"It's like time passes in the blink of an eye, doesn't it?"

I had been standing a short distance away from the crowd gathering in Cyber City – just far away enough that I didn't get caught up in the overwhelming energy of not only the citizens of the city, but also the employees of TV World mingling and celebrating the oncoming New Year's festivities. It's still a tad strange, finding myself indulging in something like this, but as I feel Tenna's arms loosely wrapping over the front of my shoulders from behind, the bottom of his frame nudging the top of my head and his plug-in cord catching around one of my knees, my nerves melt away relatively quickly by now. It's almost overwhelming how his presence alone comforts me in an instant, and coupled with his charmingly handsome outfit for the night consisting of an overcoat that slightly encases me as he leans over me, it helps me forget the stress of the crowd in mere moments.

"You can say that again." I sigh quietly as I feel the tension in my shoulders relax under his arms.

"It's like time—"

"Not literally." I reach up to plant my hand at the side of his frame, eliciting a fond chuckle that I can feel reverberate in his chest and against my back. My cheeks grow warmer at the sensation.

"Couldn't help it." Tenna excuses himself, shifting his head to press a kiss to mine. "I'd say it's been a very eventful year though, hasn't it?"

I swallow somewhat thickly, feeling a strange churning in my chest as I think back on just how much has happened this year. At this same time last year, while I'd already been aware of the dark world, I hadn't stuck around for any holidays before getting into a relationship with Tenna, so I spent last New Year's in the light world like it was any other day. Now, however...

"...Yea. Lots of changes this year." There's a light sting at the back of my eyes while I recall what all has happened in such a short time.

"Good changes, I hope?" Tenna gently squeezes me against him.

Even as my vision blurs slightly, melding all the city lights together, I smile, tilting my head up enough to catch sight of his screen hovering over me. "Better than good. Uhm... Maybe I'll sound corny saying this, but you've changed my life, Tenna. I— Well, I feel like this has been the best year of my life."

Despite how Tenna's smile melts into something heart-wrenchingly soft, colored bars stretching across the middle of his screen, I can't help taking notice of the luminous, staticky tears that quickly begin to leak from the bottom corners of his screen. He hugs me closer to himself, his cord tightening around my leg. "...The best year of your life so far, sweetheart. I promise, there'll be plenty more to come, and I'll make sure each one is better than the last."

Slowly, I shift myself in his arms to turn my body to face his, my hands reaching up to wrap around the back of his neck while his connect at the small of my back. "I'll hold you to it, then."

I blink when I suddenly hear the sounds of the crowd growing louder, and the top of Tenna's frame rises in slight shock as we both look over to see what's going on. Just then, all the other darkners begin to loudly count down from ten, and before I can acknowledge the sudden anxious twisting in my stomach, one of the hands at my back slides up to cup the side of my face and angle my head back to look at Tenna.

There's partially dried tears at the bottom corners of his frame as he smiles down at me, angling his own head while he leans down closer to me. "Happy New Year, my love."

The small buildup of tears in my eyes from before finally slip down my cheeks, the uncomfortable jitters inside me morphing into something more pleasant alongside the hammering of my heart in my chest. I smile, my cheeks almost aching whilst burning hard, and with the few seconds I have left, I murmur, "Happy New Year, my star."

It's clear Tenna's excitement gets the better of him, as he not only closes the space to kiss me a moment too early, his screen buzzing and glowing brighter against me, but just as the clocks tick over and the crowd erupts into cheers, the arm still at my lower back shifts down further to swiftly lift me up on his forearm, giggling brightly into my mouth when my yelp of surprise is muffled. My hold around him instinctively tightens, yet I'm just as unwilling to separate from the almost electrifying kiss as he is.

It's jarring how differently I'm spending this New Year, compared to the last, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't help my excitement for what's to come next, as long as Tenna's with me.

"...Could I, ah...see your soul? Please?"

It's an easy night, all things considered. Tenna has a backup of paperwork he needs to address, and apologetically, he initially asked me to just accompany him in his office while he handles it before we head home. I could tell he felt bad, since this time spent with him is far more boring than our usual activities, but he's eased up since then when I first agreed, especially when I suggested that I hang out on his lap. Even if this time isn't very entertaining by his standards, I'm always willing to spend time with him regardless, even if it's just dozing off against him now and then while he deals with the business side of his studio, his plug-in cord comfortably wrapped around my waist like usual.

