Chapter Text
Tenna sat nervously in the meeting room, staring at his hands as he started fiddling with them restlessly.
He was so doomed. Everything was over. His social credibility and his image was ruined. Good bye TV time! Good bye marvelous mystery board! It was a good run!
… Could Mike take any longer?! He had been waiting for him for… checking his watch… ten minutes! And those ten minutes were torture. He was dying inside from embarrassment and shame, thinking about what he had done.
The memories were a tiny bit fuzzy, at least on the details, but the events were loud and clear enough. He had broken down over something so stupid as his own tailor-made suit! It was made to fit him perfectly while outlining his figure in a presentable way. It shouldn't have felt so restrictive. Oh, and let's not forget how he lost the ability to read! Seriously! He forgot how to read! Like a damn baby!
And that brought him to the worst part of the whole thing; Mike finding him.
He groaned and covered his face, feeling the shameful hot blush return. It was so humiliating! He had yelled at Mike like he himself was a five year old and cried like one too. And not only that, he needed Mike to help him get changed and led by the hand back to his room before being tucked into bed. Then he asked Mike to play a game of 'I spy' with him and got genuinely excited about winning. His assistant even had to negotiate with him in order to make him go to sleep! It was absolutely mortifying thinking back on it. Why had he done all that?! Why had he felt so strange and acted so childish?!
And that wasn't even the WORST worst part! The actual death sentence for pride. The moment he wished he didn't remember. When he had called Mike-
The door to the meeting room opened and in stepped Mike, looking presentable as always in his suit and bowtie. Tenna jumped slightly at his appearance, feeling himself grow even more nervous as the man walked across the room, not acknowledging Tenna yet. He just headed for the seat across from him and climbed up to sit down. He looked up at his boss with an awkwardly serious face, which could only mean bad news for him.
"... … … So… how are you doing today, boss?"
"Ah-! I-I'm doing fine! Just a little… worried. About all this. I mean, why would you want to have a meeting with me all of a sudden?"
Tenna had been pretending that nothing had happened ever since he woke up with Mike squeezed against his chest later on. He acted like he simply couldn't recall what led them to their current position, hoping that maybe Mike would just assume he had been in some sort of delirious state that made him act weird. Maybe he'd act like it never happened either in order to spare his poor boss from the humiliation. But that didn't seem to be the case.
"... I think we both know why. Yesterday was… well it was definitely something."
"Yeah! Wow! Waking up with you in my bed! What a scandalous headline that would be!"
Mike cringed at that comment, clearly not enjoying his attempt at humor. Tenna deflated slightly and lowered his head, wondering if he should just shut up rather than make everything worse.
"I'd… rather we focus on what happened before that. When I… found you in your dressing room. I know you remember what happened. You wouldn't have reacted the way you did if you hadn't remembered."
He remained silent, looking away while maintaining the guise of ignorance.
"Tenna, please! I really need you to talk to me about this! I want to understand what happened! I need to know what's going on with you!"
It got harder to keep his composure when Mike started pleading with him like that. He sounded so concerned, so confused and desperate for answers. But… what answers could Tenna possibly have for him. Like he knew any better why he suddenly started acting like a little kid!
"Tenna. Look, I'm not angry or anything! I'm not even that weirded out anymore! What happened was just… so strange. It felt like there was… something more behind it than just you suddenly acting weird! It was still you, just… another you. I think? I don't know what I'm saying anymore, just- PLEASE, say something!"
"... … …"
"Tenna?"
"... … … Let's end this conversation here."
Mike's face fell into dismay, seeing him still deny what had happened so strongly. It… it hurt to see him so distraught, especially after everything he had done for the TV when he wasn't feeling his best. But he couldn't face what he had done. It was too much. He was… too vulnerable. He often did wear his heart on his sleeve, but there was a line even he couldn't cross when it came to showing himself to someone. This, whatever this was, it was too much.
"C-come on, Tenna! We can talk this out! I-it's not like I've never taken care of you before! I've played you your bedtime programs plenty of times and tucked you in at-"
"We're done." He pushed his chair back and stood back up, turning to leave the room. But the microphone scrambled to follow him, catching up before he left and grabbing his sleeve.
"WAIT! Please, I'm begging you! I just want to talk about it! I just want to help you! Isn't that my job?! I'm supposed to help so just let me do it! Please, buddy!"
Mike was quickly shoved away, causing him to fall back onto the floor with a sound thump. He groaned and looked up in time to see Tenna bearing his fangs at him, his shoulders looking so tense and his fists clenched.
"Know your place, Mike. Your job is to follow orders, not get involved in affairs that don't concern you. You do as I say, that's it. I'm your boss, not your buddy. Address me with respect or I will have you fired."
