okay?"

"...Even when I'm like this?"

"Especially when you're like this. Even if I can't get you to smile for me soon, and this gloobiness insists on being so stubborn, then I'll just be even more stubborn by sticking by your side until it goes away! I know you'll be okay sooner or later, if I have anything to say about it!"

Something about his peppy energy returning and his silly approach to the situation is enough to get you to crack, just a little. You let out a quiet huff, one corner of your mouth curling just slightly, and Tenna immediately latches onto that. "See, we're already making progress! I'm so proud of you, _____!"

You purse your lips for a moment, feeling a slight churn in your stomach over his praise; it feels...undeserving, to you. "I haven't even done anything..."

"No, you smiled! Granted, it was small, but I still saw it!"

Tenna moves his other hand to cup your other cheek now, holding your face in his hands as he gently nuzzles his screen against your head for a moment. He giggles, clearly delighted, "At this rate, you'll be smiling and laughing again in no time!"

...It's hard not to believe him. Maybe you'll feel better sooner rather than later, thanks to him.

If there's one thing you know about Tenna, it's that when he's in a bad mood, the whole studio is affected by it. So when you arrive at the studio tonight and hear some of his staff sighing with relief at your arrival and muttering aloud, "You're finally here," you already know something's gone wrong, and that they've left him for you to check on.

After inquiring his whereabouts, you make your way to the C-Rank room, where he'd apparently decided to hide out for the time being. You easily spot the water cooler towards the back of the room, with no one occupying it, but it takes you a moment to find the showman, ironically enough, until you glance over and notice him sitting in the front corner of the room. Immediately, you register that his stature is much smaller than your own right now, and he has his knees pulled to his chest, his screen dark and faint trails of luminous static leaking from the bottom corners and down his frame. His antennae hang pathetically over his screen, and his plug-in cord is snaked over the top of his golden dress shoes.

It's hard not to feel pitiful for him, despite whatever's upset him.

Whether he's noticed you yet or not, you aren't sure. Regardless, you're careful as you step closer, ultimately deciding to take a seat on the floor next to him. He visibly tenses a little, judging by the rise of his padded shoulders, but otherwise doesn't acknowledge your arrival.

It must be really bad, then.

You're aware it's redundant, but you ask anyway, "...Are you okay?"

There's a long stretch of silence, until Tenna sniffles quietly. His voice is compressed and shaky as he murmurs, "...I'm not glooby."

"You could've fooled me." You attempt to remark lightheartedly. When Tenna gives no response to that, you decide to try a different approach. "Do you...wanna talk about it? About what happened?"

"...I'm losing touch, aren't I?" The tone of his voice is so startlingly serious this time that you can't help feeling a slight chill for a moment. You want to ask what he means, but Tenna starts going on a tangent right away, releasing his hands from where he's had them wrapped around his knees to gesture at the air in front of him. "I mean— The ratings don't lie, I'm— I'm outdated! I'm nothing at this point! I can't keep the audience entertained anymore, and sooner or later I'll...I'll be—..."

Tenna lets out a heart-wrenching hiccup, choking on a sob and raising his hands to his screen. His rambling turns incoherent, due to his overwhelming emotions and his voice glitching as a result of that. Carefully, you scoot closer, enough for your arm to nudge against his. "Hey, hey, don't think like that, Tenna. You were so excited about the ratings last week, weren't you? If there's a dip in them this week, then that just means we try to figure out what caused it and work from there."

"W-We did the sa—ame gigs we alwa—ays do, _____," Tenna's voice breaks several times in between his sobs, "and it's ju—st not enough anymo—ore! At this rate I'm go—onna get thrown awa—"

"Shh, no you're not." You gently hush him, reaching over to wrap your arm around his backside. "You're not going anywhere, Tenna – not if I have anything to say about it."

While you're unsure if he believes you – or is even willing to listen right now – he still reaches over to you, now that you're touching him directly. His grip on your sleeve is desperate, yet you don't comment on it, quietly helping him settle sideways across your lap. He's so small right now that he's able to lean his head against your chest, and though he manages to get a few tears on you, you pay it no mind, despite the tingling sensation it leaves.

Tenna grasps the hand you offer him like a lifeline, while you use the other to run along his back, in an attempt to comfort him. "Y-You don't thi—ink I'm old news, right? You're not t-tired of me?" He whimpers through his sniffles.

You respond easily, leaning your head down to rest against his, "I think you're still plenty entertaining, Tenna. I could never get tired of you."

"You're just s-sa—aying that."

"I'm not. I always have a lot of fun with you when I guest-star, I promise. Maybe this is just a bad week for the show, and next week's ratings will get better, just like before."

"And what if they're bad again?! What if the—ey get worse?!" He cries, only to soften into weak sobs again as you gently hush him. His tight grasp on your hand squeezes you now and then, accompanied with a tingle on your skin when another one of his tears hits you. You simply squeeze his hands back when prompted, which seems to help, somewhat.

