Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Spamton and Tenna had started talking again. It was slow at first, a constant battle of overcoming their past wounds. When Spamton had first reached out to Tenna, he could barely believe that this strange little puppet was actually his former partner. Spamton didn't blame him though, later joking on how he could barely recognize himself anymore either. The duos complicated history had made it difficult, and even unbearable at times to be around eachother. So many questions that received no answers, so many hours spent wondering why they were forced apart, their lives tangled together in a mess of strings of fate. They perservered however, and tried their hardest to forgive the past decades of strife they'd gone through. It was difficult and painful, but as they spent more and more time working to reconnect, things started getting better.

And ever so slowly, it felt like the bond they had was starting to heal. It was different now than it had been back then, but at the very least the two darkners found themselves hanging out in Castle Town together more often than not. Both of them often found themselves alone, so at the very least they could find some distraction and solace in eachothers company. They could joke around together for hours, and tell stories of days long gone by, and yet... something still felt missing.

...

Tenna still had feelings for the other man. He couldn't deny that. After being sepearated from his husband, the only person he had ever truly loved for years and years, only to suddenly be forced to come to the realization that he was still around... It was only natural that he memories of their life together would come rushing back to him, no matter how painful they might've seemed now. He desperately wanted to be able to go back to what they had before, but he couldn't even bring himself to suggest it. Their current bond was so fragile, and he was terrified that one wrong move could send the whole thing crashing down. He had no way of knowing if his emotions were still reciprocated, and if they weren't he would have ruined their entire relationship, leaving him with even less than he had before Spamton had reached out to him in the first place. No, he just had to leave good enough alone.

That was, until one day.

Spamton and Tenna had been walking along the outskirts of Castle Town, chatting about how their day had been. Tenna carefully watched his stride, making sure he wasn't walking too fast for the little darkner beside him to keep up. Spamton glitchily was telling Tenna a story about a run-in he had that day with an angry swatchling. Tenna found the story to be slightly depressing (mostly in how it reminded him of what Spamton went through alone), but Spamton himself seemed to be laughing, so Tenna pushed his worries aside and went along with it. Nodding along to Spamtons story, Tenna felt himself start to daydream as he glanced over the man next to him.

He had changed alot since they were both Big Shots. Well, that was an understatement. Despite his best efforts at explaining, Tenna still didn't quite understand how Spamton had ended up like.. THAT. A strange little puppet, a shell of his former partner. It was quite unusual.
Yet still, despite whatever had happened, something about the little mailman still drew Tenna in. His unruly black hair, his wide puppet-like smile, his scraggly white feathered tail. It all had a certain, strangely alluring charm to Tenna.

As he watched the man ramble on, Tenna felt his screen growing warmer, a light color-bar glow overlaying his facial features. As he realized what was happening, he nervously turned his face away and stared straight forward, hoping Spamton hadn't seen him blushing. As he aimlessly wandered down the path, his mind strayed further to the things he wished he could be saying aloud. He wished he could tell Spamton how he felt, but everything was so different now... And yet the way the man glanced up at him, still made Tennas heart skip a beat. Spamtons voice drowned out beneath the white noise filling Tennas head, until suddenly the television felt a sharp tug on his tail, and jumped back in shock.

"EARTH 2 [[CATHODE?]] A:ARE YOU [[Hearing loss? Try these si-]] MEE?" Spamton grumbled up to Tenna.

Flustered, Tenna looked back down at Spamton. The small darkner had stopped walking several feet behind him and was now holding a firm grip on the end of Tennas cable tail. Frustrated, he yanked on the tail again, trying to get the attention of the crt.

"AAAGH!!" Tenna yelped in surprise, fangs baring as he did so "Stop doing that! If you wanted my attention you could've just, just-"
Spamton snickered at Tennas frustration and released the cable from his grasp. He smirked up at Tenna, who was pouting angrily at the puppet.

" NOT M¥ [[Faulty equipment]] THAT YOU'RRE SO DAMN [[Tall glass of water]] AND HAD U>R HEAD IN THE [[Cloudy with a chan-]]!" Spamton pointed out, much to Tennas embarrassment. Dammit, he hadn't been paying attention, had he? Blushing more, Tenna quickly walked back over to where the smaller Darkner stood. There was a small clearing in the treelined pathway, and from where they stood they could easily see much of Castle town.

"So, why'd you stop?"

"I'M [[Tired of Tupperware? Y-]], NEEDED A BREAK FROM WA>ALKING. IS THAT A [I've got problems]?"
Spamtons jaw clenched in annoyance as Tenna stared back down at him. Tenna hesitated in responding, his face going blank for a moment.

"N-No! Of course not! Sorry I was just..surprised." Tenna answered, still flustered from earlier. Sighing, Spamton flopped down to the ground, planting himself comfortably on the soft earth. Tenna followed suit, carefully lowering himself from his towering height down to the ground. Spamton glanced up at him with confusion, likely questioning all the time he was taking.
Tenna was still recovering from his recent encounter with the Knight, so he had found himself taking things slower lately. After all, he had just barely survived getting his arms chopped off, and he didn't want a simple fall to be the end of him. But once he reached the ground, Tenna found himself relaxing. The evening was calm, and he was happy to be there with his... friend.

... It was nice. Just the two of them. Together.

"[[Trash Heap!]]" Spamton interjected, interupting the tranquility Tenna had found himself in. "DID I EVER [[Pray-tell?]] YOU ABOUT MY: SHOP [[Back-2-school]] IN CYBER CITY?"
Tenna had heard about the shop from Spamton many a time before, albeit in choppy, ad-filled explanations. Yet still, he found himself asking Spamton for elaboration, out of some strange desire to just..hear him talk. And he did just that. He watched and listened, as his former partner ranted and rambled about his life alone. It didn't seem like a good one from what Tenna could tell. Yet still, he watched him, utterly entranced by the way he puncuated his stories with glitch-filled laughter and motioned frantically with each new sentence introduced.

Ever since reuniting, Tenna had noticed that the way Spamton acted had seemed a bit more... free. He wasn't as scared about keeping up appearances as he used to be. Perhaps because he didn't really have any apperances left to keep. Atleast, not to any audience. To Tenna, he was still.. Handsome. It was very, very different, but his little mailman was still there. And Tenna still liked him. It was all rather confusing.

Staring at the little puppet as he talked, mesmerized by his strange charm, Tenna looked him over once again. Looking from his closed laughing eyes beneath his multicolored lenses down to his wide grinning mouth, Tenna felt a warm feeling in his chest. One he had been missing for many years, and spent many tearful nights wishing to get back.

Angel how he wished he could be kissing that mouth right about now.

Blushing, Tenna pushed the thought out of his head, diverting his attention back to looking over the little Darkner. As his gaze slowly traced over to the raggedy black blazer the man wore, he noticed something bizarre. A little flash of gold glimmered in front of him, barely visible and peeking out from under the worn fabric of the blazer. As Tenna looked at it, the more it dawned on him what it appeared to be. The little piece of metal danced and shimmered, hanging gently by a piece of string looped around Spamtons neck. It was so familiar, and painfully sweet memories flooded back to Tenna the longer he stared at it. He couldn't believe it, he had to be imagining things!
There was no way that he would actually...
Tenna swallowed the lump forming in his throat as every closer look he took just confirmed his suspicions. Attached to the piece of string that swang wildly around Spamtons neck, was...

"Spamton.. I- Are you still wearing your wedding ring?"

Spamton froze, his story quickly coming to a halt. His small eyes darted up towards Tenna, and then back down to his chest where the little piece of metal hung. His face quickly reddening and small hands shaking, Spamton nervously grabbed the charm on the end of the string in both his hands and gingerly held it out in front of him where Tenna could clearly see it.On closer inspection Tenna could see that the once glimmering golden band symbolizing their partnership was now smudged with the dirt and grime of more than a decade apart. Under the layers of muck built up on it, Tenna could just barely make out the engraving marked on it. Yet Spamton still had it, and had been wearing it all these years. As his face reddened more and more, a nervous smile curled on the corners of Spamtons toothy mouth. Tenna felt a wobbly grin spreading across his own screen in response as he looked at the ring and then back up at the small darkner.

"I N>NEV3R [[Take 10% off!]]" Spamton explained, holding the golden ring further out in front of him on display for the other man. "IT'S TOO [[XXL Size]] NOW TH0" He continued, a slight melancholy bleeding into his voice as he did. Indeed after his puppet-ification, his ring finger was far too small for the once perfectly fitting piece of jewelry. So there it hung, on a worn out piece of stolen string, hidden discreetly beneath the fabric of his blazer. Atleast, it was until today.

Tenna looked over the ring with uneasiness in his heart, and felt his gaze instinctually meander over towards his own left hand. He was wearing a pair of nice white gloves as he always did, but looking at his ring finger there was a small bump from beneath the fabric. His brow raised looking back down at this piece of his life he had been trying so hard to hide for years. The detail he had been keeping from the audience desperately. After all what would they think about him for being...

Fuck it, what did he have to lose?

