Chapter Text
“They should really teach us this in school,” Susie mumbles as she and Noelle stand there shivering in the snow, staring down at the inert pile of junk that used to function as a car.
Noelle’s car, to be exact. It was a present for her seventeenth birthday, because the Holidays are the kind of family that have enough money to give their kids things like cars, and a good one, too, because they also care enough about appearances to give their kids things that are nice. Two things Susie’s birth parents sorely lacked.
Or maybe the Mayor just doesn’t want her daughter to be seen driving around town in a second-hand banger, or angel forbid, walking.
“Teach us what? How to make electricity out of thin air?” Noelle shakes her head. The tiny bells on her hairband jingle a festive tune. “The battery’s totally flat.”
“I guess they showed us how to make those potato battery things,” Susie muses.
“But we don’t have any potatoes.”
“Yeah.” She pauses. “Do you think crisps might work?”
“...Probably not.”
To Noelle’s credit, she’s an extremely responsible car owner. She always carries around a spare tyre (and, just as importantly, the tools needed to actually change said tyre). She keeps a shovel in the boot to clear away snow on cold days. There’s a window scraper and a can of de-icer in the side door in case the windshield frosts over. She has blankets and heat packs and water and snacks on the back seat for if they get stranded. She even has a jump cable in case the battery goes flat and they need to get it working again.
It just turns out, though, that you need another car for a jump cable to work. And this parking lot is a ghost town.
Maybe going to a late night drive-in movie theatre showing of Blood Crushers 5: Dawn of the Revenge of the Severed Hand (the lowest rated in the franchise according to Postboxd) wasn’t such a good idea. Especially not one an hour away from home, miles away from any other towns or cities. But Susie had never seen it, and VHSes of any Blood Crushers movie past the third are pretty much impossible to find for less than $300 online. Plus, once Noelle had mentioned there was a scene where they accidentally left in a shot of the director dropping a boom mic on his foot, they both knew they were going. No way in hell were they missing out on that.
Apparently they were the only ones with that opinion. Not a single other soul turned up to the showing, which was pretty great at first. Noelle didn’t have to worry about the volume of her screams, Susie could hold her through the scary bits (which they both enjoyed), and they could rag on the stupid effects as much as they wanted without pissing anyone off.
When the movie ended (with a teaser promising the never-to-be-released Blood Crushers 6), the projector screen flicked off on its own, leaving them in the dark. It seemed even the operator had ditched at some point, though at least they’d remembered to leave the gate open on their way out.
Susie and Noelle had been in no hurry to get away, though. They talked about the movie, compared their favourite parts and yeah, maybe had a little cuddle in the back seat when the snow started piling up, but nothing too crazy, all above board.
It’s winter break, anyway, and Noelle’s mom thinks they’re sleeping over at Kris’s tonight. So they weren’t all that worried when they checked their phones and realised it was midnight, or even when they took a proper look outside and saw just how much the falling snow had crept up over their tyres.
That was until Noelle turned her key in the ignition and the car made a sound like a wet fish hitting the deck of a ship.
Not even a cool fish, like a shark or a swordfish or something. This thing definitely wasn’t the strongest swimmer in the shoal. Probably all tangled up in the net, too. The engine coughed and spluttered and did basically everything except roar into life, and by the seventh try it was pretty clear they wouldn’t be getting anywhere with that.
So they got out.
In the half an hour since then, they’ve tried pretty much everything; taking turns digging the car out with the shovel, Boogling every possible version of “car stuck in snow wont start help help”, hell, Susie even kicked it a few times. But nothing, nada, total zilch. They are well and truly stranded, and Noelle’s starting to lose it.
“I don’t know what else to do!” She cries, shoulders shaking with the cold and the tears she’s holding back. Susie can hear them in the way her voice stutters, sobs thick in her throat, threatening to break containment at any moment.
She pulls her girlfriend close before that can happen, arms wrapping around her shoulders, rubbing her forearms in an attempt to transfer what little warmth she’s still hanging onto. Noelle squeaks, cheeks turning cherry red under fawn-coloured fur.
“S-Susie!?”
“You’re cold.”
“Sure, but… you must be colder! I-I mean, you don’t even have any fur, and I’d hate to…”
“I’m tough, aren’t I?”