Once he's a bit calmer again, you answer, "Then we'll figure it out. Remember, you don't have to deal with this alone, okay? You've got your staff to help, and you'll always have me, no matter what."

"...Y—ou promise?"

"I promise. I'll always love TV, and I'll always love you. Don't forget that."

Tenna seems overcome with his emotions again as he starts to cry once more, though thankfully his tears come more passively than in full sobs like before. His cord finds your leg in the meantime, coiling around your knee with a gentle pressure that you disregard for the time being. You press your lips on the edge of the base for his antennae, eliciting a hitched breath from the showman.

You continue, your lips still barely gracing where you'd kissed him, "You'll be okay, Tenna. I know you will. You're very capable and witty when you put your mind to it, so I know that you'll get those ratings back up in no time. And I'll be right there to help you the whole time, okay?"

"...Oka—ay."

Good, at least you know he's listening to you.

"Can...Can you say it again?"

"Say what?"

Tenna squeezes your hand again, and feeling you return the gesture without a second thought seems to be the encouragement he needs. He sniffles again, but mutters, "...That you love me?"

You can't help smiling a little. After pressing another kiss to his antennae's base, you softly tell him, "I love you, Tenna. I'll always love you, no matter what."

It's impossible to suppress the giggle bubbling in the back of your throat when Tenna regains a bit of height, just enough that he can lean his head on your shoulder now. He seems to perk up a little at the sound of your laughter, angling his dark screen up towards you. Carefully, you release his hands, and when he doesn't oppose, you shift to hold the bottom corner of his frame, swiping the trail left behind from his tears.

"...Again?" He asks almost hesitantly.

This time, you move both your hands to tug him closer, giggling again when he lets out a small, surprised noise but returns the hug as best as he can in this position. You kiss at the side of his frame now. "I love you."

Another fraction of height returns; by now, he must be close to your height, with his head above yours whilst seated in your lap. He audibly flusters a little upon realizing, yet you hold firm and squeeze him gently, earning another clipped gasp.

Looking up at him finally, like you're used to, you're greeted with the faint reflection of yourself in his screen, but you still smile for him. "I love you, Tenna."

...Slowly, his hands grasp at your sleeves with a similar intensity as before. A couple more tears stubbornly slip down his frame, and after another sniffle, he leans down enough to rest his upper frame against your forehead. "...Thank you. I love you too, sweetheart."

You know he'll need some more pampering before he's ready to show himself to his audience, let alone anyone else, but you don't mind in the slightest. For now, you're more than content to stay here with Tenna, making sure he understands that you want to be there for him, no matter how glooby he gets.

it's usually a miracle in and of itself for him to keep his stature under control so he doesn't start growing while he's inside you – he's just so happy to have you like this, you understand – so cockwarming him would be a challenge for him specifically. you just feel so good, your heat enveloping his cock so tightly; don't be surprised if he bucks his hips just a little, trying to get any kind of movement like this, trying to scavenge for all the pleasure he can get because he wants more, needs more. having you like this in the first place is already so much for him, he's already leaking so pathetically inside you, and yet it's perpetually not enough, for as long as you stay firmly seated in his lap.

he tries to hold out for you, he really does, but he just craves so deeply that he's already begging a few minutes in. he's being good for you, don't you see? surely you can spare him with just a little grinding and show him some mercy, right? his breath is shaky, his voice is already a pitch higher than usual and compressing under the stress of trying to be still, to be so, so good for you. his screen struggles to keep the full display of colored bars on, glitching particularly hard when you squeeze his cock, his desperate noises clipping through. please, have mercy on him, he's already so close, don't tease him like this...

if his hands are free, then they are all over you in the meantime. specifically, he finds himself grasping at your thighs for some sense of stability, but otherwise he loves to hold you by your waist or your behind. though, in this instance, it's a bit difficult for him to feel you up so intensely, given how squeezing your ass usually results in you involuntarily squeezing around his cock in return... this entire set-up is so cruel, and yet he can't get enough of it. if you feel like being even more cruel and restraining his hands one way or another, then inevitably you'll have his plug-in cord wrapped tightly around your thigh or waist; he needs connection, despite how you're already connected so deeply with each other.

cockwarming Tenna is not a casual affair, as much as you perhaps try to make it out to be. he's a showman that wants it all, and being forced to the edge like this, having you so intimately but not quite all the way... he's desperate to get you to fall apart for him, just like how he's falling apart for you. depending on the scene, he'll do his best to stop from cumming prematurely, and just let you use him – he'll gladly let himself go crazy from the constant edging if it makes you happy.

sometimes, though...his impatience can get the better of him. he may be apologizing for cutting your fun short, but the way he starts grabbing at you and moving you on his cock like you weigh nothing to him might say otherwise, whatever restraints might've been involved be damned. he just needs to have you so badly, and he's tired of being teased, even if unintentionally.