(One shot) (Long shot) (but like long long) (the longest shot i've ever written)
Fandom : Deltarune/Undertale
Relationship : Tenna x AFAB!Reader
CW : Obsession, obsessive behavior, stalking, Reader is down BAD, Reader is 18+, light smut, mention of masturbation, masturbation.
Plot : Your dangerous infatuation with Tenna leads you to do literally anything for his attention. Thankfully, money helps. (I'm so bad at making summaries OMG)
Author's note : This might be a little inaccurate cuz I haven't actually played past chap2. And just pretend that everything is happening on the surface. Or don't.
I can't tell you how laggy my draft was the more I wrote. It just never ends. IT NEVER ENDS.
โดโตโถโดโตโถโดโตโถโดโตโถโดโตโถ
As a human, you've slowly gotten used to the presence of monsters. Some of them have managed to move to big cities. And let's be honest here, only the most human passing monsters or really famous ones, are welcomed amongst humans.
You live in a village. Not small, but not too big either. You know that not that far is Mt.Ebott and a village of monsters around it. Some say the king and queen of the monster race live there.
But you never actually spoke to a monster before. You've seen one, or two, when going to the city.
But you're not against them. Gosh no. They do help with the economy, and hey, there hasn't been any major incidents on their part !
You're actually quite fond of a specific monster. Mr.Tenna. He's one of the very few monsters who have gone really big. One of them is Mettaton. He's a pretty big musician, but Tenna...
He's pretty much on every family's TV screen on a daily basis. You've been watching him for a year. To be fair, you weren't that much of a TV person. If not at all.
Back when you lived with your parents, you felt too awkward sitting with them in the living room all day, so instead you stayed in your room, watching YouTube compilations of Tenna's programs. He has a dozen different genres of shows, but your favorite will always be the ones where he talks the most. Where there's almost no one else with him.
You know that his fanbase is pretty big. Impressive, even. For a guy in a ketchup jacket and a mustard tie, (and a literal TV for a head) he's very loved. Actually, you're not sure what he is. People say he's just a robot, other say that since Mettaton openly refers to himself as a monster, then Tenna must be one too.
But it doesn't matter to you. You've gotten quite attached to the TV man. He's funny, he's become a source of comfort for you. You can easily forget about everything else around you when you look at him through the screen. His voice...God you hated his voice at first. It just sounded so goofy with that filter over it, but now ?
Now you've gotten so used to it that you've imagined that same voice talking you through touching yourself more than once. Tears rolling down your face after you came, and your heart aching for him to be there with you, holding you close.
So, to say that you've fallen in love with him is a bit of an understatement.
And now that you have your own apartment, you decided to treat yourself to a specific TV brand. His ! How exciting. And guess what, your brand new TV comes with a bag of fun little goodies (pens and a cap with his name and logo on it.) AND a fun little privilege !
As long as you keep paying your monthly fee (or else they come to take away your TV), you're an official member of the TVTMP ! (Which literally stands for TV time members program. Yes yes very creative, but you love the guy so you don't judge) And it's 'TMP' for short.
Anyway, this new title gives you access to a bunch of privileges. Like uh...Tickets to be a part of the audience of his next show are 25% off ! (Shows are full until next year).
Or...You get to be able to purchase a fun little ticket with YOUR name on it, that they put in a giant bowl, and every two months, Mr.Tenna himself draws one ticket and the person who gets picked gets to spend 30 minutes with the man himself !
That's very generous of him. Poor man must be so busy.
You're not that desperate though.
Oh yeah, you absolutely bought that thing. Putting your credit card info on their old ass website with a 2005 vibe and everything. You know, the kind of site with a neon red background, black text that you can barely read, and yellow stars shining on the sides of the screen. Yeah.
As for being part of his audience ? You can't wait a year. In fact, you can't even wait a day.
There you are, walking in the streets of the capital. You had to take two buses, and the metro. You don't come here often, everything is so pricey, and the people there judge you with their eyes when you're just trying to ask for directions.
But you've done this a few time. Three. You know the way now. When you look up, you can see the tower. His. The whole studio. The tower is huge, and you wonder if he lives in there.
You'd have to be a little bolder to find that out.
For now, you stay on a more...legal ground. The streets. Walking a little more, you find yourself inside a cafe. It's so cute, and you actually wish you could afford to eat there every time you're here.
But you have a mission. And you're broke. The TV was already a pain in the ass, and your parents paid half of it as a birthday gift. As for the fee and the stupid ticket you bought, that went straight to your brand new debt. You've never had one before, but the reasons why you have it make it impossible to feel guilty, or ashamed. You refuse to feel guilty for something that's 'necessary' in your eyes.
You look around. The cafe isn't full, but there are quite a few people waiting in line. There's an upstairs section. This one is for specific clients. Clients that can afford to pay for a seat up there.
Clients like the man you've been coming here three times to see. Of course you can't go up to him and actually talk to him. You're way too shy. You'd stutter and say stupid things.
Plus you're not an upstairs paying customer. So you sit in the very back of the cafe, with the water that you had for free, and your tablet. It gives you the appearance of a working student.
When in reality the tablet hasn't been turned on once since you've been here. Your eyes were looking up. The upstairs section was just a half floor, providing you with a view of the people who sat there.
Sitting in the opposite corner from him, you can see him somewhat clearly. His head was down, his expression unreadable. Not like he had eyes, he didn't. But you'd usually be able to tell if he was at least happy, dramatically sad, or angry. Right now he seemed neutral, but the way his shoulders would tense up at a loud noise coming from downstairs told you something else.
Whatever was troubling him, you'd find a way to make his day better.
And all this water made you want to use the bathroom. That was the only distraction you allowed yourself to have.