I lift my head from where I'd been resting against him to look up at him, confused – this is what he breaks the comfortable silence with? "Can I ask why?"

He smiles sheepishly, sliding one of his hands to my lower back. "Well... No reason, honestly. But, uh, I have made considerable progress on my paperwork – you don't think I deserve some kind of reward?"

"What, are kisses not enough anymore?"

Immediately, he panics, his posture turning rigid and his antennae shooting up. "WH— NO, NO, I JUST MEANT—!"

I burst into giggles, leaning into Tenna's large frame. "I'm just messing with you, star."

Tenna visibly deflates with a pout, so I gesture for him to lean down. Taking the bottom of his frame when he does so, I strain my neck up to give him a quick peck. "I don't mind, don't worry. Here,"

I let go of him to place my hand over my chest. There's a small flash of light, and after dealing with just a second of that strange tugging sensation inside of me, I grab hold of my soul and gently pull it out, rendering my breathing unsteady for a moment. The soft glow of its color doesn't reach very far in the overhead lights of his office, but there's still an almost ethereal energy to it as it hovers just above my palm.

Tenna's free hand is already held out just in front of me, ready for me to hand my soul to him. Teasingly, I hold it closer to me, looking back up at him with a smirk. "And what do we say?"

He smiles, though a small, pixelated sweat drops appears at the top corner of his screen. "Ah... Please...?"

"And?"

"...Thank you...?"

"And?"

Another sweat drop forms, and I snicker. "Gimme a kiss."

"Oh!" The sweat drops vanish instantly, and his momentary shock melts into a fond smile. He chuckles, "You really are trying to fray my wires at this rate."

"I'm keeping things interesting!"

Tenna only laughs harder, muffled as he leans back down to kiss me once more. After he separates, I finally hold my soul out to his hand, letting it float over to his palm.

Something I've noticed in the times I have my soul out and about is that over time, it's become more...agile? It moves faster when it wants to – or perhaps I subconsciously command it to do so? – and it often takes advantage of this to make my affection for Tenna even more apparent, flying around him excitedly. Initially, this scared him, as he assumed that my soul was going haywire or that something was wrong, but after realizing that it's simply mirroring what I feel for him, he practically melts when it buzzes around him now.

As if catching onto my thoughts, my soul nearly zips away from Tenna's hand and flies up to gently bump his screen. He startles, but settles again seconds later with a snicker. "Well, hello to you too, my dear! Careful now, we don't need you hurting yourself in your excitement!"

"You talk to it like it's some kind of pet." I comment with a giggle.

"I do not! I know this is still you, but I also know this part of you is...much more fragile, you know?" Tenna reaches up to nudge at my soul with his knuckle, the soft silk of his glove eliciting a warm tingle inside of me. "If anything happened to it and it turned out to be my fault..."

"Hey now, come back to me." It's my turn to reach up, though I can only get far enough to pat at his chest. "I only let it out around you for a reason. I trust you wouldn't let anything happen to it."

The faint worry that was slowly developing in his frame gives way after a moment. Then, Tenna smiles again, softer and genuine. "...Yes. Of course, I would never let it – you – get hurt."

"I know." I smile with him. My soul smoothly glides around his head, prompting the both of us to giggle.

Tenna takes the lapse in conversation to turn his focus back to my soul, holding out his hand for it. Whether by its own accord or mine, it naturally finds its way back to his palm, hovering there almost dutifully. Even without any eyes to speak of, there's something in his expression that's so painfully fond, so adoring, that I can't stop the flutter in my chest. Subsequently, my soul's glow pulses brighter, matching the pace of my quickening heartbeat, which makes Tenna hum curiously before turning his head back to me.

Apparently, there must've been something in the way I was caught looking at him that causes him to chuckle softly. "Yes, sweetheart?"

In an attempt to deter my fluster, I avert my gaze towards my traitor of a soul. "I didn't say anything."

"Maybe so, but your soul gives you away~" There's an uplift in his tone towards the end, as if to tease me.

I shoot a playful glare towards it. "Little shit."

