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“‘Oh Battat, you’re so handsome and sweet!’
“Geez, Tenna! You’re such a flirt!
“‘My most trustworthy assistant, so much better than those other Mikes-‘
“No need to be MEAN, but I do always try my hardest for you and you only! Ya know I love you, Tenna!
“That’s why you’re my FAVORITE, Batt-“
“Uh, boss?”
Battat’s head whips around at the offending voice. It’s just Pluey and Jon, he shouldn’t be so shocked, but Angel, do they never listen!? He was about to reach the CLIMAX where he kisses Tenna, damn it! “What!? What the HELL do you want!?!”
Jon rightfully looks ashamed, or embarrassed of their coworker, whatever, but Pluey’s just staring with that dumb smirk! Annoying cat, they PROMISED him Tenna time!
“Me n Plues are goin’ to get cafe food. Youse should come,” Jon says, rubbing the back of their head.
As IF! “Can’t ya see I’m BUSY?” he retorts, glaring at the two. “Practicing, well, ya know. Interacting with Tenna as Mike?” They don’t seem too pleased with his answer; maybe they shouldn’t have taken his THEORY BOARD then and forced him to go to bed early! Don’t strike bets you won’t follow up on, that’s the pippins rule!
“But youse not in costume-?”
‘Course, they’re not in his gamble, so they just don’t get it the way he does. “ANYWAYS, you two can go off and do whatever. I’ll watch the Mike room,” he concludes, turning back to the statue and waving them away.
A hint of irritation arises when he bats his eyelashes at the statue but hears no footsteps exiting the room. So, ugh, he turns back, and Jon and Pluey are standing at the door with their arms crossed.
Battat only glares at them as Pluey starts singing in saxophone, still in the costume that she refuses to remove for some reason. ‘Nuh uh. We have to buy some food for you if you’re not coming.’ And they’re gonna make him eat lunch too! He already ate breakfast today, they can’t be serious!
“I- Ugh! Just get me a cheesecake!” And when Jon and Pluey side eye each other with grins, he tacks on, “For the MAUS! Not me!”
‘Course, they don’t believe him for a second since he really does like the cheesecake, which is made of more cheese than cake for some reason, but he’ll feed part of it to the maus anyways! Not like he can finish the whole cheesecake.
The answer’s enough to satisfy his two companions at least. “Okays. See you later, boss,” Jon says with a wave. Battat halfheartedly waves back, waiting for the saxophone talk to silence one the door closes.
Now that Battat’s ACTUALLY alone, he can just skip all the pleasantries and mood he carefully set up and start kissing the statue. With that type of slow, romantic scene Tenna likes, he shuts his eyes and puckers his lips. He’s already aligned himself perfectly with the TV’s weirdly wide open mouth, and-
The Mike Door OPENS, and he’s knocked off balance because WHAT THE HECK!? There’s no way they’re back ALREADY!
No one even KNOCKS because who REALLY respects Battat’s time and fantasies about Tenna anyways!?! Those two bozos should be THANKFUL he’s not wasting away at his desk on theories, downing way too many cups of coffee to even count and staying up for days on end. At least he SLEEPS! To dream about going on dates with Tenna and cuddling and kissing, but that’s not the point. He’s doing EXACTLY as they asked and is ‘taking care of himself’, so bothering him is OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Grumbling over the contradictory actions of his two companions, Battat presses a quick kiss to the Tenna statue and turns around, dropping the lovey-dovey grin he’s been holding for the TV. What could they have forgotten that’s SOOOO important that they need to come back!? “Oh my ANGEL, what do you two want NOW-“
That’s not Jongler and Pluey.
Standing in the middle of the Mike Room, staring at him, is Tenna. Who’s twiddling his antennas awkwardly. After witnessing the display of Battat sweet-talking and making out with a statue of him. And his screen is completely flushed red with mortification and maybe second-hand embarrassment because the situation is just that horrifying. He’s even covering his face to avoid looking at him.
And Battat.
Well.
Battat needs to explode and die right this instant to save himself the lifelong pain and suffering of remembering this moment at random times in his life. He’s dead. And if he’s not dead, he’s fired. And if he’s not fired, then Tenna’s disgusted and never wants to see him again.
Luckily he’s not wearing the costume at all or their covers would be blown, so at the very least, he hasn’t actually exposed their Mike identities.
The only issue remaining is that… well… Tenna hates pippinses. And Battat is not only a pippins, but a thieving pippins who definitely looks like he stole a Tenna statue from the TV Studio. The ONE time he gives in to his pippins instinct and of course he pays for it. He didn’t even take it from the studio! This is KRIS’s statue that they WEREN’T EVEN USING!!!
Whatever. WHATEVER. He’s cooked either way. Maybe he should’ve been doing it in the Mike costume; SUE him for wanting some love as Battat and not Mike for once!
But y’know, he IS Mike! Professional actor, on the airwaves and all around; someone like him can certainly put on an innocent act despite being caught will all the evidence around him!
