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"Well, that's a wrap, folks! Another lovely holiday special in the books!"
Basking in the stage lights, Tenna clapped his hands together as a rosy warmth spread across his screen. No time of year was better than this! How could he feel anything but ecstatic when the Dreemurrs and Holidays gathered around him with warm slices of Tori's butterscotch pie on their laps and smiles on their faces?
Last holiday was a wild one, with Kris pouring red food coloring into Rudy's eggnog and chugging it in front of poor Noelle!
How many times did Dess whack Kris with her whiffle ball bat after that? Too many times to count!
Even wacky moments like that lit up Tenna's screen. How he wished he could preserve each one on a film reel and stitch them into one long family movie!
"Mr. Tenna, that was a stellar performance as always!"
Lanino's voice broke through the excited jazz notes of the Shadowguys in the auditorium.
"Yes, and Mr. Spamton made tonight's show extra special, didn't he?"
As usual, Elnina's voice chimed in after Lanino's.
"Why, thank you, Lanino! And yes, you're absolutely right, Elnina!"
With pep in his step, Tenna snatched a microphone from its stand.
"As you all know, the holidays are a meaningful time of the year to me. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing the whole family together, huddled under blankets and watching me as the snow falls peacefully outside. It's what I live for!"
He gave the collar of his sweater a quick tug.
"Now, I know you're all excited to continue the festivities in the Green Room, but what kind of host would I be if I first didn't thank my TV-tastic crew for making tonight's show possible?"
Tenna swept his arm across the auditorium.
"Would you all please join me in giving a huge round of applause to…
the Shadowguys for performing the music,
the Zappers for building the stage set,
the weather duo for forecasting the weather,
Mike for managing the lights and sounds,
and last but certainly not least…"
He gestured to the balcony on his left side, and the spotlight showered his special guest in white light.
"My bright and talented guest star, Mr. Spamton G. Spamton, for joining me on tonight's riveting Marvelous Mystery Board: Holiday Edition Round!"
Thunderous applause buzzed in his antennas as red and green confetti burst from the rafters and fluttered all around him.
Tenna met Spam's gaze with a large smile and playful screen flicker.
A rosy tint flashed across his guest star's face, then he grinned and waved to the crowd below.
"Wasn't it such a treat having Mr. Spamton on the show, folks? We oughta have him guest star in the upcoming Valentine's Day special next!"
Several Shadowguys' sensational music notes crescendoed from the seats. Amidst them, Elnina and Lanino exchanged glances—a couple of lovebirds they were!—and Pippineses hid their mouths behind their hands.
"I know everyone would love that—especially me, haha!"
Once again, Tenna's screen flickered as he looked back at Spam, whose face was now almost as red as the matching sweater he was wearing.
It was so adorable when he got flustered like that!
With another clap of his hands, the CRT returned his attention to the sea of employees before him. "Well! With that, why don't you all mosey next door and keep the fun going strong? There should be enough butterscotch pie, caviar, sparkling fruit juice, and cocktails to last all night long!"
A few Pippineses were muttering to each other.
Were they scheming to cheat everyone at blackjack again?
One Zapper then exclaimed, "If anyone knows how ta throw a party, it's you, Mr. Tenna!"
That was right! And no one would cheat again on his watch!
"We're delighted to be your guests, Mr. Tenna…" Lanino started.
"…But won't you be a guest at your own party?" Elnina finished.
"Why, of course!" Tenna placed his free hand on his hip and puffed out his chest. "After all, I am one of the main stars of tonight's show, aren't I? Along with the other main star, Mr. Spamton!"
With a snap of his fingers, he created two magic star bullets that spun around each other and burst into stardust overhead. On the balcony, Spamton rubbed his neck and hid his face from the spotlight shining back down on him.
"Haha! Speaking of Mr. Spamton, I need a moment to debrief with him about tonight's show!"
Tenna lowered his voice with a jesting grin.
"Big-Shots-Only meeting, y'know?"
A few Pippineses rolled their eyes while everyone else laughed.
"So, please enjoy the hors d'oeuvres without us! We'll be right there before you know it!"
The TV took a deep bow, and, on cue, the curtains fell in front of him.
He docked the microphone back into its stand as he listened to his employees' voices grow fuzzier…and as a pair of light footsteps approached from behind.
Now, at last…
The moment he'd been waiting for all evening.
His grin brightening, Tenna spun around and threw his arms out to both sides.
"Spam! My Big Shot! Wasn't that a great show or what?"
The Addison stopped in front of him and scratched his scalp.