Hands trembling, Tenna began slowly pulling the glove off to reveal his robotic hand beneath. He tensed up seeing the glint of the golden band on his hand, antenna twitching nervously.

"Heh.. Wouldn't ya' know? " He chuckled half-heartedly, breath catching in his throat as he nervously held out his newly-revealed ring finger where Spamton could see it. Spamtons expression was unreadable, pupils hidden away by a reflection in his lenses.
"I kept mine too." Tenna mumbled, glancing down as he looked for a reaction from Spamton. The other Darkners mouth was open, and his face had begun gradually reddening more and more, until his painted on blush cheeks were almost indistingushable from the rest of his face.

The two sat in deafening silence, unsure of what to say next. Tennas hand began to tremble as it hovered in the air, just above where the smaller darkner had lifted up his own ring to show off seconds before. Tenna considered taking Spamtons hand in his own, but he was worried that might be too bold. What did all this mean anyhow? Was there a reason Spamton kept the ring? Perhaps he was overthinking, and it meant nothing to Spamton. Maybe he had only kept it because it was too expensive to lose. Tenna felt himself start to spiral, as doubt flooded into his mind.

He shouldn't have done that. What did all this mean. Spamton didn't like him anymore, what was he thinking!.. This was a mistake. This was a mistake this was a mistake this was a mis-

Tenna froze as he felt a slight pressure on his hand. Still shaking, he looked over to his side. Tears had begun forming on his screen, and they lingered as he stared at the sight before him. Tenna looked over at Spamtons face, down at his trembling wrists, then back up again. Spamton had taken hold of his hand. His segmented fingers were clasped loosely over Tennas knuckles and fingers now, as he stared down at the ground, shielding himself. His small hands only could hold onto a fraction of Tennas larger hand, but Tenna didn't care. He was actually holding his hand!
Taking a sharp uneasy breath in, Tenna slowly flipped his hand around and gently wrapped his fingers around Spamtons. He looked up from their newly linked hands back to Spamtons face, now shining red, with his jaw slightly agape as if he wasn't sure of what to say next.

His heart swelled in his chest as he felt the little darkners hand interlocking more with his. Tennas cable tail had begun wagging, back and forth, and he wasn't sure but he swore he could see Spamtons tiny feather tail doing the same. He swallowed the lump in his throat and opened his mouth to say.. Something, Anything.

"Spam.. I-" Tenna began mumbling, but before he could finish, he felt something suddenly pressed up against his side. He looked back down, and almost started crying. Colourful blush spread across his shocked face as he saw that Spamton had begun leaning into him. He had pressed his head against Tennas chest, burying his face into the velvet red fabric of his suit jacket. He was still holding onto Tennas hand and had wrapped it around his body, almost as if he were a child's doll. Spamtons face was glitching and distorting, as tears ran down his painted cheeks. Tenna gently pulled him in closer to his body with the hand Spamton had been holding onto. Before they realized what was happening, the two found themselves closer than they had been for many years.

"[[10%]]nna.." Spamton cried quietly, rubbing his palm against the larger hand holding him. Tears filled Tennas screen at the familiar touch of his hand. He had missed this, so, SO much. He pulled Spamton in closer, until he was pressed up to Tennas side completely. He wanted to hold him close and never let go.
"I-I-I TH0:UGHT U DIDN'T [[Car]]E AN>NYMORE!" Spamton let out a glitch filled sob, burying his face in Tennas side more. Tenna wrapped his free hand around Spamtons back to console him, until he was nestled perfectly in Tennas arms.

"Oh Spammy.." Tenna rubbed his thumb against Spamtons back, as his good antenna drooped sadly over his face. "... I never stopped caring for you. I've always cared for you. Why would you ever think that i didn't?" Spamton looked up towards Tenna. His eyes were shielded by his glasses, but warm tears ran down his face. He was trembling, glitches flying off of him and static curling in on the edges of his lenses. He put his head back down and went quiet. The silence was heavy and thick in the atmosphere, all Tenna could hear was the sound of Spamton taking in shaky breaths.

"Spamton. I missed you, so much. I never would've stopped caring for you. No matter what, you're my-" Tenna stopped himself before he could finish his sentence. He trembled as he fully realized what he was about to say. Something he hadn't said in years.

Husband.
You're my husband.

And that's when realization struck Tenna like a bullet. Him and Spamton were husbands, who had promised they would always be together, 'til death do us part.' And when.. the phone call happened and he left... They had never divorced.

"You're my husband, Spammy."

Spamtons grip on Tennas jacket tightened, and he slowly moved his head to look back up at him. He blinked away tears in disbelief at what Tenna had said, mouth hanging open in shock. Tenna took hold of his face, gently brushing his thumb against the puppets open jaw. Spamtons released the tension in his shoulders as he leaned into the soft touch, still staring wide-eyed up at Tenna.

"Y'know I just realized," Tenna chuckled, wiping tears from beneath Spamtons glasses with his thumb "We um, never technically divorced, did we?" Color bar blush had washed over his face again, and he fought to hold back a laugh at seeing how the colors shone over Spamtons face making him just as rainbow as Tenna was in the moment. Spamton snickered back at the CRTs laughter, staring up at him with teary eyes.

"WHAT'RE U [[Laughin' at]] [[BOOB TUBE.]]" Spamton let out a small chuckle of his own as he wiped at his face, drying the tears with the sleeve of his blazer. Taking in a ragged breath, his gaze slowly drifted down to the ring hanging from his neck. He stared longingly at the little golden charm before diverting his stare over towards Tenna's left hand, still cradling his face gently. Spamton raised his hand and softly touched the golden ring on Tennas finger, plastic clinking softly against the precious metal. He chuckled as he leaned more into the larger darkners hand, until the puppet found himself rubbing his painted cheek against the golden band. Tennas tail began wagging as he held onto the little darkners face, Spamton letting out a glitchy sigh of relief.
"EHEHE, I GU3SS YUUR [[Right & .]] WE A>ARE [Free Marriage Liscence]] STILL. [[100% Legal]]LY."

Tenna thought long and hard about this as he stared at the little darkner cuddled in his arms. This was his husband. They had spent the best years of their lifes together, and sure things were different now, but that didn't have to be a bad thing. They could still.. be together. Only if that's something Spamton wanted though..

"Spammy I, um.." Tenna nervously pulled on the end of his antenna as his screen glowed with vibrant blush. Spamton looked back up at him inquisitvely, making Tennas heart skip a beat . "Wou-would you like to.. try again? Have a fresh start?" Spamtons eyes widened at Tennas suggestion, a nervous smile slowly curling in on the corners of his mouth. He looked down to the ground, flustered and began mindlessly fidgeting with his necklace.

Color bar blush had taken over Tennas whole screen by now, mirrored by Spamtons bright red face. Thats when he realized that what he was doing was basically a re-proposal, albeit one under very strange circumstances. Sure they were technically still married, but that they had been apart so long it was basically a new marriage anyways. Cable tail wagging back and forth, his gaze fell down to the small darkner below him. His little mailman. His.. Love letter. His heart felt like it was beating a million times a minute, and he was lightheaded from the uncertainty. His breath caught tensely in his throat as he anxiously anticipated how Spamton might respond.
...
"I-I'D [[L0vE]] TO>2" Spamton finally answered.

Tenna couldn't contain his excitment anymore, his height rocketing up so fast his head began to spin. In one fell swoop he picked Spamton up with both his hands and lifted him to his face, holding on as tight as he could to keep the small darkner from falling. His face was glowing brightly, illuminating Spamton in the multi-colored hues emmanating from his blush. A large wobbly smile spread across Tennas entire face as a red flower burst dramatically from the end of his nose. A glitchy laugh erupted from spamton as flower petals showered over him.

"Oh Spammy! I just.. I missed you so much!" Tenna laughed, tears of joy welling up on his screen. He pulled Spamton in closer to the side of his screen, the puppet returning the affection by rubbing his hand softly against the larger mans screen. Tennas cable tail wrapped around his leg, and Spamtons scruffy feather tail fluffed up as he stared lovingly up at his large husband.

"I [[Missed out? Do-]] YOU TOO [[Trash-heap]]." Spamton whispered to the man, face now softly pressed up against Tennas cheek. Joyful tears still running down his screen, Tenna felt his heart soar at the gentle touch of his little mailman. Spamtons face was just inches away from Tennas quivering lips now, so close he could kiss him if he wanted to. Tenna quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind however, not wanting to take things too fast for his partner.

"ALRIGHT [[Trash heap]] DONT SQUASH ME." Spamton chuckled, pushing his hands against Tennas screen in a playful attempt to make him let go.

"Aah! Sorry Spammy, I-I forgot how small you were!" Tenna nervously blurted, loosening his grip on the smaller darkner and quickly lowering him back to the ground. Spamton let out a bitcrushed laugh, and jumped into Tennas lap, settling comfortablely ontop of his legs. It was almost as if the spot was made just for him.

