Work Text:
A bowl of pasta slides on the table of a tiny but lovely kitchen to Spamton.
T - Here! Eat it all Spammy, you must be starving-!
Spamton didn't wait much longer, jumping on the food like there was no tomorrow. Tenna chuckles, getting the next meal ready.
T - I know it's not my forte, but do you like it? Do you need anything?
S - No no no no... it'ch... (gulps) it's [perfection]!!
Tenna smiles, starting to peel a potato pile.
T - Hm...~ Summer will come home in an hour or so. Would you be alright to come back later tonight, after dark? I'll prepare you a place to sleep and the everything! I'll pitch her about what happened and if she wants to see you again tomorrow?
S - Whatch the big blan?
T - Well, you have nowhere to go do you? I can make you a spare bed- I mean dumpster in the garage
since you mentioned dumpsters earlier..And we'll... (Looks at him briefly) I have a mission for you actually.S - Fo' me?
T - I have an old van in the garage. I want to sell it, but it's not doing so good... would you mind looking at it?
Spamton gulps the last of his plate, sighting happy, holding his full belly.
S - Don't sell it silly! You may always use a car!
T - (A little somber) I... actually I really need the money right now.. We're...
not doing so good..
Spamton stops a moment, observing Tenna. He comes down the chair, hesitantly, passes under the table and come to pull on Tenna's appron.
S - What's... the situation?
T - Uh... (Scratches the side of his head) I just started in my new workplace, and, you know, uh, I got a lot of stuff to pay. (Screen black) I pick as much shifts as I can but were
still 12k deep. And it doesn't seem to get any better..S - WHAT?? HOW MANY?? And you [pay pay pay!!] for my reparation?!?
T - (Avoid eye contact) Well um.. She broke your hand, I had to pay for that, at least. The rest.. I just wanted to do something good, you know?
S - (Raising voice) WHAT ABOUT [you]?!?
T - Uh, me, hm? .........
S - (Suspicious eyes) Tens. When was your last maintenance?
T - ........
S - (Squints them more) Are you still going to the psychiatrist regularly? A psychologist at least..?
T - (Looks aside sweating) .............
S - (Frows) How many hours are you working by week?!?
T - U-uh, the legal amount? Haha..
Spamton crosses arms. Tenna gulps and take a guilty/forced smile.
T - Ha! Hahahaha me? What about me? You know, we have a roof over our heads, stuff to sell, ladder to climb at work! And babygirl, she's having her best life at school, she has lots of friends (Smiles genuinely) You should see her play! And sing! She sings just like you, my darling! 🌺 Oh you should hear her: she sounds juste like you! (Blushes)
S - (Cold) And you.
T - Me... (Black screen, unhappy smile, peeling mechanically) Me... I'm... uh, doing my best, you know? Food on the table, clean bed, clothes. (Tilts head) It's been 2 weeks I'm in my depressive phase and I don't get out of it. (Stops, putting fists on the counter) Gosh why doesn't it just stops I can't take it anymore I'm not done for this I hate to be backstage all the time and to have to check security of everything because they don't want to hire someone I'm so stressed I can't stop thinking about having an accident in this dang studio I pray everyday for nothing bad to happen and I'm here living my more miserable life in my miserable little head telling me the usual miserable lies and they JUST. WON'T. STOP!! (Slap his hands on counter again, breathing heavy)
Spamton stares, concerned. Tenna restart his peeling, and waves Spamton off, "playful".
T - I-I mean I'm fine, I can do it, right? We faced way worse back then
and I since then, nothing can stop me right? I'll climb back up and, uh, yeah. Haha!💧
Tenna sighs, exasperated of himself. That's the life he wished for, isn't it? But he always feels like he's not doing enough, he's not good enough. Before he could realize it, Spamton climbed on the counter and is holding his shoulder.
S - (Soft) Tens...
T - DON'T DOn't don't! (Rub his face with a back hand) I can't cry more right now, Summer will notice!
Tenna take a moment to breathe deep, his face clench in frustration and desperation.
S - I'll help okay? Tell me what to do, I'll help with anything you need. Like back then, yeah?
T - (Thinks a moment, and restart peeling) ...Let's... let's focus on that van for now. The rest... I'm.. (Sighs emotionally) A-another day okay Spamton? Give me time. It's.. it's all a lot, you know? You being back.. i-it's a lot, for me. For so long I've been doing all of that alone, but I can't help and think so bad of myself when I know I'm doing the very very best I can.
