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It was rough to be a Pippins without a set. Uralux knew this firsthand. They were completely on their lonesome, and they weren't particularly close to other Pippins either to form a makeshift set either.
Normally, it wasn't so bad.
However, one of the important parts about being in a set was the warmth it provided, both physically and metaphorically. Pippins were incredibly social creatures, and that resulted in them staying in groups. With being in such close proximity to each other, that made it so one Pippins did not have to generate that much heat in order to stay warm, as their companions would provide. So when it got cold, Pippins would always have each other.
Unfortunately it was freezing, and Uralux had no one.
They sneezed and shivered, the cold biting through their poncho. Their claws felt like ice and their eyes were watering from both the cold and from tears. Uralux knew if they looked in a mirror, they'd look absolutely miserable. And they were. TV World hadn't gotten this cold in ages, and with it being so late, most of everyone else was already home in their warm, cozy beds.
But not Uralux.
They were stuck doing script revisions for Tenna, who is likely the only one still left in the studio at this point.
The tears finally started to fall from their eyes as they slowly shuffled towards Tenna's office, they had scripts to deliver and then they could finally go home. Home to a cold, empty room, where they'd probably be shivering all night anyways.
They raised a clawed hand and knocked on his office door.
"M-Mister Tenna, I have the scripts ready-"
Suddenly, they heard a yelp from inside his office. Had they startled him?
"Uralux, you're still here? Come on in!"
Shakily, they opened the Pippins sized door to his office, after all using the Tenna sized door would be next to impossible for them. They kept their head low, hoping to hide how absolutely miserable they looked. They didn't want to annoy Tenna by looking so... Glooby.
"Um, your scripts, sir."
"Haha, aww, Uralux you don't have to be so formal with me now! We're friends, just call me Tenna!"
Friends. Friends after several years of being what were essentially "rivals", as much of a rival a TV could be to a dice, that is. Who could've guessed that a TV would get jealous of a DND dice? Regardless, that's a story for another time.
"A-alright, Tenna-"
Their voice wavered. Tenna's absolutely going to pick up on that.
And he did.
"Huh? Uralux, are you okay?"
"Yeah- I'm... I'm fine."
Uralux was still looking down, but they could see Tenna crouch, his hand now being placed on their back. They tensed at the touch, which they knew was probably setting off alarm bells in Tenna.
"Uralux, what's wrong? Can you look at me?"
Warily, Uralux raised their face to meet Tenna's, they could feel the tears still leaking out of their eyes. He looked worried, and upon finally seeing their face, he became even more worried.
"Why, Uralux you're..."
"GLOOBY!"
"Oh, this just won't do! I can't have one of my friends being GLOOBY!"
As you can tell, Tenna does not have many friends.
Suddenly, Uralux was scooped into Tenna's arms, they clung to the scripts- they'd put way too much time into these to have them scatter across the ground.
Not like Tenna cared, as he pinched the scripts they were holding and put them onto his desk.
"Tsk tsk, who cares about these silly scripts!"
Uralux does. That's why they stayed overtime.
"Tell me what's troubling you, my little Pippins!"
"Let ol Tenna cheer you up!"
They could feel their face starting to heat up with fluster, Uralux wasn't used to being treated like this very often. They wriggled in Tenna's arms, feeling very small next to the towering television.
"It's... it's a Pippins thing, you wouldn't... you wouldn't get it."
His face creased into a slight frown.
That made Uralux feel a bit guilty.
"Well... could you try to explain? I'm sure there's something I can do!"
"TV can do anything!"
Uralux sighed, Tenna was going to keep prying until he got an answer, they were sure of it. To be frank, Uralux wasn't sure how much the TV actually knew about Pippins, given his constant distaste for them. Regardless, Uralux mustered up the will to explain... well, this frankly embarrassing situation. Or at least embarrassing from a Pippins' stand point.
"Well... um, you know how a lot of the Pippins here look similar?"