But thankfully, the restrooms were upstairs. That was the only way you'd be allowed upstairs. As you walked up the stairs, you felt your heart thumping in your chest. Surely you couldn't be this anxious to see him up close, right ?
The restrooms were right in front of the stairs, in a short hallway. Directly to your right, the upstairs section. Like any normal person would do, you allow yourself to turn your head right.
He was staring right up at you.
That, you did not anticipate.
As you pretty much rush to the bathroom, you can't help but feel stupid. Of course he'd look. Your loud footsteps on the old hardwood floors had caught his attention.
But you, you straight up stopped and froze.
You took a moment in front of the mirror, just trying NOT to overthink it. Trying not to fall into the delusional side of yourself. He did not fall in love with you on the spot.
Eventually, you decide on a strategy to leave the bathroom. You'd walk straight to the stairs without looking in his direction.
But hey, he's not there anymore ? You must've taken so long that maybe more than 15 minutes have passed. Maybe he decided he had enough for today.
You know the staff is supposed to come to clean the table.
You know you're not supposed to step over the white line at the entrance of the section.
You know you're not supposed to steal the straw of his drink.
You know you're not supposed to look into the trash to see if he threw anything in there.
And you painfully know that you're not supposed to take the three sticky notes in the trash. You had seen them on the table. Seen him with a pen in hand. Unfortunately the pen hadn't been left behind.
But you sure did go back home with new objects for your collection ! (Which had just started today)
You sat in the bus, holding the notes in your hands. You had spent most of the time just holding them in your hands, feeling them instead of just reading what was on them.
He had been brainstorming ideas for new programs. Such as a talk show. That would be a slow paced moment, you'd get to hear him talk longer, maybe about his interests, his favorite things, and with just one person with him ?
You were so happy about it, but then you remembered the thick black line over it. Then an arrow next to it and words ; "Too different/Not enough action > Risk of losing interest of TMPs."
You frowned in disagreement. You wished he would've reconsidered instead of throwing it away.
The other notes just had a bunch of unreadable words on it, he probably got frustrated and decided to leave. You figured that he wants to appeal to everyone, and that he was afraid of making a mistake in his flawless career.
And as soon as you get home, you remind yourself of the other prize you've collected. The straw.
As much as you hate the taste of coffee, having his DNA in your mouth made it absolutely worth it.
You can't help the shameful shiver that runs down your spine as you think back about the way you stared at each other. You laid down on your bed, hands already pulling down your pants as you keep the tip of the straw between your lips.
You wonder how big he is. He's so much taller than you, the table had looked ridiculously small compared to him. And you're barely average height for your age group. You moan as your fingers circle your clit, imagining yourself under that table, sucking him off. After all you did tell yourself you'd make his day better, right ? Maybe that's the way it was supposed to go, if only you hadn't froze.
He looked so tense, maybe you were the one thing that could make him unwind.
Your other hand grabs the straw as you begin to suck on it. As you get closer, you close your eyes and try to picture what it would feel like to have his hand beneath your underwear, replacing your own. He'd tear off the fabric, his hand would be too large.
Right as you come undone, your eyes open to stare at the ceiling. A moment of clarity. The thing you absolutely hate. Because you were so pathetic, and your current position only reminded you of that fact.
You washed your hands, and decided to throw away the straw. You've sucked all trace of his saliva, it had no appeal now.
As you went on with your day, you tried to shake off the negative feeling from earlier. You'd get there one day. You'd have his attention, and you'll be happy.
Two days later, after a long shift at the local pizza parlor (it's that bad, your village doesn't have a good job market), you decide to stop in the hall of your building to check your mail.
Surprisingly you find a letter neatly placed at the bottom of your mailbox. Picking it up, you notice it's nothing like the letters you usually receive. It doesn't have the plain white color with the logo of a bank or an organization that wants your money.
You wait until you're in your apartment to open it. Your heart race as you recognize the address. It's from the studio.
Your hands shake as you open the paper. It's clearly handwritten, and you immediately recognize the writing. It's his.
หหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหห
You, yes YOU have been selected as this bi monthly winner ! You my dear [Y/N] will have the privilege of getting a tour of our wonderful studio, before getting to spend time with your favorite host.
I'm looking forward to meeting you, my dear.
หหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหห
The following informations were just legal stuff printed out on the paper, along with the time and address you'd need to show up at.
To say you weren't about to faint was a lie. "My dear [Y/N]" he had written your name, with this pen, with his hand resting against the paper. He had taken the time to write a personalized letter.
Of course it's always the same format. The letter was supposed to be as inclusive as possible, so only the name changed. But it was so adorable, how he took the time to write each letter himself. To make sure each one of them felt personal to the receiver. He was so dedicated...
Oh this letter was absolutely going on your fridge. You'd need this as motivation to get out of bed in the morning.
You've been needing that morale boost.
You had been telling yourself that you had plenty of time until the designated date. You were way too nervous to think about it, the thought of actually standing in front of him and talking to him...
Oh, it made your head spin.
You also wondered if this tour you'd be given would give you some precious information about him, or a possible entry at night. Not that you'd actually do anything. You're not that far gone yet.
Eventually a week went by. It was Thursday, you had to be at the entrance of the tower at 9am sharp. It was 6am and you were staring at the letter.
It was addressed to you, right ? Good, good. Is it really today ? Right. You're not late, are you ? Okay.
You couldn't afford to be late, so you had prepared your outfit the night before. You glanced one last time at the handwritten letter on your fridge before leaving your apartment.
The tower was intimidating. People stopped in front of it to take pictures, or to hope to catch a glimpse of Tenna himself.