Let’s just assume that a random pippins, that happens to really like Tenna, snuck into the Mike Room because some idiot (cough cough, Cowboy Hat Mike) left it open on their way out and latched onto the statue like his life depended on it! And Tenna’s not saying anything or leaving, probably waiting for some excuse or reasoning, so he has to say anything, whatever soon!
Battat puts on his best nervous act, twiddling his fingers and squeezing his legs together to look as small as possible, and comes up with… something. “Hi, sir!” he starts, resisting the urge to cringe at the voice crack. Is the room shaking or is that just him? “I was, Y’KNOW, well-“
“Haha. WOW.” The pippins looks up, startled by the TV’s sudden statement. He’s still turned away though, leaving Battat in the dark about whether he wants to kill him or himself, but the twisting antennas might give him an idea.
Or it WOULD if he’d seen it happen before! What the hell does twisting antennas mean!?! He’s seen quivering, the kind of strong emotion that occurs alongside glooby, drooping antennas or ramrod straight signals, but twisting?! “Didn’t mean to interrupt you, little guy!” he hears Tenna say, but the guy sounds… awfully high-pitched and nervous. Not a good sign at all.
It could be an alternative to the glooby droop? Nervous isn't GLOOBY, though, but the whole vibe screams ‘TENNA’S GOING TO DART OFF IN T-MINUS 5 SECONDS’. Ugh! Mike is supposed to know these things about Tenna! Why hasn’t he seen this before when that guy’s supposed to tell Mike, his CLOSEST CONFIDANT, everything?!?!?
Wait, why doesn’t he do just that? Become Mike, escape without an explanation like any other pippins would do, and comfort Tenna! Wring out whatever worries and weird feelings he might have!
“…I can go get Mike!” he says, because he can’t help the little voice inside him telling him to make a good impression as himself. Even though, well, he’s already ruined it by. With the statue. Yeah he’s not saying it again. ”Y’know, since you’re here for him right? He’s somewhere! Elsewhere! In the room!” Definitely not standing right where Battat is!! ”I can go get him. If you need.”
Could that have gone any worse? And, ugh, why is he even asking at this point!? He should just run off like he planned and save whatever’s left of his die faces, probably all ones at this point knowing his luck.
Except, as he hops off the stepladder, Tenna yells, “NOPE!” and Battat MISSES the landing and crashes into the floor and conveniently rolls a one. Because of course he does. When he comes to, Tenna’s actually looking at him now with that tight-lipped smile he makes when he’s clearly upset with Mike. “All good, I don’t need Mike anymore.”
Huh?
A-Anymore??
Noooo nonono he definitely messed up. The twisted antennas probably mean disgust or something, and Tenna’s absolutely resisting the urge to puke. His screen’s normal again, hands clapped together, but…
Battat’s momentum is absolutely ruined and making a break for it isn’t viable anymore. And Tenna hates him. There goes all his chances and dreams of his really hot boss ever loving him back and telling him he’s the only good pippins out there. It’s just WEIRD because while Tenna should be laughing it off and saying, “Well THAT was awkward!” and leaving, he’s just standing there like he wants to ask for something.
So Battat stands up, dusts off his poncho and adjusts his bow, and clears his throat. “…Did ya need some-?”
“SO. Little weird pippins.” Tenna interrupts him again, because that’s just how Tenna is; this time is sudden enough to make Battat flinch, though. He doesn’t expect to be addressed by—well, not exactly—name, but it’s… confusing? Even as the solo green pippins, Tenna’s never singled him out from the crowd (because a pippins is just a pippins, after all).
Being the only pippins present then, acting completely different and being what seems to be totally smitten with Tenna unlike the rest of his gamble who rightfully hate the guy, what else is Tenna supposed to think!? Or say!?
His behavior only gets weirder from here. The moment of silence between them lasts TOO long, he and Tenna standing across the room while imaginary spotlights highlight all of Battat’s crimes as the star of the second-hand embarrassment show. And while he’s frozen in place, ready to petrify because ANGEL how long can this last, the TV’s fidgets become more and more obvious and familiar.
Clapped hands finally shift, one moving behind his back as the other begins adjusting his tie; Tenna looks up and away from him with a pinkening screen, and Battat can finally deduce exactly what the show host is feeling. It’s that stupid pose he does when he calls “Mike-kun~” and fantasizes about them on the Funbotron together like some kind of idiot flirting with nonexistent airwaves, with Tenna somehow looking even more flattered and flustered than he did before.
And Battat STILL can’t decipher what the twisted antenna mean because they were clearly HEARTS the last time he saw the TV do this. What is his PROBLEM!? How does any of this even involve MIKE-
“Do you, HAHA, wanna try kissing the real thing?”
“What.”
What. WHAT. Sorry, is he dreaming? Battat takes a hand, and rolls his head as hard as possible. A six, for some reason.
He got a whole nine hours of sleep last night too, since those bozos hid his theory board and promised him unbothered Tenna ‘practice’ time in return, so it’s not sleepless hallucinations he’s going through. The TV’s tail is somehow wagging more than ever, way stronger and more restless than how Battat feels during some sort of Mike breakthrough.