Tenna nodded.
"Can't tell them apart sometimes, haha!"
"Well... that's because they're part of the same set. Sets are like... friend groups? Or well, closer than friend groups... but not romantic? But sometimes they are romantic... ugh! This is hard to explain..."
Uralux covered their tiny face in their hands, they could feel themselves blushing.
"But... I don't have a set."
Tenna smiled softly at the little Pippins in his arms.
"So, you're just lonely? Well, that's easy to fix!"
"After all, I'm here!"
Uralux shook their head.
"It's more complicated than that, it's not just loneliness it's-"
Suddenly, Uralux sneezed. It was still very cold, despite being closer to Tenna. And boy, Tenna was warm, but Uralux was trying desperately not to lean into that warmth, he is their boss after all.
"Oh, do you need a tissue? And your eyes are all watery still! Here, let me-"
Tenna brushed their face with his glove, his warm finger meeting Uralux's freezing cold face.
"HUH?! URALUX YOU'RE FREEZING!"
The little Pippins winced at how loud Tenna got, Uralux always being sensitive to loud sounds.
"I- I know..."
"Pippins are supposed to be in groups to keep warm..."
"I.. I'll be fine, I have a lot of blankets at home-"
Uralux was suddenly shushed by a large finger.
"Ooor... we could have a sleepover, just like Kris and Noelle used to!"
"We're friends now! Can can build a pillowfort, and make popcorn, or-"
Uralux suddenly yawned very loudly. Tenna's expression softened even more.
"Or we could just warm you up, how does that sound?"
They just nodded.
Tenna seemed ecstatic, practically skipping down the hall. Meanwhile, Uralux was clinging to Tenna's suit, trying to not accidentally be jostled out of his arms. Strangely, it seemed that Tenna wasn't going towards the studio exit at all, instead venturing deeper and deeper into the studio.
"Um... Tenna, where are we going?"
"Where do you think? My room, silly!"
Uralux blinked. Tenna lived in the studio? Here? Most of everyone else just lived near the studio in the apartments that Tenna provided, why didn't he just have... a mansion or something to himself?
Unless the studio is his mansion…
The Pippins really wanted to ask Tenna about that, if he really did live here. Slowly, Uralux mustered up the courage.
"You... live here? Why?"
Tenna just chuckled.
"Because, there's no place I'd rather be!"
"This studio, it's my greatest achievement, Uralux, why wouldn't I want to live in the heart of it?"
Uralux could think of a few reasons why, namely if this information got out to other Pippins. The idea of a Pippins' run "Tenna Pantie Raid" is... certainly something.
Not like Uralux was about to tell Tenna that.
"I... Don't really know."
"Is it nice?"
Uralux's voice was soft, it always has been. They are an incredibly shy creature, the fact that they had spoken this much with Tenna already was an achievement.
This kind of softness was... foreign, to the studio. Most of the people who worked here were brash, loud, and daring. They had to be, it was a TV studio after all. But Uralux especially was not from here. They really shouldn't be here. And yet, and yet... They are here.
In turn, Tenna himself has learned to be slightly so softer, at least for Uralux's sake.
And he responds softly.
"Haha, you'll see once we get there, my little Pippins."
"I promise, in the name of TV, you will have a cozy, warm, goodnight's sleep!"
He gently booped their face, to which Uralux lightly squeaked in return.
"It's so nice to spend time with friends, wouldn't you say?"
Uralux yawned and nodded at the same time. The warmth from Tenna finally leaking into their cold form, and their exhaustion made it harder and harder to resist snuggling into him. Tenna must have known, because he held them just a bit tighter, letting more of his warmth soak through.
"Well, you won't have to worry about exhaustion anymore, we're here!"
Uralux lazily gazed at the door in front of them. It was similar to his office door, except perhaps a bit more casual. Well, as casual as someone like Tenna could be, as his name was still imprinted on the front in big, golden letters.