The man crumbled under the cold, serious, domineering tone in his voice. It was one that said, 'this isn't a threat, it's a promise' and couldn't be argued with. His face fell as he didn't move to get up or speak up again. Tenna took that as acceptance and continued out the door, leaving Mike alone in the silent meeting room.
*~*~*
The door to Tenna's room slammed shut as he stormed over towards his vanity, smashing his open palms onto the surface and staring into the mirror. He was so mad. He was absolutely fuming. How dare Mike demand anything from him?! How dare he push the issue after he had made it perfectly clear that it wasn't up for discussion?! How dare he use that nickname on him like that?! Trying to manipulate him and get him to yield, probably! Just like Mike! That- that pompous, loud, nosey, annoying-
He screamed in frustration and swept his arm across the tabletop of the vanity, knocking all of his makeup and accessory items off it and onto the floor. He growled and kicked a bottle of screen shiner, sending it skittering across the floor and spilling onto his carpet.
"Why does he need to know so badly?!? HUH!?! Why should it matter to him?! Why is this something he needs to get involved with?! It's my god damn business! It's my god damn mental breakdown! It's my god damn sick and broken brain!"
He paced around the room, groaning and tugging violently at his antennae as he felt himself growing almost hysterical with rage. He wanted to break something! He wanted to run someone over with a car! He wanted to burn the entire building to the ground! He just wanted to ruin something so badly just to maybe feel the satisfaction of seeing someone else suffer for a change.
"I should just fire him already! I should march right up to his room and throw him out myself! That should teach him a lesson! Teach him to not defy me! God! I hate him! I hate him!"
He sat down on the floor beside his bed, continuing to pull his antennae down on either side of his head. His screen grew teary at the pain that surged through them as he stretched them and scratched them against the edges of his head. It was painful but it helped distract him from how much his body was shaking and his chest squeezed in on itself. He could barely breathe, he could barely think of anything other than how angry he was at himself for being so damn pathetic and pitiful.
He sniffled, hands trembling as he lost some of the strength in his grip. The shaking was getting more intense, feeling like his entire body was growing weaker by the second. But he forced himself to stand up and stumble over towards the couch. He used it for support, cursing himself out for not being able to stand properly. It was so pathetic! He was such a joke! Such a loser! Why did Mike even care about him at all?!? Didn't he have more important things to worry about?!? More important than HIM?!?
"THIS IS WHY HE LEFT, YOU MORON! THIS IS WHY SHE DOESN'T TURN YOU ON ANYMORE! THIS IS WHY NEITHER OF THEM EVER GIVE YOU A SECOND GLANCE! THIS IS WHY NOBODY LOVES YOU!!!"
…
…
…
"... This is why… your family doesn't love you."
He collapsed. He fell onto the floor and started wailing uncontrollably, not caring about anyone that might pass by and hear. Why should he care? Nobody loves him anyway. Nobody cares if he's crying despicably on the floor of his fancy room that he did nothing to deserve. Nobody would care if he cried and cried until he broke something and became irreparably damaged. Nobody would care if he was gone. Because nobody loves him.
He wished papa was here. He wished he would hug him and tell him that everything was ok. That he might say that he loves him, even if he didn't mean it, because nobody does. He wanted papa to rub the side of his face as he held him close and told him there was nothing to be afraid of. Tell him that he wasn't leaving. That he would never leave.
"Papa…"
He called out weakly between sobs, hoping that it was the magic word that would summon his papa to him. But nobody came.
"Papa!"
He tried again, louder, really really really meaning it this time. Saying it with his whole chest, even though his voice wobbled. Still all alone.
"WAAAAAAAAH!!! I WANT MY PAPA!!!"
*~*~*
Battat sighed heavily as he laid spread out on the floor, staring at the ceiling with dead eyes. He just felt hopeless after the meeting with Tenna. He hadn't exactly expected much, but he didn't expect things to go this badly.
What was a die to do?
"Boss?"
He turned his head to look at Jongler, barely responding to their concerned call.
"Hey… you's wanna talk about it?"
"... … Why? It's not like I managed to get anywhere with him."
"Don't say dat. He was probably just… scared to discuss it."
"How does that change anything? He doesn't want my help. He doesn't want my support."
Battat pushed himself up to a seated position, grabbing his head as he grumbled angrily. "I should have known better than to get so invested in this! I shouldn't have started to care so much!"
"What do ya mean?"
"He… he… Jongler, when he was falling asleep, holding me and all that, he called me papa."
That seemed to really shock them, judging by how they pulled back as if they were held at gunpoint. They stayed silent for a long moment before returning back to the previous spot.
"He… he did?"