Noelle nods and sniffs. She twists around in her embrace, chin resting on her collarbone as she cranes her neck to look up at her. It’s so damn cute that Susie has to turn away, but Noelle must take it as a sign of annoyance, because she completely wilts.
“I’m sorry, Susie, this is all my fault…”
“How? You didn’t make it snow.”
“No, but I… I should’ve put a power bank in the boot!” She wails. “Or checked my battery before we left!”
“Hey, hey, it’s all right.” Susie cups Noelle’s face, desperately hoping her fingers aren’t too frozen. She definitely should’ve worn proper gloves. The fingerless ones look awesome, but they’re doing nothing for her blood flow. “It’s not on you, ok? Hell, you brought everything else.”
“Except the thing we actually needed,” Noelle mumbles bitterly. “A-And now we’re gonna have to call my mom, and she’ll be furious, and she won’t let me see you ever again, and, and…!”
“We don’t gotta go nuclear. Not yet, anyway.” Susie bites her lip, rooting around in her pocket. She pulls out her phone, grinning when she sees it’s still at 60%. Way better than her old one, that thing would’ve been long dead by now. “I got an idea.”
“Huh?” Noelle sniffs, tears already crystalising into ice on her lashes like she’s some kind of snow angel. “Toriel?”
“Nah. I got the big guns.” She opens up her contacts, flicks to the ‘favourites’ tab, and taps ‘call’. The screen lights up immediately with the name:
📺 Dad
The call is picked up about as close to instantly as you could hope to get from a guy who can barely work a laptop. A voice rings out through the snowy air as she puts it on speakerphone, loud, fuzzy and wonderfully familiar.
“Hey there, superstar! How was the movie?” Tenna chirps, cheerful as ever. Susie relaxes immediately.
“It was great!” She pauses. “Actually, no, it was shit, but like… in a fun way? And that was what we were going for, anyway.”
“Hey, sometimes it’s not about the show, it’s about the company! Noelle doing ok?”
“Yeah, yeah, she’s fine, but, uh… we might have a bit of a problem.”
“Problem?” It’s just a voice call, but Susie can practically see Tenna’s antennae pricking up at that, a frown forming on his screen as he starts shifting into CDM (Concerned Dad Mode).
“Yeah, uh… we got a little stuck? And now the car won’t start.”
“Oh…” The line goes quiet for a moment. Susie starts chewing on a nail.
“Dad? You there?”
“Yes! Yeah, don’t worry, it’s just… well the thing is, sweetheart, your old man’s a little stuck himself.” He titters nervously. “Everyone got in pretty late today ‘cause of the snow, and then we had a whole fiasco with the cameras, and… to cut a long story short, we’re gonna be filming for at least another hour.”
“Oh! Right…” Susie bites her lip. “Sorry…”
“No, no, it’s fine! I’m the one who should be saying sorry.” There’s a crackle as Tenna shifts around, and then it all goes muffled. He must’ve put his hand over the receiver. Susie can just make out Tenna’s voice barking orders on the other end, no doubt bossing around some poor pippins. There’s some more shuffling, and then he comes back on the line.
“Yeah, another hour.” He hums. “I could probably get Metty to help you out? He’s at home.”
Susie goes quiet. She’s more than comfortable with Tenna these days – hell, he’s even got her calling him Dad, no idea how that happened – but Tenna’s boyfriend is a different story. He’s nice, he’s cool, he’s always been good to her, but…
Well, that’s just it. There’s nothing wrong, no fault to be had anywhere. She knows all too well that this problem lies squarely with her.
“I… I mean, I wouldn’t wanna bother him…”
Susie’s brain starts referring to her own mental map of the area, trying to figure it all out. Tenna’s place is a lot closer to here than Noelle’s. Mettaton could be here in half an hour if he left right away. Way easier than getting Rudy to come out here, and way easier than convincing Noelle’s mum to ever let her out of the house again. No matter how you slice it, this is the best solution to their problem.
It’s just…
“Hey, it wouldn’t be you bothering him, it’d be me! Besides, he’d be more than happy to help.”
He would. Of course he would. All she has to do is accept it. Her hand tightens around her phone’s casing.
“But… what if he’s… asleep?” She tries lamely. Like always, Tenna barrels right through her shoddy defenses.