"Now, normally Mike would be here to read me a bed time story-"
Wait what? Tenna had to be read bedtime stories?
"And tuck me in-"
Tuck him in?! Tenna, the boss of TV World, who pays their checks and keeps the lights on, needs to be tucked in?!
"And give me a goodnight kiss-"
THATS A GROWN ASS MAN?!
"But he's unavailable tonight!"
"Sooo, you get to do that! How's it sound, Uralux!"
"This is what friends do!"
Uralux blinked, their eyes slightly bugged out. Then again this is a usual expression for Pippins in shock, not that Tenna really paid attention to the expressions Pippins make beyond looking for mischief or the sheer terror that crosses them when he yells at them. Also Uralux was pretty certain that this wasn't something that friends often did. Probably. Uralux did not exactly have a lot of friends to clarify on that.
"Um- I-I don't know?"
"Don't know?! Have you never ever- Oh.. that's right.. I'm your first friend, aren't I?"
Well technically Tenna wasn't, it's just that Uralux's other friends were... standoffish at best. None were quite as clingy as Tenna is. But Uralux had a feeling that answering that no, Tenna was not their first friend, would lead to bad results. So instead, they just nodded slowly.
"Oh, you poor little thing!"
"Don't worry, your pal Tenna is here to teach you the ins and outs of friendship!"
Uralux didn't sign up for this. They really didn't.
Tenna opened the door to his room, and Uralux was greeted with quite the cozy looking interior. The first thing they noticed was the soft glow, the walls lit up gently by slowly moving stars, just like the Greenroom. Next was the absolutely massive Tenna-sized bed. Speaking of Tenna, there were multiple posters and plushies of him scattered about the room. He was quite literally surrounded by his own merchandise, and Uralux wasn't sure if that was egotistical or not.
Actually scratch that, it was absolutely egotistical.
Speaking even further about Tenna…
"Tadaa! My room!"
"Whatcha think, Uralux?"
Uralux blinked.
"It's um... fit for a TV?"
The Pippins was suddenly held close to Tenna's chest in a tight hug. Meanwhile, a flower bloomed right on the tip of his nose.
"Oh I'm so glad you think so!"
"This place will be perfect for our slumber party!"
Finally, the two entered the room proper, Uralux being gently put down upon Tenna's bed. It was then that they realized how massive the room really was, after all, it was made for Tenna. In turn, Uralux was feeling very, very small, as if they were a mere plush toy on his bed. They let out a small squeak. But Tenna wasn't paying attention to their fear. Instead he was....
"We can't have a proper sleepover without pajamas, you know!"
"And with a pinch of TV Magic~"
Uralux blinked and suddenly their clothes had entirely changed, now changed to a TV Time pajama set. It was very soft at least, just to how Uralux liked it. Tenna had also changed as well, and it looks practically identical to what Uralux was currently wearing, just scaled up for Tenna.
A large finger suddenly met Uralux's chest, gently jabbing them.
"Quite the nice outfit you have there, Uralux!"
Tenna's smile was wide, he seemed actually pretty happy. And because he was happy, he was absolutely enormous compared to the little Pippins. Not that Uralux minded though, they quite liked it when he got massive like this.
Uralux just blushed.
"I mean it's... it's the same outfit as yours, Tenna."
"Exactly!"
Suddenly, Uralux was scooped back into Tenna's arms, although at this point with how large he was, it may as well have been his hands. The TV then flopped onto his bed, to which Uralux was slightly shocked that it could hold his weight, and they were once again held close to his chest. At this very moment, Uralux felt very similar to a plushie themselves.
However, more importantly, Tenna was very warm. Warm enough to finally banish away the cold that was eating away at Uralux.
The Pippins sighed contentedly, and finally relaxed on Tenna's chest.
"Sooo..."
"..."
"Are you suuuure you don't wanna read me a bedtime story?"