"Yeah. He did. I just… I couldn't shake the feeling that… it… it was because he trusted me. Because he felt safe with me and was thankful for all the things I did for him. I thought he… thought of me as someone who would protect him when he couldn't take care of himself. But… guess I'm just an idiot, huh?"
"No! Of course not! I think he does feel all dat. He really does feel all safe like with you's and trusts you ta take care of him."
"Then why would he threaten me like that? Why would he shove me to the floor and tell me that my only role is to serve him?"
They didn't have a reply. They couldn't answer that question. It was very complicated. Tenna could have so many reasons for having done all that and Jongler wouldn't even know where to start guessing. And Battat knew that, as he hung his head in resignation and just sighed.
"... I kinda appreciated… being called papa. It… really carries a lot of meaning. Not that I ever wanted to be a dad, but the sentiment was… nice."
They nodded and reached to rub his back, but stopped as they heard a light knock on the door.
"Might be Pluey. But you should hide, just to be safe" Battat grumbled as he got up and picked up the costume that was haphazardly tossed on the floor beside him. Jongler nodded again before getting up and heading into another part of the Mike room.
Once Battat was suited up, he walked over to the door and opened it. "Yeah? Wha-"
His eyes met nothing as he looked up, so his eyes tracked down.
And down.
And… down…
And… there, standing at just about half a head shorter than him, was Tenna. His face was black and empty, his legs shaking under his weight and his antennae looking to be in a very sorry state.
He was stunned, unsure if he was seeing this correctly. He blinked, but the image remained.
"... Tenna?"
"... … …" He didn't say anything. He just stood there, looking almost dead from the blank and empty screen and from how unstable he was. He could faintly see streaks running down his screen, suggesting he had been crying. Crying… a lot.
"... … … Hey. Is… everything ok?" He couldn't help it. He had to know before he could feel alright doing anything else.
"... … … … … P-papa… I…"
Oh. Oh no. No no no no no! Not again! The name was like a dagger to his heart, getting twisted and pulled out and plunged back in for good measure. He wanted to feel some sort of anger or even disappointment towards the man who had rejected his support so cruelly earlier.
Except that man was nowhere to be seen. All he saw was a poor, sad, vulnerable little boy that was begging for help.
"Hey… hey little buddy. What is it? It's ok. You can tell me."
Tenna started shaking more, which was enough to completely take away his strength. He fell forward into Battat's chest, who caught him easily and pulled him closer to better keep his balance. He started sobbing softly, his voice sounding so exhausted and strained. He must have been crying for hours. Or he was… screaming. Ough. There it was again. The knife in his heart. Ow.
"Papa… papa… I'm sorry… sorry… sorry… so sorry papa…"
"Hey now, buddy. It's ok. It's alright. You don't have to apologize to me. I know you were having it rough today and that all of this is scary and confusing, so don't beat yourself up over it."
"Papa… papa I… I don't… I… papa!"
"Shhhhhh~. It's alright, little buddy. No hard feelings. I promise. Uh… p… pa… … … papa is here. I've got you. And I'm not letting you go, ok?"
He tried to hug him back, but could barely lift his arms to wrap around him. Battat quickly shifted him around so he could lift him up and carry him into the room, rocking him lightly as he walked.
"Heyyyyyyy. Don't cry, little buddy. Everything is going to be ok. Papa is here, ok? Papa has you. You're safe now and you don't need to be scared of anything. I will stay with you. Just breathe for me, ok? Try to breathe slowly. Listen to me."
He started demonstrating the pattern as he held the boy, walking in circles in order to soothe him further with the gentle movements. It seemed to be helping, Tenna's expression growing calmer and softer. He could hear his breathing getting better, which he had to praise. "Good job. Really good job. I'm so happy you could do it. That's my little buddy. Now, how would you like a sleepover here in my room? I have some pillows and stuff we can set up."
That was a lie. They didn't have that, but he hoped he could ask Jongler to go get some either once his hands were free or the tired CRT in his arms had passed out. No other choice.
"... … … … Mhm…" he hummed quietly in agreement and nuzzled up closer to the microphone holding him so tenderly.
"Good. Good."
"... … Papa… I want to do something good… since I was bad to you. Wanna do something so you can love me…"
"You don't have to do anything, silly! I'm already holding you and all that, aren't I? Don't worry about anything right now. We can talk about that when you're big and can talk with big words."
"... Ok."
"Hey. Buddy?"
"Mm?"
"I love you, alright?"
"... … … Love you too."
Why did I say that?! Why did I say that?! Why did I say that?!
"Are you gonna fall asleep on me?"
"Yeah…"
"Alright then. Sleep tight, buddy."
"Night-night… papa."
Damn it. My mask is gonna stain. God damn it.