His cheeks were still flushed. How endearing!
"Laid it on a little thick there toward the end, didn't ya, Ant?"
"Oh? What's wrong with giving my little spammy mailman a little extra recognition?"
Spam crossed his arms and looked away, eyes closed and nose upturned. "Heh. You're a sappy romantic as always. Nothin' new there!"
The smirk on Spam's face betrayed the scoff that came out of his mouth.
"Well, when my lovely partner gives me a lovely title like that, I have to live up to it, don't I?"
Better to be called a sappy romantic than a stoic one!
Spam pinched the bridge of his nose and snorted. "You've always been one to put on grand displays of affection. Doesn't surprise me one bit!"
His voice quieted to a harsh whisper.
"But next time, maybe dial the flirting down a notch? Everybody in the studio's gonna know that we're goin' together at this rate!"
Putting his hands on his hips, Tenna leaned forward over Spam.
Embarrassment radiated off his mailman in waves.
"What's wrong with everyone knowing that we're in love, Spammy?"
Time to press into that embarrassment a tiny bit more. There were no watchful eyes back here, after all!
"Ant, I swear—!"
Now, for the finale.
He swept Spam off his feet…
"H-hey—!"
…Pirouetted to the left several times, then pressed his nose against his mailman's.
Oh, how he never wanted moments like these to end!
"You swear I…take your breath away?"
Spam's eyes were wide. Bewildered.
Tenna's antennas curled into a heart shape as his fingers found their way to the stray hairs by the nape of Spam's neck—
"Ant! Not the hair!"
"Haha! And who's gonna stop me? Certainly not you!"
"Put me down right now!"
"Not until I show you the surprise I have in store for us!"
Spam covered his face in that same cute way he always did when he knew he couldn't win.
"…Fine."
The word came muffled through Spam's fingers.
He wasn't squirming to be released or swatting Tenna's hand away, after all… So, maybe he was too scared to admit that he, too, was a sappy romantic!
Tenna tightened his grip around Spam. "Well, fasten your seatbelt, because now it's my turn to take you for a ride around town, haha!"
He could never transform into the slick red Cungadero… But he could still imagine driving it as he raced through the dim backstage corridors with his beloved passenger in tow.
What a joyride… It all started with lil' Kris bringing the library laptop home and Spam knocking on the studio door. After a short sales pitch and long night of talking, Spam moved to TV World—and everything hit fast-forward with him filming ads and making guest appearances on TV Time.
What a star he was! It was hard not to admire him when he made everything he touched better than before.
But the best part wasn't just watching him—it was being with him.
Tenna's shoes squeaked against the floorboards as he rounded a corner and Spam clung to him.
What about all their outtakes during the Cooking Show? Or their secret trips to the Tropic of Love? Or their late nights backstage, dreaming about co-hosting "Spamton and Tenna's TV Time" and being Big Shots together?
Or Spam's charisma and charm?
Or Spam's annoyance at touching his hair?
Or—
"What's gotcha so happy, Ant?"
"Huh?"
Tenna skidded to a halt by a pair of large metal doors, illuminated by a single yellow light bulb.
Good… He hadn't missed their intended stop!
Looking down, he saw Spam smirking and cocking an eyebrow at him.
"Why, everything, of course! How can I not be so happy on a TV-tastic day like this?"
"Heh… Well, you're so happy that your nose bloomed all over me!"
Pink petals graced Spam's sweater.
"Sappy romantic…" Spam muttered as he stifled a chuckle.
"Hey! You know you love it!"
No response. Just like him.
"I don't hear you! That means you don't not love it, haha!"
"Last thing I wanna do is inflate your ego even more, Ant!"
"Oh? Are you too afraid to tell me 'I love TV'?"
Spam smacked his forehead and shook his head.
"Last time I checked, I already toldja that a hundred times this morning! Didja already forget?"
"You know me, Spam! I never get tired of hearing you tell me 'I love TV', haha!"
He craned his antennas toward Spam.
Any moment now…
"Wouldja put me down already? I've got two legs like you, y'know!"
"Not until I hear you say 'I love TV' to me again!"
"You're a stubborn customer, aren'tcha…"
Spam licked his fingers, slicked his hair back, and…
Three.
Two.
One.
There it was—his award-winning salesman smile!
And wait, was Spam tugging him closer by the collar—?
"I love TV!"
Their faces were just inches apart.
Static fluttered from the tips of his antennas to the tips of his plug.
"Your move, Cathode."
"Huh?"
Tenna's screen blinked.