"I'm just... So happy that you still wanted to be with me. I missed you, so, so much Spam." Tenna held back tears as he tenderly held his husbands face in his hands. His thumbs rested against the puppets painted cheeks, and he gently rubbed them against the plastic, the small darkner melting into the warmth and comfort. Then, Spamtons face lit up with an idea. He took hold of one of the hands clasped around his face and pressed his teeth against the back of it in a slightly awkward, yet gentle kiss. Tennas tail was wagging faster then ever now, his antenna twisted around eachother and his face burning in all shades of color. Warmth flooded in behind his screen, and through all his circuits, while a grin spread over his entire face.
He really does love me!

"Oh Spammy!" Tenna giggled at the little darkners affection. Spamton smirked back up at him, a mischievous but well meaning look on his face.
He leaned back against Tennas legs once again, sprawling his small body out across them. His eyes shut and he layed there wordlessly, his presence alone being enough to make Tenna feel estatic.
This was his husband!
And they were getting back together!

Tenna watched his partner carefully, noticing the way his eyes would open slightly to glance up at Tenna before quickly shutting again. It was utterly adorable to Tenna, and he continued admiring his partner in the silence of the evening.

"THE [[Shining Star, 1997]]S ARE PRETTY.." Spamton mumbled, staring up at the sky. Tenna redirected his attention towards the sky, looking for the stars Spamton had mentioned. Indeed , brilliant blue and white lights where shimmering marvelously above the pair. Tenna watched them in awe, luminscent sparkles wrapping around the entire sky.
"Wow.. They really are.." He whispered after a while.
Truly though, there was only one star he cared about right now. His little Mailman.

Spamton let out a bitcrushed sigh, and shut his eyes, settling further into the larger darkners lap. As Tenna continued marveling up at the night sky, he felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude flood through his whole body. He silently gave thanks to whatever had given them the oppurtunity to be brought back together. Be it chance, divine forces, or whatever, Tenna was overjoyed regardless.
As dusk slowly turned over to night and the stars shone even brighter, Tenna looked back down to the nearly-asleep Darkner in his lap.

"Spammy it's getting kinda late.." Tenna hesitated as the small darkner sat up and looked up at him, rubbing his eyes to adjust to the light of Tennas screen. He yawned loudly and stretched out his arms, only further confirming his tiredness.

"Do you wanna go home? Get some sleep? You seem pretty tired." Tenna continued, Spamton leaning up against his chest as he did so. Blush painting his face, Tenna softly held onto Spamtons head, running his fingers through his black feather hair. There was white streaks showing now, something Tenna had never seen on Spamton until recently. He supposed that of all the changes Spamton went through, a few roots showing was the least of his concern. He reminisced on the days where Spamton would sometimes ask him for help dyeing his hair. Melancholy echoed in the back of Tennas mind thinking of their years apart, and how they had..changed. But now they were together again, and everything would be okay.

"OKAY. [[Home sweet Home]]" Spamton said, feather tail wagging happily. Tenna smiled back at his partner and began readying himself to leave. Tenna gently picked Spamton up by the back of his his coat and moved the smaller Darkner from his lap back to the ground. Tenna carefully stood up and stretched, taking in a deep breath of the crisp night air. He turned around on his heels to face the path to the castle, looking back at Spamton as he did so. He watched in curiousity at the little puppet scrambling to stand at his side, tripping over rocks as he did so.

"Do ya need some help down there, Big shot?" Tenna teased playfully, Spamtons face quickly reddening from embarrasment. Eyes still averting contact, he wordlessly nodded and held out a single hand. Tenna took Spamtons hand and lifted him up off the ground, carefully holding his back in one hand and his arm in the other. He giggled at the flustered look of the puppet as he placed him delicately atop his padded shoulder. After briefly circling to adjust his position, Spamton flopped back down, legs dangling haphazardly over the edge of Tennas shoulder. Sighing, Spamton leaned lazily against the side of the CRT, gripping the fabric beneath him for extra support. But Tenna would never let him fall.

"C'mon, lets go home Spam." Tenna held his hand up to the smaller darkner on his shoulder, Spamton hesitantly taking hold of it in his small grasp. Tenna smiled over at Spamton, and squeezed his hand around the other mans. A warm pink glow worked across Spamtons face, as a soft, loving smile replaced his blank expression.

"YES. HOME."

_______________________________________________________

Spamton couldn't believe this was actually happening. Every step the pair took towards the castle, the more worried he was that any moment he would wake up in the garbage again. It wouldn't be the first time he had dreamt of something like this, alone on the streets of cyber city. He never thought that the dreams from nights longing for his husband would ever come to fruition. But yet, here he was. The gentle static-y hum he heard pressed up against Tennas head, the feeling of their plastic and metal hands interlocking, the way Tenna quickly glanced over and smiled at him... it was all undeniably real. And Spamton couldn't be happier. Knowing that even after everything, his partner still wanted him.

Perched atop of Tennas shoulder, Spamton fought to stay awake for a little while longer. The eventful night had begun taking his toll on him, and he wanted nothing more than to finally sleep peacefully in a bed. Right beside his partner... He hadn't done that in a long, long time. He couldn't wait. And it looked like he wouldn't have to anymore.

"Well, we're here." Tenna announced as he came to a stop at the red and gray doorway leading into the "Tv room" he had been given in Castle Town.
He was so lucky, he had a personal room, attention from the lightners... much more than some silly old spam email would ever get. Or deserve.
Tenna unlocked the door and stepped inside, and found himself instantly greeted by the endlessly scrolling star patterns on the walls.
Still got the same wallpaper and everything.
Guess some things never change.
Spamton stared at the rippling stars, a wistful longing in his eyes. He hadn't seen these patterns in... a long time. After spending years looking at the inside of a dumpster, something about the green room wallpaper felt painfully familiar. A memory long lost to time, forever preserved in this little room. He supposed that everything happening in this moment was reliving old memories though. The green room, the couches, Tenna.. He still couldn't believe him and Tenna were trying again. It sounded crazy. Tenna must've gone crazy if he really wanted to get back together with Spamton.

"SO [[Where in the world is-]] IS YOUR BED [[Cathode]]?" Spamton asked, scanning the small room. There was a couch, a kitchenette, and a quiz podium leftover from Tv Time. Suspiciously empty for a room he had been living in for a few weeks now.
"OR AR>RE WE [[Catching some Zs]] ON THE COUCH LIKE; THE [[Good, old]] DAYS?" Spamton teased, jabbing an elbow against the side of Tennas screen, making the television break his silence and start giggling at the suggestion. Spamton felt his face grow redder at the beautiful laugh of his husband.

"No no, My bedrooms just seperate from the green room. I need my beauty rest! Gotta look good for the camera y'know!" Tenna explained, holding his free hand up beneath his face dramatically as if to prove a point.

"YEA:H SURE, LIKE U NEED BEAUTY [[Sleep easy with-]] [[Boob-tube]]!" Spamton erupted in laughter, almost toppling over as he balanced precariously on Tennas shoulder. He felt the sensation of the televisions hands suddenly holding him tightly, carefully stabializing his small body. Spamton tensed up at the touch of Tennas glove-covered hands wrapped around his torso, but slowly eased into the comforting pressure and shut his eyes. He had really missed this.

"Heh, t-thanks Spammy.." Tenna stammered, obviously flustered by Spamtons comment. Spamton chuckled, feather tail wagging in delight. If he still had all his feathers he thought they would be all fluffed up by now, but he guessed he could never know.
He missed his feathers.
He missed a lot of who he used to be.
Young. Famous. A Big Shot. And so, so stupid.
Yet Tenna didn't seem to care that he wasn't any of that anymore.
Spamton figured his facade would break soon enough. After all, how could anybody love this, thing he had become? Spamton certainly couldn't.

Tenna picked Spamton up off his shoulder and gently held him in his arms, a much easier arrangment with how much he'd shrunk to fit into the smaller room. Tenna walked through the room over to a lone wooden door tucked away in the corner, and paused in front if it.
A single gold star was painted on the door in a similar fashion to their old dressing rooms back in Tv world. Letting go of Spamton in one hand, Tenna turned the gold knob and gingerly walked through the door, ducking under the frame so his damaged antenna wouldn't be hit. As he entered, he closed and locked the door behind him.

From his spot in Tennas arms, Spamtons eyes quickly scanned the small room, tinted in hues of pink and yellow from his glasses. The star wallpaper was all over in this room too, though the calming movement was made less noticable by the dimmed lighting. A large, comfortable looking bed sat pressed against one of the walls, a nightstand and a turned off lamp sitting idly beside it. There was a tall dresser, with a variety of knick-knacks scattered across the surface of it. Old merch, posters, photographs...

"Alright!" Tenna squeezed Spamton in his arms, making the little puppet freeze in surprise. "I guess we better get ready for bed. Did you need to borrow some pajamas?" Tenna questioned, holding Spamton out in his arms so the two could talk face to face. Spamton hesitated answering, instead staring up at the larger darkner holding him. An infectious smile was plastered across the televisions face, causing Spamton to unconsciously mirror it as a small grin took over his face too.