That's what you used to do. Before spending an entire day 'visiting the city' when you were just walking around the parking lot waiting to identify which car he entered and following it close until it stopped. You're grateful the poor traffic of the capital makes it so that cars are slower. And that's how you discovered his little habit of going to the same cafe twice a week.
But enough reminiscing, for once in your life you have the chance of stepping inside the tower. There was a red carpet marking the various paths of the first floor, and it was circling around a big fountain in the middle of the lobby. The atmosphere was peaceful. No one was yelling, no phones ringing too loud. The overall aesthetic actually gave out this 80s vibe.
But then again, Tenna's head was in fact an 80s model. Even his clothes didn't look like what any other modern host would wear.
You were asked for your ID, and upon showing it, a man guided you inside the lobby. You were taken to a young woman dressed in all black, with a black cap on her head that had embroidered initials for something you didn't recognize. She smiled at you, and immediately welcomed you to the tower.
The tour itself didn't make you feel much. Sure, it was interesting to walk where you'd normally be dragged out by security. But what mattered most to you was the set.
And once you reached it, your heart began to race. It was empty, aside from a few staff members adjusting a few things, making sure the decorations for tonight's show were holding up correctly.
The woman explained how each transition for the set worked. How they managed to make it change background so quickly, making it look like a completely different set for each show.
You nodded and listened respectfully, even though your stomach twisted at the thought that this was it. In a few minutes you'd probably die.
Suddenly she brought her hands together, clapping once, making you jump.
"Alright ! That concludes our tour. What do you think ?"
"It was...Great. Very interesting." You replied, trying to match her unnatural energy.
"Awesome, now. Quick reminder. I am going to lead you to Mr.Tenna's meeting room. You'll have 30 minutes with him, then we'll take you back to the lobby."
You could barely respond as you followed her to the other side of the set, into a hallway with only one door at the end of it. A security guard stood next to it, and opened the door for you.
"There are non alcoholic drinks and snacks for you, feel free to take some. Mr.Tenna can run a bit late." The woman said, before waving you goodbye and leaving back to the set.
Ah, so he might show up so late that you only have five minutes with him, huh ?
The room itself was cozy. Clearly not what you had expected. When she said 'meeting room', you had thought of a standard meeting room in an office.
This one was small. There was a carpet, two couches across from each other, a glass table in the center. Shelves and glass cabinets were against the walls.
It was comforting, in a sense. The same feeling you got when you looked at him.
You sat down on the couch that was against the wall, in the back of the room. You were way too tense to touch anything.
The clock above the door indicated that the 30 minutes had barely started. It's barely been 20 seconds.
Suddenly you hear shuffling behind the door. Without realizing, you tensed back up even after the amount of effort it took you to relax your back into the couch.
"I am terribly sorry my dear,"
Your eyes widened. Well, what did you expect ? Mr.Tenna himself of course. Seemingly apologizing for being 20 seconds late.
He didn't even look at you yet, he frantically closed the door as he apologized, his back turned to you.
"I barely had time to finish up what I was doing, my schedule has been..." His hands came to straighten his jacket, before he finished his sentence in a huff.
"So full I..." Or rather attempted to finish his sentence. He had turned to face you fully now.
And he froze. You, on the other hand, had looked away the second you saw his body beginning to turn. You couldn't handle looking at him right now. Not when your face was flushed.
"It's you." Tenna let out in a quiet breath.
Your eyes slightly widened, not expecting this. Did he actually recognize you from the cafe ?
You finally look up at him. He's huge. The room itself and the whole building must've been made to accommodate him, but right now antennas were still threatening to scratch against the ceiling.
You don't actually know what to say. Or even...What to do. You nod, acknowledging the precious encounter, as your hands nervously close around your knees.
Tenna picked up on your body language immediately. He's used to this. Only the most outgoing people are immediately relaxed when he enters the room.
But you, you must easily be the shyest person he's ever been here with.
"Ah, I apologize my dear. I didn't mean to make you nervous." He smiles. Not a rehearsed one, but a tender, gentle smile that he can only give to a very few people.
Tenna removes his jacket, putting it on the coat hanger next to the door. He wore a white shirt underneath it, collar neatly arranged, his robotic body now more evident at his wrists and neck.
He then turned to one of the cabinets, opening it. At some point you think he said something, but your heart was beating so fast it was the only sound your ears could pick up. You looked up, meeting his gaze.
"I-...Sorry, what did you say ?" You ask, feeling bad for not being in the moment despite the very short time you have with him.
He smiled again. So this is what your voice sounds like.
"It's alright." He reassured in that gentle voice that matched his smile. "I asked if you wanted anything to drink, [Y/N]."
The way he says your name, actually says it, makes a shiver go down your spine.
"No, no it's fine. I'm good, thank you."
He simply nodded, and as he moved around to make something for himself, you felt like you were going to explode.
You tried to breathe slowly, softly, as you allowed yourself to rest your back again the couch once again.
Tenna walked towards the couch that was in front of the door, to sit across from you.
And thank God he didn't sit next to you. He sat, legs spread not too wide, but parted just enough to make it clear that he was perfectly capable of taking the whole couch to himself. Worse, he made the table in front you both of you look like a child's toy.
You caught yourself staring up and down at him, so instead you focus your gaze on his drink.
Because of what the woman told you, you're forced to think it's apple juice, but you can't help but think he might have some alcohol for himself in there.
His screen settles on you the moment he sat down. He was trying hard not to make it look like he was sizing you up.
Oh if he knew what you did to his straw. And now you're sitting in front of him, unable to form a full sentence without tripping over yourself.