Once…
Twice…
Three times…
Was the tip of his nose turning red?
"Ahaha! I wasn't expecting that!"
What to do, what to do?
He couldn't just let this moment pass by!
So, he dimmed his screen…
Leaned forward just a bit more, and…
His lips brushed against his mailman's for just a moment.
And, for just a moment, they stayed like that…
Until they parted again.
Electricity danced along his wires, and heat flooded his screen and vents.
"Right answer."
A harsh blush burned the corners of Spam's now awkward smile as he looked away.
"Well! I didn't think you'd give me a pop quiz, Spam! It makes me wonder if my surprise can top that!"
And for this surprise, he needed Spam on his feet.
"You did say 'I love TV' to me again, after all… So, you win the right to walk again!"
He stooped down, and his arms became notably lighter with his mailman now standing upright.
"…About time!" Spam mumbled, hiding his face and straightening his sweater and hair.
Oh, he didn't need to do that. His hair and sweater were going to get messy again, anyway!
"Haha! Thank you for being such a lovely passenger in the TV Time Cungadero! We've arrived at our destination, so…"
Tenna strode to the nearby double doors, fed his key into the lock, and…
Click!
"Feast your eyes on this, Spammy!"
With one hand on each door, he flung them open and embraced the frosty air that met his screen.
What a lovely sight…
With the stars shining in the dark sky…
The lights twinkling on the large Christmas tree…
And the snow glowing in drifts all around.
Tenna skipped ahead into the wintry white, kicking up snow as he glided along, then turned on his heels.
In the distance, Spam leapt across the snow one careful step at a time. If this were a scripted act, Spam was playing his role flawlessly—down to the way he almost fell face-first in the snow.
But this wasn't an act.
How could he think like that right now?
The cold nipped at Tenna's nose and fingertips.
Maybe he shouldn't have run off so quickly without his partner…
Stopping in front of him, Spam swept a few stray hairs back and brushed loose snow off his pants. He didn't look mad, but…
No! Now wasn't time to worry about that!
Tenna forced his screen brighter and stretched his arms to the sky.
Fake it until you make it, right?
"All of this is for us to enjoy together tonight! What do you think?"
He then clasped his hands and drank in the whispers of wind enveloping him.
This was his winter wonderland.
No.
Their winter wonderland.
"Ant… You made this yourself?"
Was there a hint of disapproval in Spam's words?
No, he must've been imagining that! He could still salvage this…
"Why, of course! The holidays are my favorite time of the year, and I made this as…a little gift to myself!"
Eyebrows furrowing slightly, Spam took a step forward, pulling his collar over his chin.
He could still salvage this, couldn't he?
"But…" Tenna rubbed his hands together. "It's a lot better if I can share it with the mailman I love! Haha…"
Were his antennas growing heavier?
A shiver jolted him as the wind's whispers grew into a roar and powdery snow swept against his shoes.
Why wasn't Spam saying anything?
"If, uh… If it's too cold out here, that's okay, too."
His breath froze in his chest.
The cold seized his wires.
What was wrong?
Did Spam not like it?
Was Spam angry at him?
"We can, y'know… Go back inside if you want… Haha…"
His arms fell weakly to his sides.
It was starting to get a little too cold for him too, anyway.
Why did he ever think this was a good idea—?
"Go back inside?"
Wait… What?
Were Spam's eyes glimmering?
Yes, they were… Just like everything else around them.
"Why would we do that when we just got here?"
Spam was cupping his hands, like a child.
Like a child, catching snowflakes outside.
His nose and cheeks were rosy, and…
His face was glowing with his signature Addison glow.
"I've never seen snow like this in Cyber City."
The snow crunched as Spam took a few more wandering steps forward past Tenna, lips slightly parted and eyes now turned toward the sky.
"Didn't think you'd surprise me with somethin' like this… How didja keep it a secret from everyone?"
The breath in Tenna's chest thawed…
And the cold in his wires melted.
Were his antennas acting up again, or was he hearing his mailman correctly?
"I, uh… W-well, that's easy!"
With a flick of his wrist, he twirled his key ring around his finger.
"Nothing a master lock can't take care of! Right?"
Spam glanced over his shoulder, face brighter than the flurries framing it.
"Weren't you dyin' to tell me about this, though? This is…really somethin'."
There it was…
Spam's authentic smile.
The one reserved only for his sappy Cathode.
"You… You really think so? It's not too over the top?"
Oh… What delightful words those were!
Spam liked it!
No—he loved it!
"That makes me so happy to hear!"
And he'd thought Spam was angry at him!