"S>SURE. BUT I DON'T [[Thinking of buying a new car?]] YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT WILL [[One size fits all]] ME [[Cathode]]." Spamton finally responded, gesturing up at the larger darkner to prove his point. Tenna paused for a moment, tapping his foot against the ground as a puzzled expression came to his face. He pulled Spamton in close again, holding the puppets back to his chest as he contemplated the problem presented to him. Spamtons arms dangled out from beneath Tennas tight grip around his torso, and he swang his legs back and forth while he waited for Tenna to come up with a solution. Tenna was always good at coming up with solutions. He was a fixer by nature, always making sure everything was perfect.

"Oh! I've got an idea!" He gleefully announced, height jumping up a few inches instantly with revelation. Spamton was gently lowered down to the floor, plastic feet clacking against the linoleum as he made contact with it. Cable tail wagging back and forth in excitment, Tenna rushed over to the dresser and began rummaging through the various drawers of clothing. Spamton stood idly by and watched Tenna search, eventually shifting his focus back to the top of the dresser. He couldn't see much from his short stature, but he could make out an old collabrative poster of the two of them that was taped up on the wall.
Huh. So he kept it too.

Spamtons mind wandered to the poster he had kept back in Cyber City. He usually would've kept it with him in the dumpster, one of the few things he still had from his big shot days. With his advertisments in Cyber City all being covered up, and that damn Easel cutting his name from his old merchandise, sometimes it felt like the only thing that proved he had ever been... real. And on nights when ringing filled his ears and regret flooded through his body and it felt like the whole world had abandoned him, he would fall asleep next to the poster. It was the closest he could get to the real thing. To being with Tenna again.

"How about this shirt Spam?" Tenna asked, pulling Spamton back to the present moment. Spamton looked up at Tenna, who was holding out a T-shirt with the words "I ♥︎ TV" printed across it in bold letters. Spamton held back a snicker as he took a closer look at the shirt. Although slightly smaller than Tenna's usual wardrobe, It was still WAY too big for Spamton to wear.

"REAL HUMBLE." He chuckled, Tenna jokingly acting as if he were hurt in response. Spamton rolled his eyes and continued, [[Trash heap]] DON'T U THIN:K THAT IS STILL A BIT 2 [[Bigger and better than ever!]] FOR ME?"

"Oh don't worry, I've got a solution for that!" Tenna revealed, raising and lowering his eyebrow in an attempt at a wink. Very carefully, Tenna pulled the T-shirt over his head and shoved his arms through the sleeves. Spamton watched intently, wondering what his plan here was. Much to Spamtons surprise, Tenna started shrinking down, albeit very slowly. Tenna was so over the moon from getting back together with Spamton he seemed to been having extra trouble controlling his height that night. Eventually though Spamton and Tenna found themselves meeting at equal height. Tenna smiled at Spamton, glowing with excitment.

"Alright then!" Tenna beamed, pulling the now much smaller T-shirt over his head. "It should fit you now!" He held out the shirt to the puppet, height already starting to rise again. Spamton gingerly took hold of the t-shirt, and held it out to inspect it. Indeed, it now was small enough Spamton could wear it.
He had..forgotten Tenna could do that.
Pieces of memories started finding their way back to him the more he thought about it though. Times Tenna had shrank down to lend Spamton his suits and such. Spamton looked back on those memories with fondness now, for the life he used to lead. Perhaps it wasn't too late to try again.

"You can put that on, and I'll get my pajamas on aswell." Tenna said gesturing to a pile of fabric he had pulled from the dresser. Spamton nodded, and looked down to his blazer. He reached to undo the black buttons holding it closed, but his hands were trembling. They did so alot nowadays. He saw Tenna glancing down at him, and his plastic face glowed red from embarassment. The more he tried to force his hands to work, the worse it seemed to get, some of his joints completely locking up on him. He desperately tried to get the buttons undone, but his stupid hands just wouldn't cooperate with him. It was frustrating, and having Tenna there to see it just made it worse.

"Here let me help with that." Tenna offered, kneeling down and stretching out a hand towards the puppet. Trying to push away the frustration he had with his shaking hands, Spamton carefully considered the offer. He hated having Tenna see him like this and didn't want his pity but... it also didn't seem like a bad idea to have some help. And they were partners after all. Spamton reluctantly nodded, and so Tenna got to work undoing the buttons.

Spamton stared down at Tennas hands, admiring the meticulous nature he took in undoing each button from the blazer. Spamton didn't like having Tenna pity him but, being like this... It was nice. He wished he had someone to help him with all the little things like this over the past decade. Maybe then life would've been a bit easier.
Soon Tenna had undone all the buttons on the coat, and started slipping the blazer off of Spamtons shoulders. Spamton tried to grab hold of the coat, but Tenna stopped him.

"Here let me hold that for you." Tenna insisted, taking the coat from Spamtons weak grasp and hanging it over his arm. Spamton blushed at this, but turned around and got to work changing from his turtle neck sweater into the t-shirt he had been given. Pulling the white sweater over his head, Spamton was struck by realization a moment too late that Tenna was still standing there, watching him. His eyes darted over to where Tenna stood, still holding onto his blazer for him. Tenna looked back at Spamton and blushed slightly, before awkwardly moving his attention to the fabric in his arms. Spamtons face turned red as he stared down at his hands, segmented joints trembling in embarassment.
What was I thinking? M-my chest is all puppet-like and weird now, I don't want him seeing that!

Spamton quickly averted his eyes and scrambled to get the T-shirt over his head, ignoring the way it snagged on his glasses and caught painfully on his long nose. He just didn't want Tenna to gawk at his new puppet appearance any more than he already had. He finished pulling the shirt over his torso, and glanced back up at Tenna, who was now unbuttoning his own shirt to change into the pair of red pajamas he had gotten out for himself. Spamton looked back down to the shirt he was wearing. Even when they were at the same height Tenna was a bit bigger than him, so the fabric hung loosely over his slim frame. The golden ring was still hanging around his neck from a piece of string, the only nice thing about his current appearance. His puppet like joints were on full display now from below the short sleeves of the shirt, and he could feel Tenna absentmindedly staring at them. He couldn't blame him, it was a far cry from Spamtons old appearance, soft downy feathers covering his body now replaced by cold hard plastic.

Spamtons mind wandered back to moments before, when Tenna got a full look at the plastic surface of his body. He looked like a f$%!ing doll now! How could Tenna ever like him when he looked like... this? A weird little, puppet..freak!! He certainly didn't look like the man Tenna had fallen in love with... Spamton buried his face in his hands, wishing he could just disappear. Peeking out from his hands, he glanced over at Tenna, his face growing warm as he stared at the larger darkner putting on his pajama shirt. His appearance hadn't changed much since when they were together, not like Spamton had. Spamton found him just as handsome as when they met, just as handsome as he was on their wedding day, just as handsome as he had always been.
And Spamton? He didn't see how Tenna could ever find him attractive again, not when he was like this...

But then again... It had been Tennas idea to try again in the first place. He had suggested they get back together, so at the very least he still..liked Spamton to some degree. But Spamton still had his doubts if Tenna was really still attracted to him, in all his current weirdness. Frankly, he was just waiting for Tenna to realize that and get the hell out of there.

"Y'know Spam, I noticed your coat was missing a few buttons." Tenna mentioned, pulling Spamtons attention back over to him. Spamton looked up at the television who had called his attention. He was buttoning up the shirt of his star patterned pajamas, and when Spamton looked over at him he gave a grin down at the little puppet.

"I KNOW, W;HY SHOULD THAT [[Your safety matters]]?" Spamton growled, wondering why Tenna had brought this up in the first place. It wasn't like he didn't know about the years he had spent living in that damn dumpster. Tenna just shrugged, not seeming to notice Spamtons hostile response, and continued explaining.

"I could fix it, if you wanted me to. I think Prince Ralsei might have some sewing supplies I could borrow." Tenna finished buttoning the top of his shirt and kneeled back down to Spamtons level. He outstretched a hand to the smaller darkner, who hesitated as his gaze focused in on the golden ring around Tennas large finger. He'd always known Tenna was the sentimental type, but he still never would've expected him to still wear his ring after all that time. Spamtons hands wandered to his own ring hung around his neck, as he began unconsiously fidgeting with it.

"Would you like that?" Tenna finished his offer, reaching his arm out towards Spamton more, awaiting a response. Spamton remained silent, choosing to stare up at his partner instead. His gaze softened and he smiled at his husband, as Tennas smile only grew wider and his tail wagged faster. Spamton extented his hand out towards Tenna and placed it in his palm. His feather tail started to wag and he let out a bit-crushed sigh of resignation.