"So," He interrupted whatever train of thought had begun in your head. "Do you go there often ?" His voice is definitely calmer. He doesn't have any reason to behave like the overreacting host here, no reason for dramatic poses, or gimmicks.
Your eyes met his screen again. You tilted your head, before realizing he was talking about the cafe. You shook your head, forced to tell him lies, as much as you'd love to be honest with him.
"No, I don't. I don't usually go to the capital altogether." You admitted, and that part was true.
"I just stopped by. See if the place was nice." The place was indeed nice. So nice you couldn't afford anything but the free water.
Tenna nodded, silently noting how you slowly started to look comfortable, despite looking like you were in the principal's office getting scolded.
"I see." He took a sip from his drink. You still couldn't spot what it was.
"Well, it's still nice to properly meet you, starlight."
You blush at the nickname. That is, if you could get any redder.
"It is." That's all you can say before making a self deprecating joke.
"How long have you been a member for ?" He asks, and it's far from the last question he has for you. You try your best to keep a steady breathing rhythm as you answer each of them.
He was curious about you. He even made a joke or two as an attempt to get you to relax. The first one got a nervous chuckle out of you, but the next ? You laughed, and he looked genuinely pleased.
Then he asked about your favorite program of his. You're taken aback. Not because you didn't know he'd ask that. After all you're here to meet him, not the other way around. But you don't actually know what to answer.
"I...Well, I don't have a specific one in mind." You reply, not wanting to hurt him. But the way he leans in with his elbow on his thigh, and his head resting on his fist makes it clear he doesn't want you to stop talking.
"How so, my dear ? Do you think all of them are as spectacular as the other, hmm ?" He teased, and you could feel yourself fighting hard not to become a human tomato again.
"It's not that. It's just..." You look away, searching for your words. "I just prefer the slow paced ones. Action isn't really my thing."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise, like he truly did not anticipate that. It was like keeping a fan in your home during summer but never turning it on because you hate the cool air it gives, but you keep it because you like the color of it.
For a moment he said nothing, silently looking at you. You can't tell what he's thinking right now, but you certainly didn't want him to get upset at you over something you said.
"I mean..." You began, looking away from him as if it was easier to speak you mind if you ignored him completely. "It's not that I hate everything else. I think it's great that you have so many different programs."
You take a second to glance briefly at him. He's invested. Tenna is sitting perfectly still with his screen on you, just listening.
"But I do watch your shows even though I don't like the genres of the different sections of it." You confessed, finding the courage to look at him fully now.
He looked puzzled. Like he was happy you watched, but he didn't understand why you did. He was still leaning forward, as he put the half full glass on the table. His hands came to rest under the screen.
"My dear, if you're still going through the trouble of being a member, and watching my shows, but you don't like what's in them, then why do it ?" He finally said, visibly confused.
You didn't think that day could come. Someone made Tenna so confused he was oddly quiet. You almost felt proud. And a little guilty.
"Well..." You blushed, as you looked down at your hands. "I still enjoy watching...you. You know...You're really funny and I really enjoy listening to you."
A small smile appears on your lips as you speak, and Tenna almost got lost in it. If it wasn't for the unusual confession.
People loved his shows for a ton of different reasons. Action, drama, the contestants being silly...He was also used to hear people praising his charisma, his confidence. But no one specifically told him that the only reason why they watch his shows is him. Just him.
It took him a while to process your words. He didn't exactly have a heart, but if you touched him, you'd be cooked in an instant.
"I see...Well, I'm...Grateful, [Y/N]." He relaxed, leaning back into the couch, slowly, with a sigh. "Truly." He added, in a voice that made you trust his sincerity. In the state you put him in, there was no lie coming out of him.
But before he could ask anything else, or let alone take another unsteady breath, there was a knock on the door. It opened, making Tenna's head turn. It was the same woman who had given you the tour.
"Sir, the 30 minutes are up. You have a rehearsal in 5." She said with a smile, staying at the door. Tenna let out another sigh, before turning back to you.
"Ah, so soon. Isn't that frustrating, my dear ?" He teased, a smile on his face, although you could sense a real frustration coming from him.
Your heart ached, already missing him. But you were also very glad that this awkward moment ended. You're free at last.
You stand up, knowing you're expected to follow the woman back to the lobby. But before you can take a step forward, Tenna stands up abruptly. It made both you and the girl jump in surprise.
"Wait-" He said, then turned his head to her. "Joanne, would you let me have a few more minutes with my lovely guest ?" It was more of an order than a real question. She nodded, stepping away from the door to leave you two, without closing it. A reminder for you that you needed to leave.
You looked up at Tenna in confusion. But you also realized how close you were now. "Is something wrong ?" You ask, tempted to take a step back. Too bad you're kind of frozen in place again ! It's like your body doesn't want to get away from him.
"Of course not, darling." He reassures you, before reaching out, gently taking one of your hands in his. You don't flinch, too busy getting flustered.
"But I've had such a wonderful time with you," He began, and you wondered if he was being sarcastic. The wonderful time you've had was just him being a normal person while you were overthinking every word you said to him, scared of somehow offending him.
"I would hate to end this encounter so fast."
"Oh, really ?" You tilted your head, a little flattered that he was asking for extra time with you.
"Hm-mh. Now tell me darling, have you ever been a member of my live audience before ?"
You shook your head. "No, it's been fully booked out for a while now. It's like full until next year."
Tenna looked both proud of himself for being such a success, and disappointed that you couldn't get a spot. "Ah, alright then." He looked away for a second, seemingly thinking about something, before looking back at you.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, [Y/N]." He brought your hand to his screen, and pressed it against it like a kiss. You watch with wide eyes, heart thumping in your chest.