His playful attitude suddenly drops to a stern smile. "Hey now,"

I can only snicker again as Tenna moves his hand from under my soul to nudge a finger under my chin and angle my head to look back at him again. "Just because it's you that says it, doesn't mean I'll let comments like that about my star slide."

"And I'll say it again."

"Do not."

I begin to laugh harder, moving my head out of his hold as I do. Tenna only sighs, relenting and turning back to my soul, who doesn't seem to have much of a response to all this. He offers it his hand again, asking, "And you're just gonna let them talk about you like that?"

"That's me you're talking to! It's still me!" I cackle, but Tenna blatantly ignores me to continue this little bit we've started.

He tries to "goad" my soul, pulling his hand closer to his screen and instinctively smiling, regardless of this act, when the small heart naturally follows his movement to stay in his palm. "No, no, just because you can't speak for yourself, that doesn't mean you have to tolerate this! Stand up for yourself!"

I'm practically breathless by now, still quietly giggling. The only response my soul gives to his provocation is to zip upwards and bump against his screen again, causing him to jolt with a yelp. "GAH! That's not what I meant!"

"I don't think it minds." I comment as I'm catching my breath. Once I've calmed down fully, I hold my hand out to try and call for it to come back. "Anyway, I think that's enough for now, you still need to finish your—"

"Ah ah, hold on!"

Just as my soul tries to make its way back to me, Tenna abruptly plucks it mid-air. The sudden warm tingling encompassing my entire body makes me jolt, and he quickly apologizes, "Ah— Sorry, sorry! I just, uh— Do you have to put it away so soon?"

Luckily, I've gotten somewhat used to the sensations, so I'm able to fully endure it after a few moments to settle into the feeling – it never gets easier when he just grabs it like that, though. Once my grimace fades, I question, "I mean, don't you wanna finish soon so we can go home?"

"That— Well— That doesn't mean you have to put it away at all! Frankly, I think you should keep it out, it'll make for lovely entertainment and encouragement, don't you think so?"

"More like a distraction." I remark teasingly.

"Incorrect! You think I don't know how to control myself?!"

(When it comes to me, yes.) I internally chuckle to myself.

"...I know that look." Tenna's frame scrunches up, as if to look like he's pretending to squint; it seems like my expression gave my thoughts away again. "You're thinking something rude again, aren't you?"

"Not rude. But don't act like you have self-control when I'm involved."

"Oh ho, is that what you think?" He suddenly smirks, leaning closer to me. The buzzing static of his screen is potent in the air, tingling my skin without even touching me – or maybe that's his influence on my soul. Coupled with the static is the warmth exuding from him, worsening my own blushing.

I swallow, and he huffs amusedly at the bob of my throat. "You don't know half of what I have to stop myself from doing whenever you're around, sweetheart."

By now, I know the paperwork is long forgotten to him. So, I decide to lean into this, tilting my head curiously as I smile. "...Enlighten me, then."

"Oh, with plea—"

There's a knock at his office door, causing the both of us to jolt up. Before Tenna can say anything, the door suddenly clicks open, and a Pippins slips inside. They're holding a clipboard and some files, telling the showman, "Hey bossman, I found some more papers that were—"

"Get out."

My head whips around from how I'd turned to look at the Pippins, about to scold Tenna for being rude to his employees again, however I pause when I notice the overwhelming rage that's suddenly taken over his entire demeanor. His hand that's holding my soul is moved down to hide behind the desk, his frame is scrunched up again in a heavy frown, his gritted teeth visible and baring his fangs, and the corner of his lip twitches, as if he's desperately holding himself back from acting out of line any further.

I look back to see how the Pippins falters for a second. Their eyes flit between me and Tenna somewhat nervously. "Uh— Bad time?"

"Put it on the vanity desk and GO." His lower tone and the audio from his speakers beginning to compress leaves no room for debate.

Not willing to stick around to find out the consequences, they drop what they have at the vanity desk just next to the door and swiftly hurry out, practically slamming the door behind themself. There's a heavy silence that follows, whatever lighthearted banter we were engaging in before now sufficiently ruined.

As I turn my head back to Tenna, I pause again when I realize that my soul had been released, the small heart floating over to hover at my shoulder. I try to look past it to focus on Tenna, whose expression is still completely tense but now visibly shameful. He angles his head away.

"I— Uh—" He clears his throat. "I'm sorry, that was..."