Uralux stared at Tenna with the blankest face a Pippins could muster. Tenna cringed slightly.
"Pretty pleeaaase?"
"I um..."
Tenna said in a much smaller voice, "I have a hard time sleeping without it..."
Uralux sighed and sat up on his chest, which made Tenna perk up instantly before the Pippins had said yes.
"Alright..."
"Oh, thank you Uralux! You're my favorite Pippins, you know that?"
"Your story telling skills are stellar, so hit me with your best!"
Wait, Tenna wanted them to make something up on the fly? Right here, right now?
Well... Fortunately they were good at improv, and with a clear of their throat, and a shaky voice...
"Um, ahem-"
"Once upon a time there was..."
They glanced around the room for inspiration, their eyes landing on a plush toy of Tenna.
"Once upon a time, there was a plush toy of a TV."
"And he um... wanted to be a real TV, not just a plushie..."
Tenna seemed completely focused on their story.
"Oh, what a poor little guy! What happens next, don't leave me hanging!"
Uralux just laughed softly.
"Well, one day he saw a real TV on... the um.. the TV. And he got jealous..."
"He wanted to be a real TV so badly, and... he thought that if he got on the show, he'd be a real TV..."
"So... he faked it. He faked being a real TV to get on the show..."
Uralux breathed in, trying to think of a way to continue the story. Doing this improv work was actually quite difficult as they revised their own stories quite often.
"And um, no one suspected a thing. He became incredibly popular, and everyone loved him."
"But... he still wasn't a real TV."
"So... he thought that... by taking out the real TV, then he'd become real."
Tenna gasped dramatically.
"A descent into villainy, all because he wanted to be real!"
"Oh, how tragic!"
Uralux continued.
"So... when the day finally came, and he went to take out the real TV..."
Tenna was gripping the covers in anticipation, seemingly deeply invested in Uralux's story.
"He..."
"..."
"He couldn't do it... he'd fallen in love with the real TV."
"So... he confessed about everything..."
"And then what!"
"Did the real TV get mad at him? Did he love him back?"
"Oh, Uralux! This was supposed to be a bedtime story! Not a keep me up in anticipation story!"
Uralux gently shushed him, putting their tiny hands on his face.
"Please, let me finish."
Tenna blushed and "zipped" his mouth shut.
"So... even when he confessed..."
"The real TV still loved him, and had grown to love him just like he did.”
"So... the real TV let him still be on the show... and um..." "They lived happily ever after."
The TV in front of Uralux sighed in relief, seemingly glad that the story had a happy ending. Tenna, after all, was always a sucker for a happy ending.
Then, he let out the biggest yawn that Uralux had ever seen from, well, anyone.
"You're a good story teller, Uralux! You might replace Mike at this rate!"
The Pippins just smiled softly at the praise, before a sudden squeak as Tenna held them close to him again. Held in his arms like a little teddy bear, Uralux squirmed before they realized how soft and cozy it was.
"Mike would never let me do this, he'd start yelling and yapping as he does."
"Buuut, it seems that you like it!"
"Wanna be my plushie for the night?"
"Pretty please?"
Uralux sighed, which was cut off by a yawn from themselves, much, much smaller than Tenna's. They weren't exactly complaining about their current situation however, this was the most relaxed they'd been in ages. Tenna's warmth had completely comforted them, and his arms functioned as a slightly too heavy weighted blanket. Pippins normally slept in piles, with one stacked on top of the other, so this feeling of having a weight on you was actually very pleasant for a Pippins.
"I suppose..."
That made Tenna even more elated, another flower blooming on his nose.
"We should do this more often, it's been so long since I've had someone stay over!"
Uralux can take a few guesses as to why.
However, that didn't matter much as they snuggled ever closer to the enormous TV, finally closing their eyes for the night. They heard Tenna's screen shut off, and in their tiniest voice they could muster…
"Goodnight, Tenna."