"I...Yeah, it was...I really enjoyed this, Mr.Tenna." You can't help but smile, finally feeling confident around him.
He smirked, as he let go of your hand. "Oh please my dear, no need for formalities between us. 'Tenna' will do just fine."
Wait what ? You gave him a look of disbelief. "A-Are you sure ?" You said, before seeing him laugh. Oh great, now he was laughing at you.
"Of course I am. [Y/N], trust me I don't usually do this." He said, then another staff member came to interrupt you.
"Sir, rehearsal in 1." A tired looking guy stood at the door.
"Fine then." Said Tenna, looking upset again. Then he looked back down at you, and gave you a gentle smile. "Let me walk you back to the set, my dear."
You gladly nodded, and the two of you left the room side by side. You stopped next to Joanne, and Tenna gave you one last bit of his attention for today.
"Oh, and [Y/N]. If you happen to stop by at that cafe again, same day as last time, feel free to come upstairs. Sit with me." He said, before bowing his head at you, making you giggle, then he walked to the back of the set.
"My, you've left quite an impression on Mr.Tenna, haven't you ?" Joanne teased you, as you both walked out to get back on the path leading to the lobby. You couldn't help but still be a blushing mess. Your legs felt light though, like walking home after an exam or a particularly hard day at work.
Your apartment felt...empty too empty. Silent. Compared to the studio, to him. Oh you wanted to be there again. Your mind was busy replaying the whole encounter, before it got stuck on a detail you haven't processed yet.
Tenna invited you to spend time with him again ! At the cafe ! Oh that was so exciting ! Plus he was so cute, thinking it was only a coincidence that you had seen each other there...Believing you when you said you were just seeing if the place was nice.
You'd definitely be taking him up on that offer.
But for now you had to get back to your life. You went to work at noon for your afternoon shift, and got home just in time for your favorite show !
The screen of your TV was dark as round lights circled around the curtains of the set.
"It's now time for our feature presentation...
Coming straight from your house !
He's groovy and never glooby !
You can't get this from an egg !
The sensation of your screen,
The show that makes you scream !
Mr.Ant Tenna's TV time !"
You did say it with him. Every single time. Never gets old.
Tenna looked as energized as ever, and you couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with you. Like a morale boost for him, just like what his letter does to you.
The shows goes on, and like usual Tenna does little breaks where he tells something to the viewers, like tips, his opinion about tonight's contestants, or anything that's on the script. But tonight...
"...And a reminder to our audience that we are grateful to have you by our side every night. Seats for the show are fully booked out till next year, and we couldn't have done all that we do today without you." The audience made a collective 'Awww', as you, on your couch, felt your cheeks heating up. You had told him that information, right ? He's doing that, because of you ?
"And let's not forget our viewers at home !" He pointed at one of the cameras, and you couldn't help but feel like it was directed at you.
The next day, you were at work when you received a notification on your phone. An email. Going to the bathroom to read it, you immediately put a hand to your mouth.
หหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหห
On behalf of Mr.Ant Tenna's request, we have opened up a space for you to attend tonight's show as part of the audience.
The seat is free of charge, no ticket will be asked from you by the staff at the entrance of the studio.
Please be present on the set before 8pm.
We hope you will enjoy tonight's show,
Mr.Ant Tenna's TV Time casting crew."
หหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหหหเผเฟเผหห
Could be a scam. Or, Tenna did want you keep you around more than you had thought. You tried to search for the email address, see if it was legit. It was. It was really theirs.
So now you had to actually get out of your apartment tonight. That's a lot to ask from you, but it's for him.
Maybe he'd take you to that meeting room again, after the show ? Or...his place ? Maybe this was just an excuse to test the waters, see if you wanted him as much as he wanted you...
You shook your head, desperately trying not to get overwhelmed and abnormally wet in your work's bathroom.
You have a hard time getting back to work. You couldn't focus, not with what you would be doing tonight.
When your shift finally ended, you couldn't catch a break. You immediately took a shower, changed into appropriate clothing while still wearing the cutest stuff you have.
You'd be there at 7:30 at best. You almost got desperate when your buses drove slower than usual. The metro was crowded, being the time people got off work in the capital.
The moment you stepped a foot into the lobby of the tower, you locked eyes with Joanne.
"Oh hi ! What was it uh...[Y/N], right ? Glad you could make it !" She greeted you happily as you were allowed to walk to her without anyone asking for your ID.
"Hi ! Yeah, I was uh...Pretty surprised when I got that email." You admitted, before looking over at the crowd of people waiting. Must be the rest of the audience.
"Oh trust me, we were surprised too. Mr.Tenna never interacts with a guest more than once, unless it's in a meet and greet."
The set got opened to the audience not long after. You all walked in. The staff was still on the set, making the last arrangements.
You didn't mingle with the others. You were too socially awkward to do that. And also too busy trying to look at the set, trying to see Tenna. But before you knew, everyone was asked to go to their designated seats.
You didn't actually get a seat number, so you asked Joanne about it.
"Oh right, it's that one in the middle, front row."
Your face became bright red as you sat down, realizing that you were going to be staring at Tenna for God knows how long and you couldn't even hide behind people ! No option to rest your flustered face, readjusting your position to hide behind someone.
The curtains close. The camera men and women on each side of the set got focused. Then the lights went off, and the music started.
You gripped the edges of your seat as you heard Tenna's voice doing the intro.
The curtains opened as soon as everyone shouted 'Mr.Ant Tenna's TV time !'
Your face beamed with joy as you got to say it out loud without sounding like a lunatic all alone in your apartment.
However your eyes automatically searched for him, as you were clapping happily with everybody else.
And the moment you both locked eyes with each other, you let out a soft gasp, drowned out by the noise.