“Nah, he said he was waiting up for me. He’s probably watching reruns or something. And for once we’ve found something more important than TV!”
“I guess…”
I’ll call him, alright? And, uh… can you send him the address? Or one of those life location thingies?”
“Live location,” she corrects. At least that gets her to crack a smile.
“Ah, yeah, that! Sorry, I’m no good with all that tech stuff.” He chuckles. “I’ll let him know. You girls warm enough?”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
“You got water out there?”
“We’re literally surrounded by snow.”
“Bottled water, sweetheart.”
“Dad!” She rolls her eyes. “We’re fine!”
“All right, all right. It’s my job to worry, that’s all! I’ll try and get this wrapped up as soon as I can, ok? And I’ll send Metty right away. Just hang tight.”
“Ok.” She swallows. “And, um… thanks, dad.”
“Don’t mention it, kiddo! You know I’d do anything for you.”
“Yeah… I know.” Susie smiles. “Love you.”
“Love you too, starshine.”
Click.
“Wow,” Noelle says as soon as he hangs up. “He’s so…”
“Nice? I know.”
“I mean, yeah, but… my mum would’ve gone ballistic.”
“Yeah…” She stares down at her phone, not quite sure what expression she should be making. “He’s really cool.”
-
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), Mettaton doesn’t take long to arrive. Susie is huddled up with Noelle in the back seat, gripping her dying handwarmer like a lifeline, when there’s a tinny beep beep! from the gate.
The car pulling into the drive-in theatre is like no other she’s seen. It’s a tiny little thing, bright pink, a far cry from the big red classic car Tenna drives, with pop-up heart-shaped headlights which, judging from the way their beams shimmer, appear to have been bedazzled. The paintwork is dotted with music note and diamond decals. The hubcaps are covered in rhinestones. The hood ornament is just a model of himself, for fuck’s sake.
This thing is loud.
It brings with it the muffled sounds of mid-2000s pop (is that K£sha?), an open-mouthed gape from Noelle and a sinking feeling in Susie’s stomach that only worsens when the car pulls up beside them and the engine shuts off. The driver’s window, which is tinted so dark as to be legally dubious, slowly rolls down to reveal an equally garish interior (seriously, it’s so pink Susie could just vomit) and the painfully pleasant face of Tenna’s boyfriend.
“Hi, Mettaton.”
“Mettaton?” Noelle squeaks, mouth hanging open. Susie leans in and shuts it for her. Her face turns bright red, though she doesn’t even seem to think about objecting.
“Hello, hello! Are you two all right?” He coos, all full of concern. Susie tries very hard not to grimace.
After all, it’s not his fault she can’t handle a question as normal as that.
“Yeah, we’re fine. Bit cold, but…
“Oh you poor things, out here in the snow! Get in the back, I’ve got the heating on.” They climb in obediently (perhaps a little reluctantly on Susie’s part) and are immediately greeted by the pleasant warmth of a working heater and an interior so pink and fluffy that it resembles the inside of a tissue box. Mettaton twists around to greet them with a smile. As Susie goes to instinctively avoid his eye (currently Toriel and Tenna are the only adults to have earned the privilege of eye contact, and honestly Tenna’s kind of cheating), her gaze falls instead on the car’s cigarette lighter, which appears to have been retrofitted into a lipstick holder.
Well, it’s on brand.
“Here! Tenna told me to give you these.” Mettaton reaches over to the passenger seat and pulls out two mugs and a flask. Susie opens it up and a delicious scent immediately floods the car, totally overpowering the previous reigning champion (that being vanilla air freshener).
This one is chocolatey, with a hint of cinnamon, and maybe… maple syrup?
“Is this…?”
“Tenna’s signature hot chocolate? Why yes, it is.” Mettaton beams. “When he called me he made sure to explain the recipe very well .” He laughs. “Now, you two warm up with that while I work out what’s going on with your car.”
“Um…” For the first time since he arrived, Noelle pipes up. “I’m pretty sure the problem’s the battery, actually. We have a jump cable, but without another car we couldn’t…” She trails off, second-guessing herself as Mettaton cocks his head. “B-But if you think it might be something else, w-we can–”
“No, no, it’s your car, so I’ll trust you on this.” He unbuckles his belt and starts climbing out of the car. Noelle leans forward, watching him nervously.