"ALR!GHT, HOW ABOUT WE [[Talking]] ABOUT IT: IN THE [[Morning coffee!]]. I'M PRET>TY TIRED." Spamton eventually suggested, finishing the sentence with a glitchy yawn to unintentionally prove his point. Tenna wagged his tail and nodded in response, a mischevious smile reaching across his screen as an idea seemed to come to him. Tenna took Spamtons hand and quickly pulled the surprised puppet into a tight hug. Spamton tensed up when first being surrounded by Tennas embrace, but gave into the affection after a moment in his partners arms. Tennas good antenna reached down, softly nuzzling against Spamtons hair, causing the small puppet to chuckle. He leaned into the warm feeling of being held by Tenna, savouring each moment and desperatly hoping to stay here as long as he could. He hadn't realized until this moment, how starved for touch he truly was at this point. After all those years of loneliness. All the nights spent crying in a voice drawn low, wishing he could be with Tenna again.
Angel how he'd missed this feeling...

"Well that works for me!" Tenna laughed, still holding Spamton tightly to his chest in a soft embrace. As he cautiously stood up, Tenna rubbed his thumb against the back of Spamtons head, making the puppet melt at the soft touch. Now running his fingers through Spamtons hair, Tenna began slowly making his way over to the bed tucked in the corner of the room. Spamton nuzzled his face closer to Tennas chest, taking in the soothing warmth emanating from it. Tenna took a seat on the mattress and released Spamton from his grip, lowering him gently onto the covers. Spamton pulled at the fabric of the blanket beneath his hand, mourning the comfort he had been in mere seconds before. The moment he was let go of, the puppet wanted nothing more than to go back to his lovers arms.

As Tenna began settling into bed, Spamton cautiously layed his head back against one of the soft pillows sitting behind him. He hadn't been somewhere this comfortable in a long, long time. Even when he had gotten to Castle Town he didn't really have a nice place to sleep like this. Folding his arms across his chest, Spamton let the silence of the night take over, the only sound he heard being the quiet hum buzz of Tennas circuits.
Tenna sat beside him, quietly stacking a bunch of pillows to support his head. Staring over at his husband, Spamton fought to contain tears of gratitude that had begun welling up in his eyes. He just never, in a million years, could've imagined this actually happening. Tenna caught his longing gaze and smiled back at him, Spamtons heart nearly skipping a beat at the sight of it. After a moment, Spamton snickered at his own flusterdness, in spite of himself.
You were together for what? 10 years?
Get a hold of yourself!

With a sigh Tenna layed down on the bed, gently placing his head atop the pile of pillows he'd been preparing. His face and body turned towards Spamton, his glowing screen illuminating the smaller darkner who stared back at him, eyes wide in awe. Tenna reached a hand out towards Spamton, wrapping his fingers around his back, catching the little darkner by surprise and causing him to let out a glitchy chirp. Spamton looked back over at Tenna, and felt warmth creep across his face as his husband grinned back at him. Spamton hesitantly held out his hand, reaching out towards Tennas screen until his plastic hand made contact with the glass. He gently caressed his partners face, rubbing his thumb against the glowing screen. Warmth from Tennas blushing face spread over to Spamton, his hand tingling with the heat emanating from the display. Tenna giggled, and with one hand still wrapped around Spamtons back, pulled Spamton to his chest.

"Is, this alright Spam?" He asked, tenderly cradling Spamtons small head in one hand, with his other arm wrapped around Spamtons back in a warm embrace. Tennas face was so close now that Spamton could feel the strands of his hair standing up from the static electricty building behind the screen. Holding back tears, Spamton snuggled in closer to Tenna, basking in the soft light of his partners screen.

"YEAH. TH1S IS Nice. B3TTER ThAN [[All right.]]" Spamton mumbled, attempting to lower his volume as to not disturb the peaceful moment. Spamton leaned his face up against Tennas chest, taking in the comforting warmth coming from his partner. With his head pressed against up against Tennas chest, Spamton could hear the gentle beating of his husbands mechanical heart. Tennas tail was wagging, before slowly wrapping around Spamtons leg, just holding him even closer. Tenna smiled, and carefully took Spamtons glasses off of his face, revealing the beady dot eyes hidden beneath.

"Here, you don't want these breaking while you're asleep." Tenna beamed, reaching his arm over Spamton and delicately placing the lenses on the nightstand, before wrapping his arm tightly around Spamtons small body once again. Spamton relaxed under the comforting pressure, reaching out to return the embrace to his husband. Spamton listened to the sound of his partners heartbeat, letting himself be surrounded by the soothing noise. He focused on the sound of his partners breathing, a slow and calming lullaby that drowned out the garbage noise in his mind. Being around Tenna, seemed to do that alot.

...

"HEY [[10%]]S.." The little Puppet eventually murmured, still clutching Tenna closely, nuzzling his nose against Tennas chest. An inquisitive look took over Tennas face, as he curled in more towards his partner.

"What, Spam?" Tenna asked, turning his screen down to Spamton, making the little darkner feel fuzzy from the static. Spamton took a deep inhale, as his face was overtaken by red blush. He had said this dozens of times before but things... were different now. But he was determined to say it, despite the red hue steadily burning onto his face.

"I... I [[Love]] YOU." Spamton stammered, fidgeting with his necklace nervously. He quickly shut his eyes, his heart quickening till it felt it might burst out of his chest. Wouldn't be the first time it had done that. Traces of doubt seeped in the longer he kept his eyes closed, and he knew he had to face Tenna before it could set in. Reluctantly, he peeked open an eye towards Tennas glowing screen, anxiously checking the CRTs reaction. Much to his surprise and delight, Tennas whole screen had turned to rainbow bars, as a massive wobbly grin overtook much of his face. Spamton laughed as a single red bloom burst from the tip of Tennas nose, showering the former addison in little petals, as he excitedly pulled Spamton in closer to him, till the puppets face was pressed up against the plastic casing of Tennas screen.

"I love you too Spammy!" Tenna exclaimed, nearly shouting from joy. The little darkner stared back up at his husband, his grin growing wide to match Tennas. He relished in the tingling warmth emanating from his lovers screen, attempting to focus on the feeling of Tennas hands wrapped around his back and his plastic cheek squashed up against the CRTs casing. Doubt still crept in the back of his mind though, plaguing his otherwise happy thoughts. Doubt about how Tenna could ever love him like that again. He was utterly terrified at the mere thought of it, but desperatly longed for an answer to his anxious question.

"EVEN WH3N I-I LO0K LIKE...TH1S?" Spamton mumbled, trembling from nerves at what Tenna might say. He was half-expecting Tenna to snap out of his nostalgia-fueled daze, and realize Spamton could never look like the man he once was. Tennas brow furrowed in concern at the question, and Spamton braced his heart for the worst.

No matter what happens, I won't fall apart.
I'm not going back to how it was back then.

To Spamtons complete and total shock however.. Tennas actual response was nearly the complete opposite.

"Spam.. You're still just as handsome as the day I met you." Tenna chuckled slightly, taking hold of the smaller darkners face in his hand. "And if you think anything else.. heh, then you're the most stupid man I've ever met." He teased, smirking down at the little puppet through a tear filled screen.

Spamton froze for a moment in shock, before Tennas words slowly set in. As relief filled up his brain, Spamton broke into a laugh, filling the silence as tears of joy flooded his eyes. Tenna laughed too, tail wagging back and forth as he smiled at his husband. Spamton was just so relieved, to finally be at peace with.. well all of this!

Tenna really still loved him! Puppet joints and all!

Laughter slowly dying down to a chuckle, Spamton raised a small hand to the illuminated screen, playfully picking off the flower from the end of Tennas nose. Tenna let out another laugh, as Spamton stared at the bloom in his hold. Joyful tears still clinging onto his and Tennas faces, Spamton rotated the flower in his hand, taking in every detail of the precious little bloom. Looking up from the red flower to meet his partners loving gaze, Spamton chuckled at Tennas excited grin and wagging tail. Tennas thumb rubbed against Spamtons face, gently holding onto the little darkners painted cheek. Spamtons feather tail fluffed up, and wagged excitedly, much like Tennas own tail.

"My little love letter.." Tenna admired, his voice softening to a quiet, reverent tone. Spamtons gaze widened at the long-forgotten nickname, as Tennas antenna wandered to Spamtons head, softly fluffing up the scraggly dark feathers on his scalp. Spamton sighed in relief, relaxing in the familiar embrace of his husband. The electrifying warmth Spamton felt laying next to Tenna ran through his body, as the soft tingling fuzziness of the CRTs display projected across Spamtons face.

They had gone through so much, but Tenna still loved him. The thought made Spamtons heart soar.

Spamton leaned in closer to Tennas chest, feeling completely content. Tenderly placing his hand up against the soft fabric of star-covered pajamas, Spamton let the quiet moment linger. Savouring the feather-light touch of Tennas hand against his back, reveling in the way his partner held him so tightly, just as he had long ago, a genuine smile curled on the corners of Spamtons wide mouth. The sound of Tennas slow, steady breathing, the low buzzing of his illuminated screen, the soft mechanical beating of his heart that Spamton could only hear when pressed up against him like this. It all worked together like an oh-so familiar lullaby, slowly pulling the tired puppet closer and closer to sleep. The white noise surrounded him, a static blanket wrapped around his entire body.

"...G'night Spam.." The CRT gently whispered into the darkness, before nodding off into a quiet slumber.