As the night progressed, you and Tenna looked at each other on multiple occasions. You counted each one, but lost count eventually as there were too many.
So instead you focused on his voice. Everytime he made a joke, he'd look at you, looking at your reactions, the way you'd laugh, mentally keeping track of which type of joke got a stronger reaction out of you.
Sometimes he'd even address the audience and viewers while standing right in front of you, the stage making him even taller while his head tilted downwards to meet your gaze.
When the show finally ended, everyone got up. You assumed it was time to leave, but Joanne and someone else started to give directions about a buffet, and a meet and greet line.
You watched as people started to form a line and you felt so dumb to be standing there without jumping on the opportunity.
But that's when your new friend Joanne catches your attention. She's calling your name, and when you look at her, she points to the small hallway leading to the meeting room. Your heart begins to race. Really, again ? You'd have that chance ?
You give her a thumbs up, and head there. The security guard seemed to have gotten the memo, because as soon as you appear in the hallway, he opens the door for you. When he closes it behind you, you're all alone in the meeting room.
It's still the exact same, but this time ? This time you feel safer. At ease. You feel like you might actually get a snack. And you do, it's late, you haven't eaten anything since noon.
You're way too small for the shelves, so you look into the cabinets that you can reach. You get yourself a snack, and a glass of water. You sat back on the same spot, same couch. You wonder how long it's gonna be for Tenna to meet everyone.
You pull out your phone. It's 11pm. Your eyes widened, as you clearly didn't plan on going home THAT late. Make it midnight with the amount of time Tenna plans on making you spend here.
You can hear muffled sounds outside. Tenna's booming voice only being vibrations in the room. It makes you shiver in excitement. You quickly finished your snack and wondered if there was anything interesting in the room. So you get up, and look around.
There's a record player on a counter. You take a look at the records on the side, and pick a random one, trying to be as careful as possible as you play it. The music's not bad, so you go back to the couch.
About 15 minutes later, you hear footsteps approaching. You tensed up, still a little nervous.
The door opened. This time, Tenna had already his jacket halfway off. He closed the door and immediately turned to face you.
"There you are, starlight !" He greeted you, with a wide smile on his face. He put his jacket down, and walked towards you. "Enjoyed the show ?"
You nodded, smiling back at him. "Yeah, it was amazing ! Thank you, for giving me a chance to see the show live."
"Oh sweetheart, no need to thank me for that." He said, before sitting down next to you. You shifted to the other end of the couch to accommodate him. His leg was still brushing against yours. Your head was spinning.
His arm settled on the top of the couch, reaching as far as behind you. Tenna relaxed against the couch, making you think he was probably tired after doing a whole show, and meeting so many people.
You try so hard not to stare at his lap, wishing you could sit right there.
"So, um...Is it not exhausting ? You're spending all that energy and you're still not going home."
He looked away from the ceiling, to look at you.
"It is taking a lot of energy from me. But I'll never be too tired to spend time with my favorite little star." He smirked, causing you to look away.
"How about you, hm ? In a rush to get home ?"
"No, not at all." You replied, before realizing something.
"Wait, actually, um..." You pull out your phone, and start looking at something on it. Tenna frowns, obviously not a fan of new technology. Let alone when it's you using your phone when he's right there.
"What's the matter [Y/N] ?"
You're too focused on what you're doing to register the fact that he's now leaning close to you, voice lower than usual.
"Ugh, the metro's there 24/7 but I don't have any buses anymore." You say, frustrated that you'd have to pay for an Uber like 40 bucks because you live so far away.
"You...Take multiple buses ?" He asks, and you turn your head to look at him. Your faces are only inches apart, almost making you jump.
"Y-Yeah, I...Live like 2 hours away."
"Really ? In which city do you live in ?" He leaned back against the couch, and you can't help but rest your back against it as well.
"It's not a city, it's a village actually. I'm pretty sure we're under 3 thousand people." You reply, a little ashamed even though you have no reason to be. "It's Golden Hill, under Mt.Ebott."
"Golden Hill...I've heard that name before..." Tenna looked back at the ceiling, trying to remember when he heard it.
"I doubt you've heard it somewhere, it's really sma-"
"THAT'S IT !" He snapped his fingers, with a smile on his face. "Oh, sorry darling I interrupted you."
He looked back at you with a brand new expression of excitement on his face. "You know, I like to keep track of how many TMPs I have in each region, each city...Villages even. And recently I've been told that Golden Hill had gained one TMP."
"Oh ! That's good then. How many are there in total ?"
"My my, it changes things..." He teased, and you tilt your head in confusion.
"You're not just my favorite star, but you're a rare little thing as well !" He announced, before standing up.
You blush, and watch as he walks to a shelf. He pulled out a small plastic bag, almost ridiculously tiny for his size. He opened it, and walked back to you.
"Here, let me put this on ya." Tenna crouched in front of you, as he pulled out a round metallic pin out of the bag. You don't question him, instead you move your hair out of the way, feeling your heart beating fast.
Tenna gently placed the pin in and out of your top, right against your chest. "Relax, [Y/N]." He says with a soft chuckle, as he clearly felt your heart beating.
"Sorry..." You looked up, vision obstructed by his antennas. You wondered why his head wasn't a...modern TV. Or how he even came to be.
"There we go, you can keep it it's all yours." He stood back up, standing in front of you.
"You'll see it at home. Isn't it a fun surprise ?"
You laugh, making him smile.
"Oh, and don't worry about getting home, I'll just have my driver take you back."
"Wait, really ? You don't have to, it's fine. I can take a train."
"Alone in the dark ? I don't think so, darling." He put his hands on his hips, making it clear he wasn't going to let you put yourself in danger. Even though he was the one keeping you here at midnight.