“Do you need any help?”
“Don’t worry about that! This isn’t my first time.” He pauses. “I will need your keys, though.”
Noelle nods, digging them out of her bag and tossing them over. They land in Mettaton’s hands with a pleasing little jingle. “Are you sure you–”
“Yes, of course! I’ll let you know if I need anything. Now you drink your hot chocolate and get warm, ok?” He gives them a friendly wink and shuts the door, crunching through the snow over to the hood of the car. Noelle reluctantly settles back in her seat, still looking a bit perturbed.
“You ok?” Susie asks, pouring her a mug of the hot chocolate. Her girlfriend takes it distractedly, watching Mettaton from out of the tinted window as he starts opening up the hoods of both their cars.
“Yeah… I…” She bites her lip. “Well, I wasn’t expecting Mettaton, for one.”
“Ah… sorry,” Susie mumbles. “I should’ve said. I guess with all the car issues, and then calling Tenna, I just… forgot.”
“No, it’s ok! He’s… really nice, actually.” Noelle admits, taking a tentative sip. Her face brightens immediately. “Oh!”
“Huh? What’s up?”
“Nothing, but…” Noelle takes another sip, her smile slowly growing. “It tastes like the one Kris’s mum makes.”
“Ah…” Susie glances down at the cocoa. “Yeah, I bet Tenna got the recipe from her.”
“That’s so sweet.” She shivers slightly. Susie’s arm curls around her automatically, bringing her in a little closer. Noelle squeaks, but snuggles close gratefully. “Thanks. Your… your family is really nice, Susie.”
Susie almost laughs. Her whole life she’d never imagined anyone would say such a thing to her, and even if they did, it wouldn’t be true. But lately, with Tenna, things…
Well, things have been a lot better, that’s for sure. It’s been eight months since she first started working at TV Time Studios, and what she thought was just going to be a boring summer job ended up completely changing her life. It took her a while to warm up to Tenna, sure, (hell, she remembers how much she hated him at the start), but he’s been so…
She’s not sure she can sum it up in one word, to be honest. Nice doesn't come close enough.
“He’s great,” she finds herself saying, wrapping her hands around the mug. “He doesn’t yell at me, and he’s always making sure I’m ok, and he always keeps food in the house, and...” She swallows hard, all too aware of the sudden wave of emotion that’s threatening to crest. “...he loves me. Even though I’m…”
Loud? Aggressive? Destructive?
Tenna doesn’t care.
It’s too much. She forces herself to take another sip, just to hide her face from Noelle.
“I’m glad. You… you really deserve that, Susie.” A pair of velvety antlers brush Susie’s cheek as Noelle rests her head on her shoulder, soft fur rubbing against the cracked leather of her jacket. “Sometimes I…”
Susie glances over. Her girlfriend’s big brown eyes have misted over slightly as she stares out of the window, at Mettaton working away at the car through the wind and flurry. Even with the cold he doesn’t look annoyed, or resentful, doesn’t seem to notice how the snow soaks into his fluffy pink coat or melts into his hair. He just gets on with it, a determined look in his eye.
“You?” She prompts. Noelle bites her lip.
“Sorry, this is silly, we’re talking about you, I shouldn’t–”
“Noelle….” She sets her mug down in the cup holder, her hand finding Noelle’s under the blanket and squeezing it. “You’re good.”
“I… Thank you, Susie.” She squeezes back. “I guess I… I wish my mum was like that, sometimes.” She jumps, as if startled by her own words. A drop of cocoa slops out of her mug and spills onto the blanket. “Oh, cheese and crackers! I’m so sorry!”
“Calm down, it’s just a bit of chocolate.” Susie licks her finger, scrubbing at the stain. It mostly comes out, or at least fades enough that it’s not obvious. “Keep going.”
“O-Ok, well, I… she’s nice, obviously” – Susie snorts – “she can be nice,” Noelle insists, “but… I don’t know. Ever since Dess…” Her voice cracks a little. “It’s been hard. She’s better now that Dad’s home, but sometimes she still…”
“I get you.”
“So I… I’m so glad you have someone like Mr. Tenna.” She smiles a little. “I haven’t seen him in ages, but he was so nice when we were kids. He used to visit a lot.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah! We used to climb him like a jungle gym, and he never minded one bit. Kris and Azzy loved it. But I was so scared of him at first.”