I can only sigh. The damage is already done, so I might as well try to figure out his reasoning. "You wanna talk about why you flipped on a dime out of nowhere?"

"It— Well—..."

A beat passes, until eventually Tenna sighs too. He raises his hand to smooth out his antennae, which had crumpled slightly, before sliding to press his palm to the side of his frame. "...Your soul is still out."

"...Okay?" I tilt my head. "And what does that have to do with what just happened?"

Tenna finally turns his head back to me. "Darling, your soul is fragile, don't forget that. If just barely touching it affects you the way it does, then how am I supposed to trust anyone else to be as careful with it as I am?"

(I'd hardly say you're careful with it, frankly.)

"Is that why you tried to hide it?" I inquire.

"Yes! I don't trust that these guys won't let curiosity get the best of them! If they catch even a whiff of your soul—"

"I really don't think they care as much as you think they do." I stop him, lightly giggling.

"You don't know that! Unless—" Tenna suddenly gasps, "No, sweetheart, please don't tell me you've shown your soul to anyone else! PLEASE!"

"Okay, okay, calm down!" I laugh harder, especially when he frantically grabs at my shoulder, causing my soul to fly out of the way and soar up to whirl between his antennae. As I calm down, I remind him, "I told you already that I only let my soul out around you. I understand your concerns, but let's not forget that part, please!"

That thankfully snaps him out of his brief panic. His expression blanks, and after a moment, he purses his lips. "...Right. Right, right, you, ah— You did say that."

"Uh huh." I'm still softly giggling. Reaching up with both hands, I beckon for him to lean down, which he follows instantly. With his frame in my hold, I sit up to kiss him. "You can tell me if you're being all possessive of my soul, y'know."

Just like that, it seems as though I've hit the nail on the head. Tenna quickly looks wracked with guilt again, and he's oddly quiet. The hand at my lower back just barely starts to clutch onto my clothing and his own plug-in cord around my waist. He murmurs something so incoherently that even though I've barely pulled away from his screen, I don't understand what he's said.

I huff, smiling. "No need to act like you're in trouble now. You're not subtle, Tenna."

"...So what if I am?" He finally speaks up. "What if I'm...possessive, of it?"

"Do I look like I have a problem with it?"

"...No...?"

"Correct." I lean up to kiss him again. "It's all yours, anyway."

"HUH?!" Tenna abruptly sits up, ripping himself away from my touch. His screen begins to glitch, flashing colored bars and struggling to keep his facial features fully materialized. He nearly slaps his free hand over his screen as he jerks his head to face it away from me. "I— YOU— THIS IS YOUR SOUL, _____, DON'T SAY THAT!"

"Too much?" I ask, genuinely.

"I— I DIDN'T MEAN—!"

Tenna frantically shakes his head, groaning and visibly cringing when his speakers glitch, causing his audio to cut here and there. "Tha— Tha—t's not wh—at I meant! It's just—!"

He pauses, seemingly realizing that he needs to take a moment to compose himself. With all the patience in the world for him, I stay quiet, watching the way my soul flutters around him in the meantime, as if waiting alongside me. Eventually, it looks as though Tenna's able to calm down, his nose and mouth not flickering in and out of existence anymore, though his entire screen still resembles the color test pattern when the TV signal cuts out. His audio is noticeably more stable again as he elaborates, "Your soul is your whole livelihood, sweetheart. It's you."

"I still stand by what I said." I shrug, nonchalant. "It's all yours."

Despite how he doesn't need to breathe, his little act screeches to a halt, his breath audibly catching. After struggling with his screen again for only a moment this time, he concedes with a sigh. Then, he chuckles breathlessly, "Are you trying to make me cry?"

"Only if it's a good cry."

Tenna laughs harder, leaning back down. He moves both his arms around me, nuzzling his screen against the top of my head. I try to reciprocate his embrace as best as I can, humming contently as he mutters, "Of course it is. You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that – that everything, even your soul, is mine. Just like all of me is yours."

I angle my head to kiss at his screen, uncaring if I catch his lips or not.

Seemingly overcome with emotion, Tenna suddenly begins to sprinkle pecks and kisses on as much of me as he can reach. I can't help bursting into giggles, only fueling him to continue his onslaught of affection. My soul swiftly soars around us, the glow of its color pulsing so brightly and rapidly that it's starting to rival the overhead lights now.