"Thank you, Tenna. It means a lot to me. I really like spending time with you." You confessed, as you smiled at him.
"Aww, look at you. Care for a hug, my dear ?"
He extended his arms, hands twitching as an invitation. How can you say no to that ? It's late, you've worked all day, and now the love of your life if offering you a hug ?
Without even hesitating you stand up and wrap your arms around him. He's too large, your hands can't touch, but his chest his warm. One of his hands comes to pet your hair, while the other gently caresses your back.
"There you go, sweetheart. Tired aren't we ?" His voice is gentle, like a whisper. You nod, feeling like you could fall asleep even though you're standing.
"Let's get you home then."
You're head felt light as you can barely register what comes next. You're pretty sure the strong hands that are on your shoulders to guide you to the parking lot are Tenna's.
He gives your hand a kiss after you sat in the backseat of his personal driver's car.
That's all you can remember. As the morning light fills your room, you lay in your bed. You've been thinking about last night. The show, the hug. The effort he put into meeting people, staying aware of where his TMPs were in the world.
Oh and the pin. You looked down at the floor, where you had put your clothes in a hurry to just sleep or you'd pass out. You reach out, taking your top, and looking at the pin.
'Mr.Tenna's favorite star !' It was black text over a yellow star and a red background. You smiled, knowing he probably had a stock of those for children or something.
But you ? You got it ! You're his 'sweetheart', aren't you ? His darling.
It was a Tuesday morning. You had to go to work in the afternoon, but that didn't mean you couldn't stop by the cafe.
It's been a few days since the show, and you wondered if Tenna was expecting you to come today.
You entered the cafe, and immediately made your way upstairs like you had every right to. Tenna was sitting at the same spot he usually sat in. Must be his favorite. The upstairs section was empty, only him, and now you.
as soon as he saw you, his screen lit up just a bit brighter. "Darling ! Right on schedule." He motioned for you to come sit with him.
"Hi Tenna ! Did you miss me ?" You teased, as you sat down in front of him. He loved that you grew more comfortable around him by the day.
"Can you blame me ? I was looking forward to see my favorite little star."
Then he looked down at your empty hands. "You didn't get anything to eat ?" He asked, and you shook your head.
"Oh come on sweetheart, let me get you something." He offered, already preparing to stand up. But you quickly raised your hand, stopping him.
"It's fine, don't worry." You said, tensing up as you looked away. Tenna saw it, and tilted his head.
"Darling..." He reached out, taking your hand in his. His thumb gently caressed your hand. "Talk to me."
You felt bad for making him so worried, and acting so defensive. You let out a sigh, as you looked down at your hands.
"I'm sorry. It's just...Everything's so expensive here."
He figured, when you told him where you lived, that you weren't someone with a lot of money. But that ? That made him worried about your financial situation.
"I understand. But I do want to make sure you eat. It's getting warmer by the day outside, and you need energy." He said, gently, slowly so that you'd cave in.
And you did. With a lot of reluctance. "I know...But I don't want to owe you anything."
Tenna chuckled at that. "Oh my dear, you'll never owe me anything. If I want to buy you something, then consider it a gift, whatever it is."
You finally agreed, and he happily walked back downstairs to get you some food. When he was back, he placed a tray full of pastries in front of you.
"There you go, sweetheart." He sat back down, and watched as he made sure you ate.
After a small silence, though, he spoke again. In a serious voice.
"Your money problems, how bad ?"
You stare at him in disbelief. "Tenna-"
"How bad ?" He won't back down.
You put your croissant back down, and just looked at him like you've been teleported to financial audit or something.
"I...Are you...Are you sure you want me to tell you ?"
You feel your throat slowly closing, like you're about to cry. You hate it. You hate the feeling that he's going to know your weaknesses, that he's going to find out you're not like him. What if he stops talking to you ?
"Well...I don't...Know what to tell you. I've been living in that same village since I was born, only job I found was there, I don't even get paid minimum wage. I live alone, so I take care of everything, plus extra with my phone, insurance, transport, TMP..."
You start listing everything you have to pay for. You're not looking at him, but Tenna seriously starts to wince as he realizes it just never ends !
"And the fee, the ticket I bought for the bi monthly thing, all of that's debt."
"Sweetheart, I had no idea you were going through all of that. Why even be a member if you can take better care of yourself without it ?"
"It's fine, Tenna. It's not like it's a huge, or anything." You reply, in your own little world of denial.
"Still, you're putting yourself in danger."
"But it's necessary." You snap at him, as your eyes lock. This almost made him jump, how you spoke like he was in the wrong here.
"You don't get it. We wouldn't be here, right now, together. I need this." You take a deep breath, closing your eyes for a second.
"You have no idea what it's like to be stuck in the same spot all your life because you're not as educated, not as talented, not as good looking as the rest. So you work in a place you hate, you sleep in a place you hate. The only source of happiness I have around is you, so I just don't care how much I spend, how bad the debt gets, I need this. I need you."
The moment you open them back, you can see the pure worry on his face. His hands are gripping the table, he's just sitting there uncomfortably.
You had made it clear that the membership was for your mental health. That he helped. That without it, without him...You'd be long gone. And he doesn't want to think about what that means.
You blink, feeling so, so guilty.
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean..." You look away, ashamed of yourself. "Maybe it's best if I leave."
"No !" He stands up abruptly, and quickly walks towards you, to block your way even though you weren't out of your chair yet. He crouches next to you, as one of his hands comes to rest on your cheek.
"No, no, you're not going anywhere [Y/N]. You don't move, you stay right there."