“You were scared of him? How?!”
Noelle rolls her eyes. “Susie, I was scared of everything. And he’s huge! Can you blame me?”
“No… I guess that might be a lot for a kid.” It’s been so long since Tenna seemed even remotely intimidating to her. She’s grown so used to him that she can’t envision him as anything but her big silly dad.
“But I got used to him eventually. I remember he used to let us play Super Smashing Fighters on his screen.” She grins at the memory. “He’d always do a running commentary, like he was a wrestling MC or something.”
Yeah, that sounds exactly like Tenna.
“Aww.”
“Yeah. He’s silly like that.” She giggles, then pauses. “So… what about Mettaton?”
Susie’s smile fades. Noelle frowns.
“Sorry!” She says quickly. “I couldn’t help but notice you seemed a bit… uncomfortable around him?”
“Not… not uncomfortable, exactly. He’s really nice, I…” Susie hesitates. “It’s my fault.”
“What is? Did something happen?”
“No! That’s the thing, nothing happened, but…” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I dunno. I haven’t known him as long, and with adults it’s always kinda… He’s not as open as Tenna, I guess. Not so… dad-shaped? There’s still this part of me that doesn’t wanna trust him. And even though it’s gotten better, I’ve just felt kinda awkward about it. I’m always scared he’s picked up on it, and he like, hates me.”
“Susie, I’m sure he doesn’t hate you…”
“I know! He doesn’t, it’s my own stupid brain that’s the problem.” She smacks her temple lightly. “I just wish I didn’t have to listen to it.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
Susie shakes her head. “I’ve been meaning to, I just haven’t found the time, I guess.”
“Well, maybe–”
Noelle is interrupted by the cough of an engine as Mettaton turns the key in her car. They wait with bated breath as it splutters once, twice, and then purrs into life. Even through the glass they can hear Mettaton’s shout of “YESS!”. Susie can’t help but laugh.
“You got it?” She asks as Mettaton proudly throws open the door. The wind rushes in immediately, howling in their ears, but she can’t even bring herself to be annoyed. Mettaton beams.
“I do!” He stands aside, gesturing to Noelle’s car with a bow. “Your chariot awaits.”
Noelle giggles as she climbs out of the back seat, pulling Susie along by the hand. She tries to offer the flask to Mettaton, but he just shakes his head.
“That stuff’s no good for my circuits, trust me. You keep it.”
“Oh! Well… thank you!”
“Not at all. Now, you two follow my car. The highway’s been properly gritted, so we should be able to get back to Tenna’s. Just drive safe, all right?”
“We will!”
-
They manage to make it home with no further incidents, though from the way Tenna throws open the door when they pull into the drive, you’d think they were returning from war. He doesn’t even wait for the car to fully stop before rushing outside, still wearing a pair of cartoonish striped pyjamas and fluffy bunny slippers that the snow is steadily seeping into. Susie half-expects there to be a nightcap balanced on his antennae.
“Susie! Metty! Are you ok?!”
Susie is pulled up into a tight embrace as soon as she exits Noelle’s car, but she’s more than used to it by now, so she just snuggles into him and enjoys the cuddle with her surprisingly plush robo-dad.
“We’re fine! I’m really sorry about–” She doesn’t get another word in before Tenna scoops up an unsuspecting Noelle in his other arm. She squeals, but it quickly turns into a laugh as Tenna frets over them, antennae tapping against them as if checking for signs of damage.
“Oh, Noelle, it’s been ages!” He coos. “You’re so grown up! I remember when you were just the size of my hand!”
“And now I’m, what, as tall as your knee?” She giggles, and he laughs along with her.
“It’s progress!”
“Tenna, darling, please! Let them at least get inside before you start smothering them.” Mettaton rolls his eyes as he locks his car. Tenna pouts.
“Fine…” He steps forwards, as if about to set them down on the porch, but when Mettaton enters within grabbing range and a devious smile spreads across his screen. Tenna picks his boyfriend up with one hand, adding him to the hug like he weighs less than a teddy bear. Mettaton gasps, cool composure momentarily shattered.
“Why, you–” He splutters, fans picking up as he wriggles, but to no avail. Tenna just chuckles and carries the three of them inside.