S - (Rubs his shoulder) It's okay, it's okay. We'll do it at your pace. You're great. (Hesitate) ...you're doing [amazing].
Tenna tears up and mumbles a "thank you", drying his face with a backhand again. Spamton sits on the counter's edge, in silence, taking the moment in. It's all a mess, but... It nothing he never saw before. Still, it hurts to hear him talk like that, like a fish out of water. Spamton holds his heart, thinking.
S - How many you think for the van?
T - (Sighs) 2k minimum, 5 if we're lucky.
S - Why you think that?
T - Lots of kilometers in, the dried up giant stickers on it that needs to be peeled off, needs the paint to be redone, needs to be cleaned.... and I don't have time to do it myself so it would be sold like that.
S - Oil? Battery? Suspensions?
T - No idea spam, it runs, that's all I can tell you.
S - Then it's good enough. I'll check it right now! Where are the keys??
T - Still on it I think? Or in the glove box..
Spamton gets down at once goes of to the garage, calling back an "On it!". Tenna smiles low. A smile that fades quite fast. He's not doing good, not feeling good, but he gotta keep it together. Summer counts on him! She has only him... and he has only her. How will Spam fit in? Tenna can't help but worry, preparing for the next step of the meal.
Hopefully Summer was really tired when she got home, so she hadn't notice Tenna's down mood too much. Food was ready so she ate, she showered and went directly to bed, with daddy Tenna right there to read her a story, and tuck her in when she was ready to doze off.
T - Goodnight kitten~ (kiss her forehead)
Su - (Yawns) Goodnight dad...
Tenna gets up from her bed and goes to leave, turning off the lights.
Su - Dad?
T - Yes honey?
Su - Are we going to see Mr. G again?
T - He can come tomorrow if you want, he'll check the van for us.
Su - Yaaaaay....
T - (Smiles) Goodnight.
He closes the door gently, goes down the stairs, and go in the garage. The garage itself is already open on the side of the street, hald of it full of cartboard boxes to the ceiling like a wall, the other half with the van there, dull. Spamton is not there thought. He calls his name, and a little name waves to him from the entrance on the street's side. Tenna joins him, and sits on the ground against the exterior wall of the garage, sighting.
T - So? (Lighting up a cigarette)
S - It'll need paint for [sure], but a baby like that, still working and everything? 7k minimum [cathode].
T - (Smoke and smiles a little) Good. Need to figure out the remaining 5k, thought...
Spam raise a hand asking for a cig', which Tenna gives and lights up, like they last did that yesterday. They smoke in silence for a little while. Tenna lookup at the night sky, the stars, enjoying the calm, the crickets, the wind....
S - Very nice place you found.
T - The place, yes. The house thought.... (Look back at it) Well.. the facade is holding up so far.
S - (Curious) Huh? What's wrong with it?
T - (Count on his fingers) The water heater is not giving us more than a half hour of hot water a day and I don't know why, the roof has holes it's leaking onto the attic...
S - That's why your [garage sales] is full to the ceiling with [loot boxes]?
T - (Nod) ...the ventilation in the kitchen is starting to die, the freezer sometimes does a noise like it's going to explode, the kitchen sink is leaking, there's a few outlets that quite worries me so we just don't use them.... what else...
S - Living on the [gambling tables].
T - Very much so. (Exhales) If anything breaks, I don't know how I'll do. The bank is calling every week too, for paybacks.
S - Bastards [dogs].
T - (Shrugs) I don't know what they want from me: I'm paid monthly, they know that. I don't see the point to call me every week about it..
S - The pressure, [classical music]!
T - Why for?? (Talk with hands) It's not I can make magic money like back then??
S - Heaheahea... you [sore] did back then.
T - Hmpf. 💢 This life sucks... I miss TV World.
S - (Surprised) Do you now? Well, it was a [100% fun] place for sure! Great memories there too.
T - ...The place yeah. It was all kind of crazy. But... no. Nevermind the rest. I mostly miss who I was back then I guess.
Spamton sits, leaning against Tenna. He thinks for a moment, eyes in the vague.
S - And what about work?
T - I'm in the backstage. All the time. (Ticks his cigarette nervously) I have to "watch and take notes". They often ask me to turn my screen off because I'm too visible otherwise. And I truly don't feel like there's enough budget on security at all, it's making me nervous.
S - Security... You never joked about it security after that fire.
T - Yeah... fires on sets are the worst. (Holds his forehead with one hand) We lost so much VHSs that day... (Raise both hands) The re-runs! The commercials! Your debuts even!! (Tearing up, holding face) I still can't believe it's all gone...