You feel tears rolling down your face, you just can't stop them.
"Shhh, let me tell you something." You stay quiet, as he continues.
"I need you too." He confessed, in a way you've never heard him speak. He sounded desperate.
"You're my muse. You make me think differently. I can't explain why, but I always want you around, it's like I need you, for me to exist. I need you to think."
His thumb wipes away your tears, and his second hand quickly comes to do the same for your other eye.
Your eyes are glued on his screen, and for a moment you just look at each other in silence.
Then words leave your mouth before you can think about them.
This takes both of you off guard. Tenna froze in place. You didn't say you loved TV, you said him. You love him.
"I-I mean..." You looked away, as your face got red.
"I love you too." He replied, as calm as ever. You looked back at him, eyes wide.
"Oh, my beautiful darling." Tenna stood up, and leaned forward to get as close to your face as possible. Your heart raced as you caught on to what he was doing. You closed your eyes, and let him pull you into a soft kiss.
His screen is surprisingly warm. Your hands come to rest on each side of his head, as his move away from your cheeks to your waist.
As soon as you pull back, you can't help close the distance again for a hug. You hear him chuckle.
"Missed being in my arms, my love ?" He teased, but you gasp at the nickname. Damn you just won at life you're pretty sure. Don't know what you did to deserve it though.
"Want to spend the rest of the day with me ?" He asked, and you sighed.
"Huh ?" You pull back to look at him, confused.
"Sweetheart, I want you to quit your job."
"I'll take care of everything, don't worry about any of it."
That was his way of shutting you up, before he leaned in to kiss you again.
You couldn't remember the last time you felt this happy. You thought that just looking at him from the downstairs section could make keep you happy for a little while. But you knew it would never last. You'd need more. And frankly you didn't want to think about what you would've been ready to do to keep yourself satisfied.
What you didn't anticipate, however, was for Tenna to decide he wanted to take you home. His home, soon to be yours. It was your first time seeing so many buttons on an elevator. The tower did stretch to the clouds, after all.
His penthouse was big. You didn't actually think he would need multiple bedrooms. Maybe he had family ? Or...Maybe it was for future children.
But what captivated you was the view. The way the capital looked so small. You were so high up and all of your worries had been left down there.
You didn't even notice Tenna walking up behind you. He leaned down, head hovering near yours in amusement. "Enjoying the view, dear ?" He teased, and you were suddenly made aware of his presence.
"It's really impressive, i've never seen the capital like this."
"You're adorable. I could make a whole section of my show just about this scenery and you'd still watch every second of it."
"No ! Well...You wouldn't be there, so I wouldn't watch."
The teaser ended up getting teased. Tenna's screen turned a subtle but noticeable pink, as he frowned and backed away. "Ah, my perfect little viewer is so dedicated."
You both make your way to the center of the living room, sitting next to each other.
"You don't have any pets, do you darling ?" He asked, making you tilt your head in curiosity.
"I want to keep you here tonight. Just wanted to make sure you had nothing to take care of at home."
You can't help but get flustered. You'd be staying here...Tonight ? As in, sleeping in the same bed ? But you do agree. As if you were capable of saying no to him.
The two of you spend the afternoon together, playing dusty board games that Tenna had never touched before, but seeing and having them there gives him inspiration for his own show.
For dinnertime, you offered to cook. After all you do still want to repay him for his gratitude. However Tenna tells you that he prefers to be the one cooking for you.
Turns out your beloved host has never cooked a day in his life. You make fun of him until you realize that he's genuinely disappointed at himself. So instead you decide to teach him how to make a simple meal. You also find out that he can infact eat, it's just something he never does.
Unfortunately, immediately after dinner, Tenna was called onto the set to rehearse tonight's show before 8. You had completely forgot about it.
Tenna made you stay in the penthouse until he got back at midnight. You acted like you were really upset about it, but you couldn't be happier. You'd get to explore the place and why not even search around his personal items.
But he didn't need to know that. In fact, he had made sure that you wouldn't get bored. There was a TV in there, a CRT much like his own head. Tenna was not a fan of new technology. He already had a hard time tolerating the high end cameras around the set.
"There, you won't miss one bit of your favorite host." He declared proudly as he gave you the remote. Then, he continued in a lower voice "I'm...I'm your favorite host, right ?"
You find his little worry cute. "Of course you are. And I'm you're favorite viewer, right ?"
"Oh my love, if one day the ratings got so low the show had only one remaining viewer, I'd pray for it to be you."
After that, you exchanged another affectionate kiss, and Tenna reluctantly left you alone.
You took the time to rummage through his stuff, deciding to put on one of his sweatshirts before settling on the couch to watch the show. Of course the sweatshirt looked like a blanket on you. But it makes you happy to feel so close to him even when he's not there.
The show was brilliant as usual, and you did notice the way Tenna seemed more confident than usual. Maybe you truly were his muse. And by keeping you here he knew you were safe and sound.
As soon as he got back, it was around 11:30pm. Tenna dramatically fained a heart attack as soon as he saw you wearing his sweatshirt.
As you laughed, he practically jumped at you to grab you by the waist. He sat down on the couch, putting you on his lap.
"Oh my love, you're the only one who can make me feel so...fuffiled."
Tenna did make you move in with him. It wasn't hard for you to leave Golden Hill. The village had now 0 TMPs, but at least his favorite little star was right there by his side.
You're never telling him about the stalking.
HOLY. 5 DAYS. IT TOOK ME 5 DAYS and a 2-3 hour writing session each day. ANYWAY I have never written anything related to Deltarune before, so.
There are two bonuses coming for this story, but this very draft made my phone so laggy i had to continue on my laptop. So excuse the little typos you might see.