“Oh, how wonderful to have people in the house again! I’m so happy you could come visit, Noelle!”
“Even if it wasn’t planned?” She asks.
“Oh, who cares about that? I’m just glad you didn’t freeze into icicles on the way!” He plops them down on the sofa, and the three of them shake their heads in unison, trying to get the snow off.
“All right! Hot drinks, anyone? And Metty, could you turn up that fire?” He gestures to the glowing embers in the fireplace.
Mettaton folds his arms.
“After I drove all that way for you? I’m not so sure.”
“Pretty please?”
“Hmm…”
Mettaton beckons him closer. Tenna bounds over obediently and presses a little kiss to his forehead.
“Eww, gross,” Susie says, more out of obligation than any real disgust. They don’t take any notice.
“All right.”
That was apparently all the convincing Mettaton required, because he gets up and immediately starts busying himself with the poker. Tenna preens.
“Could we get a refill on the cocoa?” Susie asks, passing the flask and mugs back over to the CRT. He nods.
“Of course! We’ll be right back, folks!” He practically skips out of the room, antennae twirling together. Susie laughs.
“Cosy?” She asks Noelle, who nods and yawns, taking off her shoes and neatly placing them by the coffee table. Susie just kicks off her trainers and pulls a TV-Time branded blanket from off the back of the sofa, draping it over them.
“Thanks for picking us up, Mr. Mettaton,” she calls over. The robot glances over mid-stoke. Noelle smiles bashfully. “I know it was probably a bit annoying, but…”
“I’m always glad to help! Any friend of Susie’s is a friend of mine.”
“Thanks!” Noelle turns back to her girlfriend, and then back to him. Susie can see the gears ticking away behind her eyes.
She doesn’t like that one bit.
“Wait, N–”
“I’m just going to the bathroom!” Noelle says, perhaps a little too loudly. She hops off the sofa, picks up their shoes and trots out of the room, pushing the door to behind her.
Susie runs a hand down her face. Great. Just great.
The fire finally bursts into life and Mettaton sits back with a satisfied smile, though it fades somewhat as he catches what must be a particularly pained expression on Susie’s face.
“Everything all right?” He asks, rocking back onto his heels and straightening up.
“Uh…”
What the hell is she supposed to say? Damn it, Noelle!
Susie picks at a hangnail, as if that might somehow calm her nerves. All it really does is prompt a bead of blood to well up from where the torn edge of her claw meets her scales.
“Yeah, I…” Her wound continues to weep. She presses down on it with her thumb to try and stem the flow, but it just squeezes the blood out instead. “I wanted to uh… talk, I guess.”
“Of course.” Mettaton pads across the soft carpet, sinking down onto the sofa beside her. He starts fluffing up one of the cushions, hugging it to his chest like he’s a girl at a sleepover. “What would you like to talk about?”
Breezy smile notwithstanding, he’s worrying the edge of the cushion cover between his thumb and forefinger, she notes as he waits for a response. He’s nervous. International superstar Mettaton is actually nervous.
Somehow, that’s actually kind of comforting.
“I wanted you to know that I… I do like you.” He frowns, and she cringes. Crap, no, that sounded bad. “A-As in,” she adds hurriedly, “I didn’t want you to think I was being weird. I mean, I was being kinda weird, but that wasn’t ‘cause of anything you did, it was… I just… I…”
“Susie,” Mettaton says softly, but she barrels right through him.
“I have… I kinda have a hard time with people. Trusting them. But… Tenna, he likes you, and you’ve always been cool with me, and I know you probably didn’t sign up for looking after some random teenager, so I really appreciate–”
“Susie,” Mettaton says again, placing a hand on hers. She stops. “It’s quite all right.”
“I know, but… I guess I felt bad, ‘cause I call Tenna Dad, but you’re not really as, uh, Dad-like? But I still like you? And I know how much you mean to Tenna, so…”
“Hey, listen.” He smiles. “You’re under no obligation to call me anything, darling. I won’t be offended.”
“...Thanks,” Susie mumbles. Her eyes flick upwards briefly, and for a moment she finds she’s actually able to meet his gaze. Those magenta eyes gaze back at her warmly, a smile creasing the corners.