The quiet beep of the Televison falling asleep sounded, his illuminated display replaced by fresh static snow disguising his features. Spamtons breath slowed as he began drifting off towards some of the first real sleep he'd had in years, wrapped in his husbands loving embrace. The warm feeling in his chest swelled as he glanced up at his sleeping partner one last time, before his eyes drooped shut. Sight replaced by darkness, in the comforting presence of Tenna, listening closely to the quiet humming of his mechanical lover. Spamton hadn't felt like this in many, many years. And finally, after hundreds of sleepless, lonely nights at the bottom of a garbage can with nothing but a pillow and an old poster to keep him company, Spamton was going to fall asleep side by side with his husband again. Drifting off into peaceful slumber, Spamton smiled knowingly, every moment a reminder that this really was his partner. This was the start of their new life together. And this time, he would never let them be separated. No matter what.
________________________________________________________

Tenna awoke slowly, static obscuring his vision as he was pulled from his sleep. Was it all a dream? Groggily, he activated his screen once again to inspect his surroundings, feeling his hands around to figure out where exactly he was. He was still in his castle town bed, the dim light of his screen shining onto a little darkner wrapped up tightly in his arms. His hand absentmindedly wandered to Spamtons head, running his metal hands through the jet black feathers adorning his husbands scalp. Even in his sleeping state, the little puppet seemed to lean in closer to the tender touch.

Oh Spammy! They really were together again!

Tenna let out a quiet sigh of relief, tension leaving his body upon realizing his worry that the last night had just been a dream was impossible. No, they really were trying again. Tenna still felt overjoyed just thinking about it. The nights events flashed through his mind. The stargazing, Spamton on his shoulder, the wedding rings they both had kept. With a sigh, he glanced down at the small golden ring hanging around Spamtons neck, heart swelling as he stared at the small thing that had helped him to admit his true overwhelming feelings. He gazed longingly at his own ring, which he had been hiding beneath his gloves for years and years. Even before the phone call, Tenna still never let anyone see the ring, keeping it beneath his lined gloves around everyone except for his Spammy. He had been terrified of anyone knowing about this, him and Spam. And when Spamton seemingly up and abandoned him one day, that just gave him all the more reasons to sweep the whole relationship and their marriage under the rug.

'What would the audience think?!'
He had always told himself. He just couldn't let his family friendly reputation breakdown like that! He had almost never let anyone know about it back then. Pretty much the only person in all of TV world who was aware of him and Spamtons relationship was that nosy little plugboy Ramb. Sure, rumors sometimes flew in hushed whispers backstage, and Elnina and Lanino had always seemed suspicious of whether or not they were just "business" partners , but Ramb... He had somehow found a way to always show up at the most inconvenient of times for the couple.

Miraculously showing up to work early on the few times they had fallen asleep out in the greenroom rather than in either of their dressing rooms.
Being the only person around when Spamton or Tenna had drunkenly ranted and raved about eachother at the bar over glasses of battery acid or champagne.
Always somehow randomly showing up around a corner they hadn't checked whenever they kissed.
Suddenly deciding to check in on Tenna "getting ready" for the show when in actuality, Tenna and Spamton had just been making out in the dressing room.
After all those incidents, Tenna had made Ramb swear to secrecy, to never bring these moments up again. And to his relief, Ramb stuck by it. He may have been a bit of a nosy gossip, but at the very least he was a man of his word... And Tenna threatening Ramb's contract over his silence might've also had something to do with the plugboys participation.

The current Tenna just laughed at his younger self, and all the trouble he went through to keep his relationship a secret from the public. He never understood why he had been so adamant to keep it all under wraps, even around their closest friends. Sure, some people wouldn't have been the most accepting, especially for the time, but he knew darn well that the people that mattered the most wouldn't have cared. Lanino and Elnina, Mike, they all were kind people who wouldn't have cared a bit about Tenna liking men. About liking Spamton. Now that he didn't have an audience though... Tenna wanted nothing more than to shout it from the rooftops. Him and Spamton were husbands dammit! And nothing was gonna change that!

Tenna really, really wanted to tell everyone about this. He wanted to run to Lanino and Elninas room first thing in the morning, and squeal and laugh and tell them all about him and Spamtons re-marriage. He wanted to dash over to the TV building right afterwards and yap all about it to the Mikes and anyone else who would listen, about their daughter Pipis and their matching wedding rings and how they had fallen in love and.. And...

Glancing back down at his sleeping mailman, Tenna realized he had been steadily growing and was now atleast 3 or 4 feet taller than his usual size. Slightly embarrassed, Tenna attempted to shrink back down to his regular height, now acutely aware of how large his arms felt in comparison to the little puppet wrapped peacefully in them. He hastily returned to his previous height, careful to not damage the small darkner within his arms.

He had just gotten him back, he didn't want to crush the poor guy!

Back at his normal height, Tenna watched his husband sleeping, as his thoughts about telling everyone slowly melted away into something new. He knew for a fact that Spamton had never been a fan of telling people about his relationships, even without the added strife of the two of them having being queer in the 90s, and that they had been breaking all kinds of company rules set in place by being together. Spamton had always been just as hush-hush as Tenna was, albeit for seemingly different reasons. He barely even told Tenna about his previous relationships, romantic or otherwise.

Tenna realized, much to his own disapointment, that for Spamtons sake he should probably wait a bit before telling his friends. Atleast until they got back into the swing of things, when this wasn't all so raw and new. But dammit, he was determined to tell them at some point. He wasn't just gonna let this be quiet anymore, not when he had been through so much just to get his husband back. Tenna had made up his mind, and he was going to live the open life he had longed for many years ago. He just needed to wait until Spamton was ready as well.

Tenna decided to put away those thoughts racing through his head, instead choosing to admire the little puppet he had been holding up to his chest. With one hand wrapped comfortably around Spamtons back, Tenna took his other hand and gently ran his fingers through his partners feathered black hair and over his smooth plastic skin. He didn't really seem to have alot of feathers anymore, but his fluffy hair and feathery tail remained, albeit much rougher and in need of a good preening. He was much more doll than bird now, something Tenna was still finding himself struggling to wrap his head around. He'd known bits and pieces of what Spamton had gone through, but he still didn't understand how a change this severe could've taken place. It was certainly different from the man Tenna had gotten used to over the years.

Yet despite that, Tenna couldn't deny how much he really, truly loved Spamton, even with all the change he had undergone. He still had that charm that had captivated Tenna ever since the day they had first met. He was still the most handsome man Tenna had ever seen, puppet or not. Running his hand along his husbands side, causing the little darkner to shudder beneath the tender touch, Tennas mind returned to the plastic-y appearance Spamton had when changing his shirt earlier. Spamton had seemed.. Embarrassed? Ashamed? He'd alway been rather sensetive when it came to his chest though, even before he had been turned into a doll. Tenna figured that was due to a certain set of scars on his chest, but in his new form they'd been reduced to nothing but some simple small lines across the plastic, barely noticable to anyone not looking for them.

Tenna hadn't really minded that Spamton was made of plastic now though. Only the dents and scratches in the painted surface that reminded Tenna further of his guilt about what had happened to Spamton in their time apart really upset him. But now that they were together again, Tenna was determined he'd do whatever it took to make it up to the other man. Tenna pulled the little puppet in closer, rubbing his hand softly against the small of the sleeping darkners back.

Spamton unconciously let out a happy sound at the tender touch, a glitchy noise almost something like a chirp. Even through the layers of static filling Spamtons voice, Tenna knew the sound by heart.
He.. still chirps?
Tenna smiled at the painfully familiar sound coming from his formerly bird-like partner. He supposed that some things never changed. Nostalgia flooding his mind, Tenna reminisced on him and Spamtons time together, before...everything. A memory popped into his brain of a painfully sweet moment, from a time when him and Spamton were just two dumb lovers at the top of the world.

A real pair of Big Shots.

________________________________________________________

The two had fallen asleep on the couch in Tennas dressing room. Tenna wasn't exactly sure when, his thoughts felt all scrambled by the drink Spamton had brought for the two of them. What was it called? Battery Acid? Whatever it was, Tenna couldn't really focus on the scripts he had been reviewing with a glass of that stuff in his system. It wasn't like he would've gotten much done anyway, not when Spamton had kept distracting him with all his little flirts and jokes. That little mailman had always had a way with words, Tenna thought. Soon enough, Tenna had given up on the scripts all together and was drunkenly laughing alongside Spamton about every little thing he had been yapping about.

"I can't believe you actually SAID that to him! " Tenna laughed, putting an arm around Spamton and pulling him in closer. Spamtons face turned redder, which he would've blamed on the alcohol, as he took another sip from his glass of battery acid.