Could his screen contain his smile?
Could his wires contain his excitement?
And on top of that, Spam was running toward him—!
"Huh? Spam!?"
His mailman jumped at him, arms outstretched—
"Oof—!"
A puff of air escaped Tenna's mouth as Spam collided into his chest.
He clung to Spam, stumbled backward…
But his footing slipped.
"W-whoa!"
And the whole world tilted…
Until…
The blanket of snow caught him with a soft thud.
Blink…
Blink…
What the…?
Was he…on his back now?
The sky sprawled outward as a black canvas flecked with silver stars, gold stars, and shooting stars that fell quietly like the snowflakes. Each one had a unique story to tell, and all of them together made up a silent audience.
An audience without eyes to see or ears to hear them.
Good…
This was one of the few times that Tenna didn't want an audience watching.
He stretched out his arms and craned his neck.
Spam was looking down at him, eyes glimmering brighter than the stars above.
The cold at Tenna's back was nothing compared to the heat buzzing through his circuits…and only now he registered Spam's hands squeezing the knitted fabric at his shoulders.
What was on his little mailman's mind?
"You're not the only one who gets to sweep his partner off'a his feet tonight, y'know."
Snowflakes dusted Spam's now unruly hair and wrinkled sweater.
"'Too over the top'? If it weren't over the top, it wouldn't be you, Tens."
Tenna dimmed his screen just a notch.
That way, he could capture more of Spam's natural Addison glow without drowning it out.
"Haha… I guess you're right about that, Spammy."
He shrunk slightly so Spam would fit better on top of him…
And he dialed his volume back to match the still ambiance of their surroundings.
"You know what's on my mind right now?"
There was an itch to jump up and do something… Make a snow angel, build a snowman, start a snowball fight, but…
Instead, he brought one hand to Spam's back.
Then, he started drawing lines up and down.
Up, and down…
Up…
And down…
Maybe savoring this moment was the best thing to do.
The way Spam slowly relaxed with each stroke…and how Spam's little fingers eased around Tenna's shoulders…
Moments like these were timeless.
"Hmm? Whatcha thinkin' about?"
So many things.
Pie batter on Spam's nose.
Spam's sprite holding hands with his sprite on the Tropic of Love.
Feeling that sweet breeze with Spam in the Cungadero.
And, of course…
"You'll probably laugh at me, but…"
They had rehearsed it at least ninety-nine times already… So, what was a hundredth time?
"Fresh from the Juice…"
This time, those words weren't accompanied by any flashy gestures or fancy voice inflections.
They came out quietly.
And maybe…
His hand came to rest below Spam's shoulder blades.
Just maybe, that was okay this time.
Static hummed in his chest as he lay his head back down into the snow. The sound of wool rustling against itself buzzed in his antennas…
And that was when Spam nestled his head into the crook of Tenna's neck.
For a moment, the whole world hit pause, with Spam's hair brushing against Tenna's chin and the whirring in his circuits softening into a warm murmur.
"Turn up the Juice…"
Spam's line came out just as quiet and unadorned, but it was perfect in every possible way.
Because here…
His Big Shot wasn't trying to advertise anything…
And his mailman wasn't trying to sponsor anything.
Here, under the eyeless audience of stars, Spam could stop trying so hard.
They both could… Together.
Even if it was just for a tiny slice of time, before the world unpaused again.
Spam shivered against him, and Tenna brought his other hand to the back of Spam's head, drawing him even closer.
Spam's weight sank more fully into Tenna's chest, and Tenna's fingers sank deeper into Spam's hair.
Together, they whispered the final line.
"Make sure you don't get it on your shoese…"
Their voices lingered for a breath, then dissolved into the frosty quiet around them.
For the hundredth time, that was the most magical those lines ever sounded.
This time, it was just Spam basking in Tenna's warmth, and Tenna holding Spam close to his heart, all while the snowflakes softly kissed them both.
Spam's shivering stopped, and Tenna's mind briefly flipped back to the holiday party unfolding back in the Green Room. Music playing, glasses clinking, voices laughing…
And while he didn't want to keep everyone wondering where he and Spam were…
Maybe they could wait, just a little bit longer.
Tenna's screen faded to black, and he gently massaged Spam's head, threading his fingers through the thick black hair. His mailman's breathing came slow and steady, and his fingers curled around Tenna's collar even tighter.
Last holiday was certainly one to remember… But this holiday was even more so, all because he got to share every joy-filled moment with his little spammy mailman by his side.
Oh…
How he never wanted moments like these to end.