“You know, I always thought I didn’t want children,” he says after a moment, gaze flicking into the middle distance. “Never thought I was cut out for it. But meeting Tenna, and getting to know you, it’s… it’s been very special.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Truly, I… I’m thankful he gave me this opportunity. I don’t think I would’ve sought it out on my own, but I’m so glad it happened.” He squeezes her hand. “I’m very fortunate to have you in my life.”
“I…” Susie finds she can barely speak. “I’m… I’m glad to have you too.”
They sit there for a moment, the flickering light of the fire reflecting off the polished metal of Mettaton’s body, the shine in Susie’s eyes, soft and warm and alive.
When did their lives become so… full? Did they do this? Did Tenna do this? Or was it all just down to luck?
Susie doesn’t care, not really. She’s just glad she’s here at all.
“Now, then!” Mettaton jumps up, circuits fuzzing as he stretches and yawns. “I think I’m off to bed. A star needs his beauty sleep, after all. Tenna!”
There’s the thunder of heavy feet from the other room, and then Tenna rushes in. He’s clutching two steaming mugs of cocoa. “Yes, my love?”
“I’m going to turn in. Shall I wait up for you?”
“Oh, yes please. I won’t be far behind.”
Mettaton nods, blows a kiss up at him and then saunters out of the room, flashing Susie a grin as he goes. She smiles back.
Tenna sets the mugs on the coffee table. “You two having a chat?”
“Yeah. But it’s all good.”
“Glad to hear it.” He kneels down beside the sofa, opening his arms. She dives into the hug without hesitation, resting her head against his soft bedshirt. “How’s my sleepy girl, huh?”
“Not that sleepy,” she mumbles, though her point is undermined by a yawn. Tenna chuckles.
“You have a nice time with Noelle?”
“Yeah, it was good. She screamed a lot, but that’s how you know she’s enjoying it.”
“Good!” He pulls away, ruffling her hair. “Glad you’re back in one piece, kiddo.”
“Nah, it was no sweat. Worst case scenario, we could’ve toughed it out in the car.”
“No daughter of mine is going to ‘tough it out’ in a freezing car!” He exclaims. “I would’ve driven down the highway in a snow plough if I had to!”
“Well… that kinda sounds like a disaster, so I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Don’t underestimate me, kid.”
“Eh, I’m sure you’d try. But with your driving?” She scrunches up her snout. “Dunno if you’d make it.”
Tenna chuckles. “Now, Carol would kill me if I let you two sleep in the same bedroom, so are you alright to crash in here tonight? Make it a sleepover? I brought down a spare mattress, and the couch should be big enough.”
Susie scoffs. “Isn’t that still basically us sleeping in the same room?”
“Yes, but not in the same bed, so we retain our TV-PG rating! And so Carol doesn’t serve up my screen on a platter.” He tugs at his collar. “Seriously, that katana is no joke!”
“I bet.” Susie shudders. “But yeah, that’s fine.” She smiles up at him. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime, you know that!” He straightens up, wincing as his metallic frame cracks back into place. “Ough, yeah, reckon I’m ready for bed.”
“You want me to start looking at stairlifts?” she snickers.
“Watch it, missy.” He gives her a quick peck on the forehead and shuffles over to the door, one hand still resting on the small of his back. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
“Goodnight, dad.” She watches him head out into the hall, wishing Noelle a good night as he passes her on his way up the stairs. After a moment or two, her girlfriend pokes her head around the door.
“All sorted?” She asks. Susie nods, and Noelle grins. “Ok! I am pooped. Do you think we can drink the cocoa under the blankets?”
“Oh, hell yeah. Tenna doesn’t care.”
“My mum could really learn a thing or two from him.” Noelle jumps up onto the sofa, throwing the blankets over them as she pulls out her phone. “C’mon, I want to show you this cool Cat Petterz glitch I found."
Susie is all too happy to be directed, letting her head fall back on the cushions as she watches the blurry video on Noelle’s screen. Her girlfriend starts babbling on about collisions and frame-perfect clips and god knows what else, but she just lets the words wash over her as the fire, the cocoa and the company conspire to warm her up from both the inside and out.
Her friends like her. Mettaton and Tenna like her. Noelle definitely likes her.
It’s taken sixteen years to get here, but she’s found somewhere she belongs.