"HA! You bet your ass I did!" Spamton snorted, lazily flopping his head onto Tennas metallic chest. As his antenna twisted around themselves, a warm feeling surged through Tennas circuits at the weight of the smaller darkner resting on his chest. Tenna giggled affectionately at the other man, placing one large hand against the bird-like darkners back. Neck feathers puffing out dramatically, Spamton let out a flustered chirp, almost spilling his drink onto his shirt. A moment of silence passed, till Spamton started guffawing at his own embarassed state, followed by him shifting closer to Tenna till he was nearly sitting in the televisions lap. Tennas tail wagged back and forth happily, as color bar blush pooled over his screen, steam steadily starting to seep from his vents. A mischevious look came across Spamtons tired face, and as if a lightbulb had activated in his brain Spamton jumped into action. He fell backwards completely into Tennas lap, and in one fell swoop managed to grab hold of Tennas loose tie and pull the CRTs face down to meet his.

Holy crap.

Spamton had pulled Tenna down to his level, their faces so close Tenna was sure the smaller darkner could feel the heat radiating off his screen. Steam poured out of the vents on the sides of Tennas head, and his antenna intertwined with eachother as the Addison smirked up at him, eyebrows raised. With some sudden last surge of confidence swelling through his body, Spamton yanked on Tennas tie once more, closing the distance between the two men as their lips met. Spamtons soft lips pressed up against Tennas tenderly, a hand traveling over from Tennas tie to side of his head. Tenna froze, unsure of what to do next. Spamton was there, kissing him. Breaking out of his initial shock, Tenna leaned in closer to Spamton as he wrapped his arms around the smaller darkners waist. Despite his burst of confidence, Tenna could still feel the way the Addison trembled nervously in his arms, hand gripped around the side of Tennas face shaking. Tenna pulled away for a moment to catch his breath, staring down at his partner before him. Mere inches away, Tenna relished in the feeling where he was so upclose to Spamton he could feel the Addisons shaky breathe across his screen. Tenna sat up the smaller Darkner to bring him closer, before pressing his screen down against the other mans lips once again. He loved this feeling so, so much.

And now here they were, laying down on the dressing room couch, Spamton passed out, sleeping on Tennas chest. Everything felt strange and blurry. His face was burning with intense color bar blush, although Tenna couldn't tell if that was from the alcohol or from Spamton. Maybe a bit of both. He was certain he'd feel hungover tommorow morning. He'd have to get Mike to cancel the morning programs, or maybe find someone to cover for him. The next day was not gonna be fun.
...
But frankly, Tenna didn't care at all. All that mattered was that he was falling asleep with the most charming, handsome man he'd ever met laying ontop of his chest. And that they had been kissing! Among other things... Wow! Tenna felt happy tears welling up behind his screen when thinking about just how much he loved Spamton. Spamton was the best. He loved him! He needed to let Spamton to know!

"Hey Spam?"
Tenna whispered into the dark room.
"Spam?"
"Spammy?"
Tenna poked the little darkner to no avail.
"Spammmyyy?"
He chuckled at the way Spamtons feathers fluffed up when he messed with them.
"Heyyyy Spammmmmy?"
Tenna's words drawled as he rubbed his hand against the small of the Addisons back. Finally stirring awake, Spamton rubbed his eyes as he turned his attention to the larger darkners screen.

"Ughh.. fuck Tens, whaddya want?" Spamton yawned, holding a hand up to shield his eyes from the colourful lights radiating from Tennas screen. Tenna smiled, still stroking his hand along the Addisons back.

"Spammmyy... Will you beee my boyfriend?" Tenna giggled, face blushing as Spamton held a shaky hand up to screen. Spamton let out an exasperated chuckle and rolled his eyes, before rubbing his thumb against the CRTs plastic exterior. Tenna giggled more, antenna wandering down to nuzzle against Spamtons head. Little sparks of static ran from the Televisions antenna, causing strands of Spamtons hair to stand on end.

"Ant, baby.." Spamton flopped his head into the palm of his propped up hand, too tired to keep it up alone, his free hand wandering to playfully swat away the antenna currently ruffling up his hair "We've been dating for eight months now. How many times are ya gonna ask me?" Spamton chuckled, placing both his arms beneath his head, and letting out an exhausted sigh. A wobbly grin took over Tennas whole face as his tail thumped excitedly against the couch cushions. He could hardly contain his excitment any more, at the fact he got to be boyfriends with the brilliant man before him.

"WOW! I must be really lucky then!" Tenna gushed, a red flower bursting suddenly from the tip of his long nose. He picked up Spamton to get a better look at his flustered face, then laughed and pulled the Addison back down to his chest after getting a good view of the handsome Darkners blushing face. Tenna wrapped his arms around the other man, hardly noticing the fact he had jumped up at least 5 feet in height. Spamton laughed, the noise now muffled as his face pressed up against the televisions metallic chest. The laughs slowly turned into silent giggles, as the little Darkner began drifting off once more, surrounded by the warm embrace of the CRT.

"Heh, yeah...must be..." Spamton mumbled into the darkness, voice trailing off as sleep pulled him in once more. Before Tenna knew it, he could hear the gentle cooing snores of his partner deep in rest. The sound soothed Tenna, making him seem to forget about all his worries for one fleeting, precious moment. Tenna looked back down at his chest, facing his screen towards the Addison. With a gentle hand, Tenna raised his hand to feel the soft downy feathers covering much of Spamtons body. He held back a chuckle as he watched the feathers around Spamtons neck fluff up at Tennas touch, then moved his wired tail to wrap loosely around the leg of the smaller darkner. Tenna wanted to keep him close to him. He didn't want this moment to end.

Tenna stared lovingly at the bird-like darkner in his grasp, relishing in the fact that Spamton was here, with him! Of all people, Tenna would've never expected a Big Shot like Spamton G. Spamton would want to be with a simple TV like him, but he couldn't be happier. He wanted to be with Spamton all the time, he loved him so, so much. His partner, his little mailman, his love letter. Tenna loved him more than he had loved anything else in his whole life.

One day, this was the man he was going to marry.

He was absoulutely sure of it.
Tenna knew it sounded impossible now, not when he couldn't even bring himself to tell people that they were dating. But a spark of hope still flickered in his chest that perhaps, one day, the two could be married. Images flashed through Tennas head at that thought, and every single one of them made him feel lighteheaded from pure joy. Their wedding. Would he wear a suit or a dress? He wasn't sure, but he knew exactly who he'd be meeting at the altar. Their wedding rings. Something not too flashy, just elegant enough. Something that he could hide when he didn't want people to see, but could still look at whenever he was alone with Spamton. Oh, it would be amazing.
Just his little mailman him!

Waking up next to eachother ever morning, in a bed of their own, no longer stuck on dressing room couches. Dancing together for no real reason, sweeping eachother off their feet. Having romantic dinners at home, with wine and plenty of kisses. Maybe even starting a family together! Oh, he couldn't w-
________________________________________________________

Tenna was abruptly pulled from the memory as he felt a small weight pressing against his side. Groggily turning his attention back into the present moment, Tenna looked down to the little Darkner still nestled in between his arms. Eyes shut tightly, Spamton had begun wriggling out of Tennas grip in his sleep. Tenna nervously loosened his hold on the other man, worried that maybe he had been holding on too tight and was somehow hurting him. Letting out a shaky exhale, Tenna brightened his screen slightly to get a better look at the man sleeping next to him.

Spamton's breathe was quickening, and Tenna could feel the puppet shiver in his arms. Mumbled expressions of panic echoed out of the puppets mouth as he became more frantic, pushing his palms against the televisions side, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"NO..NO. D-DONT! LEAVE M...ME.." Spamton cried, pushing himself further away from Tenna. He almost looked like he was trying to fight back against something, scooching his body over to one of the pillows he had been resting his head on earlier.

He was having a nightmare.

Tenna watched the anxious puppet in front of him, racking his brain for a way that he could soothe his husband. Almost unconsiously, Tenna reached for Spamtons back and pulled him in to his chest once again. The little puppet pushed away weakly, tears streaking down his painted cheeks. Half-sitting up, he cried out, glitches rippling across his body as he did. Tenna frowned at his partners obvious distress, and attempted to recall what he used to do if Spamton had a nightmare. Any time Spamton had trouble sleeping, or had a bad dream when they were together before, he seemed to like falling asleep on top of Tennas metal chest. Tenna never understood it, seeing as he wasn't the softest pillow for someone to sleep on, but he was just glad he could provide a bit of comfort for his little mailman. Spamtons sleeping problems never were that bad when the two of them were together anyhow...

But now? Tenna had no idea what kind of horrible dreams Spamton could be experiencing! He'd been through so much when they were apart... What if he was being forced to relieve all those terrible things in his nightmare? Tenna was no stranger to having awful dreams about when Spamton had run away, but he couldn't even fathom what Spamton could be dreaming about that could cause him so much suffering. Tenna rubbed his thumb against Spamtons back and tail, now holding him from arms length away. The sleeping puppet shuddered, pulling his knees to his chest and curling into Tennas warm palm. Glitch-filled cries escaped the puppets voice as he pulled at his wrists and joints in a panic. Tenna felt anxiety rise in his throat as he watched his husband in such a panic.
If he didn't help him soon he might hurt himself in his spiralling nightmare-fueled state.