When Tenna mentioned the night before that he has a surprise for me, I had a sneaking suspicion as to what he could be planning. After he'd picked up on my aversion for most holidays, he's always made a point to try and celebrate it to the best of his abilities to warm me back up to the idea, even though I still don't really celebrate anything out in the light world.

But here, with him, it's different.

With Halloween just around the corner, I'd mentioned it to him here and there, and I could tell that it was all the incentive he needed to start making plans.

Upon arriving in the dark world tonight, I immediately notice the green room completely decked out in all kinds of Halloween decorations: fake cobwebs, a skeleton model of something that I could only assume was of a darkner and not a human, and all kinds of jack-o-lanterns strewn about with varying degrees of craftsmanship. Even the usual bright lighting had been dimmed to give the place a more eerie atmosphere. The staff already hanging out in the green room are dressed in typical horror movie monster costumes, though they clearly weren't up for acting the part as they greeted me like usual upon my arrival.

"Good evening, sweetheart!"

Looking to where Tenna emerges from the hallway behind me, I'm very quickly caught off guard by his own change in costume – not that I wasn't expecting one from him, but...

He seems to notice something in my expression, judging by the cocky smirk he gives as he tilts his head. "Feeling alright? Don't tell me you're already spooked when you just got here!"

I try not to avert my eyes out of embarrassment from his jest, my face growing warm as I take in the sight. Tenna's costume resembles that of a vampire, with more regal clothes and a silky black cloak around his shoulders, held together in the middle with a chain with a "T" on one end and a "V" on the other.

Classy, with his own charm sprinkled in.

Coupled with that is the fact that Tenna's exposing his fangs that he usually keeps hidden – so as not to scare the audience year-round, as he's told me – and that alone usually flusters me, so with the...frankly way too attractive costume alongside it, I'm suddenly struggling to say anything coherent.

The sound of Tenna chuckling snaps me out of my thoughts, and I finally choke out, "You, uh, you look good."

Smooth.

Amused, he kneels down with his hands out, and after raising my arms to give him permission, he scoops me up and settles me on his forearm like usual. Using his free hand, Tenna drapes the side of the cloak around my shoulders – even now, he can't help being oddly sweet in a way that makes my heart flutter. "I'm glad you think so. I had a lot of fun designing this, and yours too!"

"Mine?"

"Yes, yours! What, did you think I was gonna leave you out on the festivities? What kind of host do you take me for?!" Tenna laughs, as he starts making his way to the dressing room.

When we arrive, something I notice is how...vacant the place is. Usually, there's at least one of his staff in here, making adjustments to their own outfit or makeup. And with today, I expected the dressing room to be relatively busier than usual, actually. I don't comment on it however as Tenna shuts the door behind himself.

"I see you really liked my costume, sweetheart." He mentions aloud. "Enough that it rendered you speechless, even, haha!"

Immediately, my cheeks flush warm again. "Uh— Yea—"

Tenna adjusts me in his hold, and before I know it, his screen is very close, nuzzling into my shoulder and causing the cloak to slip down my arm. The fuzzy layer of static on his screen just barely tickles when it grazes my lower neck, and my breath hitches. "I was a little tempted to just opt for toy fangs, but just using my own sounded far easier. I do have to be careful, though..."

Suddenly, there's a very faint sting just at my shoulder. Even through my dark world outfit, Tenna's fangs are just sharp enough to nearly puncture through to my skin regardless. Luckily, he eases up moments later, his voice compressing as he chuckles, "You look especially delicious tonight, darling. Makes me wanna eat you up."

I can hardly breathe. His warm screen nuzzling against my fervid skin once more does nothing to calm my fluster, so with as much strength as I can muster, I reach up and grab at the bottom corner of his frame. Tenna seems momentarily caught off guard, pulling away enough to give me a second to catch my breath.

"...You're actually gonna kill me at this rate, Tenna."

Whether it's the wobble in my voice, the trembling smile I give him, or how obvious my fluster must look to him that eases his worry, he quickly bursts into laughter as he pulls me close again, nuzzling his screen to the top of my head this time. "Sorry, sorry! We can't have that, can we? We still got a special episode to host!"

"You're gonna have to give me some extra time to recover after that, then, you horndog."