S - Come on, we [saved and adopted] some of them, it's not [all-in] lost! (Smiles, trying to cheer him up) What do they do in your studio?
T - (Rubs his back head) It's really big but they rent most of the place to little businesses: there's a radio on the first floor, 3 giant sets for the programs, one being for the News/Weather channel, the other they rent for movies and the last one they are renovating at the time. There's also an independent rent of material for filming on the second floor, they are nice over there...
There's a moment of silence, in which Tenna seems deep thinking. Spamton sees it, and waits, seeing clearly Tenna wants to say more. Tenna crosses arms around his curled up legs.
T - Spammy, can I... confide in you...?
S - Sure. Go [full sets] Tens.
T - .... (Shrinks, screen black, unhappy) I'm so jealous of the show hosts in my work place. (Holds his screen) I'm green of jealousy, I'm burning of jealousy! I can't stand to watch them do and me being stuck in the back it drives me crazy!
S - (Jumps surprised) Cathode..!
T - I wish I wasn't such a bad person, I wish I wasn't so envious, so impatient all the time. I wish I could repair myself, do like nothing happened, but the guilt eats me up and I can't help but think I deserve to feel so bad, so pitiful. (Tears up) I... I choose this place thought, we have much more than a lot of people do, and yet I can't stop thinking about what I used to be. When I was complaining about.. not being relevant, being too old, not fun anymore, all of that...
Spamton kneels to him, listening with a hand on Tenna's trembling shoulder.
T - I just wish it wouldn't hurt so much to have to wait and make myself a place I deserve but truth is... (Broken voice)
It hurts like hell...
Spamton rubs his side screen.
T - And every day is the same, and I hate them, I hate my place, I hate my life, I hate myself, I want to be at their place so bad but I can't... (Sniff) I can't... for the love of life I CAN'T stop thinking like that. (Cries low) Why am I such a bad person Spammy..? They're my colleagues, they are good people. They want me to make it! They do! And yet, I have so much ill-will towards them...! (Sobs low)
S - (Sad) Anty...
Tenna takes a little moment to cry, and opens up his body again, breathing, a gentle fist on his heart.
T - ....Don't tell anyone.
S - (Help him dry his tears) I won't. (Roll eyes) But you SHOULD tell this to a [therapist in your area].
T - (Sniff) I know... You know the deal now, I mean.
S - (Slap his back) Go to bed [cathode], you need it. Tomorrow I'll be [best dad ever] to [summer child] so you can [rest in peace], [K]?
T - (Stares back)
The "in peace" part was.. a little weird(Sniff) but yes. (Get up, cleaning his pants) Would you mind taking an eye into your trashbin, tell me if you like it?S - Already [done deal]! It's a little smaller that what I [somebody I used to know] but it'll do!
T - (Low smile) Okay. You won't be cold?
S - With the [pillow fort] you gave me?? Naaah! I'll be too [smocking hot], even!
T - If you need anything you call me okay?
S - (Push him to go inside) Don't [babysit] me!! You've done [enough savings] for me for [thousands life times]!
T - (Go inside, accepting the push) O-okay.. Um by the way, Summer wants to see you again so... Tomorrow will be a family day?
Spamton stares back, and look down, grey snow in his eyes. He mumbles the word "family" in an empty voice.
T - S-Spammy...?
S - I need time to [processed food].
T - Alright. (Kneel, kissing his forehead, with a soft voice) Sweet night, Spamton.
Tenna gently gets up and leave, kind of giving a look over shoulder before closing the garage door behind him, leaving Spamton alone.
"I don't deserve him. I don't deserve her, I don't deserve any of this." He looks at the ceiling. It's been so much, he wants to run away again, he wants to with all his might. Pushing people away, running away when it became too much, that was his mantra, his [life savings]. But was it [life saving] at all? At least he doesn't have to sleep inside the house, with them. That makes it... bearable.
Tiny hands climbs up the green and cleaned small dumpster that is against the wall. Inside, there's a bunch of different pillows and two blankets of different texture. He rolls eyes and go in, tossing out almost all of it, only leaving one blanket and the smallest pillows around him. "...It's not too different. It'll [work out]. You [deals] with way worst than that before." as he curls up into the blanket, relaxing, but ultimately unable to sleep, processing everything that happened today single-handedly: his body, his mind, his situation. It's weird. It's all so weird. And uneasy.