"D-DONT! GET..GET A..AWAY!" Spamton shrieked, his words shallow from his persistent hyperventilating. He pulled on his wrists, yanking at some imaginary object that wasn't there. An eerie creak of plastic being pulled on too harshly sounded, and Tenna reacted quickly, picking up Spamton with as gentle of a touch as he could manage (while also keeping the puppets arms restrained at his sides to prevent further damage). Still holding the panicking puppet in one hand, Tenna shifted onto his back, propping himself up slightly on his mountain of pillows.
He timidly placed the small darkner onto his chest, holding Spamton to lie flat against the metal surface like he used to, carefully running a hand through Spamton hair. Glitchy sobs escaped Spamton, as he continued attempting to pull at the invisible strings on his arms. Tennas hands at his sides however, keeping the small darkner from doing so.

"Shhh... It's okay Spam, I-I'm here!" Tenna reassured his lover in a quiet tone. He moved his hand to the puppets plastic smile, wiping away the tears clinging to his face. Spamton continued mumbling anxiously in his sleep, glitches shivering through his entire small body. Sighing, Tenna took one large hand and slung it across the smaller darkner, enveloping Spamtons back in the warmth of his hold. The puppets eyes remained shut tight, but Tenna could feel Spamton begin to calm down at the comforting pressure Tenna had been holding him in. Pressing his face against Tennas chest, Spamtons breath began ever so slowly evening out. Tenna placed both his hands on top of Spamtons back in the hope that increasing the pressure might help him escape his nightmare. Shoulders still tense, Spamtons beady eyes began gradually peeking open to their surroundings, much to Tennas relief.

"...[[10%]]S?" Spamton whispered, still shaking in Tennas arms. Tears continued filling his pitch black eyes as he looked up at the televison darkner, face illuminated by the dim light of Tennas screen. His words were very strained, judging by the stress in his voice.

"I'm here Spam. It's okay. Just.. take a deep breath." Tenna reassured, hoping to calm down his husband.
Attempting to blink away the tears in his eyes, Spamtons head slowly collapsed against where Tennas mechanical heart would be. He took in a shaky breath as Tenna patted a hand over his back, loosely squeezing the smaller mans shoulder. The puppet held tightly to the collar of Tennas shirt, as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. The wild, scared look in his eyes seemed to indicate he thought just as much.

"That was... that was some nightmare wasn't it?" Tenna chuckled dryly, pulling the puppet along his chest and in closer to his face. Loose strands of black hair dangled over Spamtons tired eyes, and Tenna reached over to tuck them back out of his face. Spamton sat in silence for a moment, his face a strange mixture of embarassment and lingering anxiety. Eventually, he warily nestled his head against the crook of Tennas neck, chin resting on the larger mans shoulder. He curled up into a ball, placing a very small hand onto Tennas to keep the television Darkner from taking his hand off of his back.

"YES." The puppet finally whimpered, his bitcrushed voice reverbrating through the otherwise quiet room.
"BAD. DREAM. VERY. BAD." He repeated, small glitches continuing to pulse across the surface of his skin. Tenna noticed how when glitches traveled over from Spamtons body over to Tennas hand, it had a strange buzzing feeling to it.
Interesting. Spamton had always mentioned that when they kissed Tennas screen made his face feel fuzzy. Maybe this was kinda like what Spamton had remembered.

Tenna hated seeing his partner so upset, even back then he had hated seeing Spamton in a bad mood. An especially common occurence after Spamton would return from taking phone calls. And now, even when he wasn't trapped by that phone anymore, it continued to torture him. Aside from the constant glitching however, Tenna could feel his partners tenseness slowly letting up, leaving exhaustion and eerie silence in its place.

"Is there.. anything I can do?" Tenna asked, attempting to keep his voice at a soothing whisper. Still cradling Spamton's back in one hand, Tenna held his palm up to Spamtons head to lovingly smooth out his lovers ruffled black feathers. Spamton seemingly relaxed more under the soft touch, and Tenna swore he could see Spamtons feather tail wagging back and forth in the corner of his eye.

"JUST. STAY HERE." Spamton sighed, placing a single trembling hand along the side of Tennas plastic casing. Tennas antenna twisted around themselves, as he attempted to lean into his partners affection he had missed so much. Spamton meanwhile, appeared to have mostly recovered from his rather unfortunate nightmare earlier. His chest swelled with each breath he took in, every inhale becoming more and more calm and collected. Tenna focused on the feeling of the rising and falling of his own chest, in tandem with Spamtons own. Tenna was happy to oblige Spamtons request, slightly readjusting himself to lay a bit flatter on his back.
...
"I'M S0RRY. FOR [[wake me up]] YO>OU [[Cathode]]." The smaller darkner sniffled into the crook of Tennas neck, holding on tightly to the fabric of Tennas pajama shirt. Tennas expression softened, before he leaned closer and pressed a small, loving kiss to the top of Spamtons head. Spamton averted eye contact and shut his jaw tightly with a snap, something Tenna had learnt by now was a nervous tic of sorts. Tenna stifled a giggle at seeing his husband still act like this, even all these years later.

"You don't need to apologize for that Spam." Tenna smiled. Spamtons eyes narrowed in doubt, prompting Tenna to continue. "It was just a nightmare. You couldn't control it! I..I just want to be here to help you through things like that. After all, I did promise in sickness and in health, and I'm pretty darn sure that applies to things like this too. Even if admittedly, this is a bit of an odd case." The little puppet seemed to freeze for a moment, unsure of what to say next.

The tears Spamton had been attempting to stop earlier immediately broke through, leaving watery streaks along his painted face. He shivered from his spot beside Tennas neck, leading Tenna to curl in towards Spamton, just to hold his mailman a little bit closer. Tears wiped from Spamtons face onto Tennas shirt, as he clung onto the fabric in an attempt to return the televison Darkners affection. Unlike previously, Tenna could tell the former-Addisons tears weren't coming from a place of anxiety. Rather, he seemed to be relieved, and was just finally letting out all the emotions he had been holding onto. And Tenna let him, holding tightly to his lover, the only sound in the room being Spamtons quiet cries and the constant hum-buzz of Tennas CRT monitor.

He really hoped that darn buzzing hadn't been making it difficult for Spamton to sleep..
Little did he know, that nothing had brought Spamton better sleep in years than that exact sound.

"[[10%]]S.." Spamton sniffled, leaning his head into Tennas hand, wiping the last of his tears out of his dark eyes.

"Yes Love-Letter?" Tenna cooed, nuzzling his nose against Spamtons hair. Spamton gave out a glitchy giggle at the nickname, flopping his body in closer to Tennas, till he was entirely squished up against the larger Darkners chest. Tenna smiled, the previous worry in the moment prior seeming to vanish into thin air as him and his husband resettled themselves into the quiet cozy atmosphere. Tenna was more than happy to cuddle up to the man he loved, and wanted to soothe all his nightmares for the rest of their days.

"I'M [[GLADD organization]] I F0UND YOUU... AND THA>AT YOU: STILL [[Want Something new?]] ME." Spamton whispered, snuggling into Tennas chest. Tennas cable tail wagged back and forth happily, mirrored by the excited fluffing up of Spamtons feathered tail. Tenna reached a hand to Spamtons face, taking a moment to really look at his husband.
Every little plastic groove and splatter of paint across his pale little face. The crinkle in his eyes when his smile was authentic, and the real crimson blush that would peek out beneath the artificial spots of red. To Tenna, every single thing about the other man was absoulutely breathtaking.
With nothing but pure love and admiration in his gaze, Tenna smiled at the little Darkner, before leaning into place a kiss on the smaller Darkners nose.

Spamton seemed surprised at this action, glitchy chirps and coos escaping his throat as a smattering of red blush seeped across his face. He looked away for a moment, before locking gazes with Tenna once again, a genuine smile curling in onto his face.

Just as beautiful as the day I lost you... Maybe even more.

"Yeah," Tenna chuckled, rubbing the beginnings of a tear out of his eye and nuzzling his noze against Spamtons, "I'm glad too Spammy."

With a soft sigh, Spamton layed his head back down against Tennas heart, closing his eyes to go to sleep. The familiar weight of the smaller Darkner makes a huge wobbly smile take over much of Tennas glowing screen, faint rainbow hues washing over the room. Tenna dimmed his screen considerably, hoping to help the puppet fall into a calmer sleep than he had earlier. Pulling the velvet-soft blanket laying over his waist up to his chest, Tenna gently tucked the edge of the blanket over Spamtons sleeping form, the little puppets large head just barely poking out from beneath the soft cover. His eyes were shut now, and he was lightly snoring. Tenna wrapped his arms tightly around the snoozing Darkner, as the prospect of going back to sleep slowly called out him too.

"Goodnight Spammy... I love you." Tenna whispered, pressing one final smooch against Spamtons head, the other man cooing happily at all this admiration. Tenna stifled a tender chuckle, snuggling the half-sleeping puppet close to his chest. As he shut off his screen to power off for the night, static covering his display, Tenna couldn't help but grin in spite of himself. With a featherlight touch, Tenna rubbed his thumb softly against his partners back, reassuring himself one last time that this truly was all real.

They really were together again.