His dumbfounded face must look extremely stupid and confusing, because Tenna puffs up, face turning more pink as he pointedly stares at the corner of the room. “Oh, you KNOW, that’s just a statue of ME and the REAL show host is right here, might as well share some love with Mr. Tenna himself instead!”
“What.” And Battat wants to scream again because what in the dark fountain can he even mean by that other than. Other than what he’d been giving to the Tenna statue just minutes ago!?
He can’t KISS his boss! That’s MIKE’s job! Actually it’s not even Mike’s job because he’s never kissed Tenna as Mike, even for a goodnight! He just pats the guy’s head! And what is this idiot doing asking a random PIPPINS for some flirting and kissing!? He better not be doing that with random employees!
Yeah, no. He slaps his head again, rolls ANOTHER six somehow and by the ANGEL he is lucky right now to make up for misfortune in his upcoming future. Saying a blatant “NO” is a one-way trip to a glooby Tenna that will never forgive him and will hate his pippins-self forever, and Battat can kiss giving Tenna kisses goodbye.
This is just too unusual, right!? It’s too good to be true, so he has to gently turn the guy down and make his escape, right?
Ignoring the fact that Tenna’s probably going to try guilt-tripping him—which, in retrospect, is absolutely insane—Battat comes up with another reason, another excuse because he’s just kidding! Right!? “I mean, well, I was just PRACTICING, for, um, a play?” And hopefully Tenna doesn’t ask because he won’t be able to name one in time. “That me and my friends are doing? I’m not REALLY professing my love to you- or anyone actually I mean.” And THAT one’s probably the biggest lie of all because he meant every word he said to that stupid statue.
Battat’s foolish for even thinking he can resist a glooby Tenna. The way he looks at the floor, antennas loosening and drooping, shrinking ever so slightly in a way that’s noticeable to a trained Mike; stupid pippins doesn’t even realize he’s far too head over heels to let it slide.
“Oh… I don’t NEED kisses, I guess…” Tenna says like he’s giving up. Despite that, he makes no move to exit the room, and his tail’s still wagging as if he’ll get exactly what he wants soon. “I can just ask someone else… or no one…”
He’s PISSED, because the TV’s so AWFULLY confident that he’s gonna feel guilty and give in and he’s right. Maybe a random green pippins wouldn’t give in, but UGH, Mike would.
So he does the same move of ‘looking away’ like Tenna does, since he really can’t digest the fact that he’s about to say this to his boss’s face but Angel, it is really about to happen. “MAYBE I can give you some? Like you said, better to kiss the real deal?” he suggests selfishly. He… REALLY wants this too, even if it’s wrong.
And Tenna LIGHTS UP. By the ANGEL, Battat’s never seen the TV shine this bright. It’s similar to when the Fun Gang first appeared in TV WORLD, although NOTHING can compare to Tenna’s reaction to a lightner’s attention, but this hits too awfully close and makes Battat kind of scared. A flower blooms from the TV’s nose, and he has a really stupidly in love grin and holy Angel Battat’s heart is beating a mile a minute. Tail wagging, antenna quivering, there’s just too much energy in the room and he’s pretty sure one of them is going to implode before anything happens.
Tenna doesn’t even KNOW him, what’s so exciting about his kisses!?
He can’t help but babble on because he has no clue where the show host is even going with this anymore, so he might as well continue talking to get somewhere. “…And I mean I practiced with the statue, so I already know the feel of your lips kind of and how to hold your casing still to make sure I don’t fall and-“
“You’re awfully lippy, dice boy.” Tenna’s in his face before he realizes. Or… he’s in Tenna’s face, and the TV’s scooped him up and he’s just standing on his hand. It’s like he’s staring into heaven, if heaven was extremely painful to look at and burned his eyes, but it’s Tenna so he loves it anyways.
Sorry, wait, lippy!? LIPPY!? Like Battat was normal the FIRST time Tenna called him a ‘lippy dice boy’!? And Tenna, oh TENNA, leans in, grins at him, with a fang barely peeking from his lip, and says, “You were so confident spilling all those compliments and flattery towards a STATUE of me. C’mon, shower ME with your affection!”
The CRT dips closer, puckering lips prepared to meet Battat’s. He’s practically moving in slow motion like those cheesy romance movies, except he’s pretty sure Tenna wants him to meet in the middle and show just how greedy of a pippins he is.
By the ANGEL, he really really wants this. He’s already here, might as well give in to whatever other desires he has since he’s about to kiss Tenna anyways. Is he being horribly stupid right now? Definitely. Is he going to continue being horribly stupid? Absolutely.
Instead of leaning in like any normal love interest would, he reaches up to grab the base of an antenna and yanks, forcing the screen right onto his lips. By the whimper he hears and the way Tenna presses deeper into him, it’s obvious that the TV’s just as eager as he is. Somehow, he’s giving Battat more than he could ever ask for or even crave, electric currents dancing between their lips that ground at Battat’s touch.
It’s not shocking enough, Angel damn his insulative properties. Tenna’s given him everything already, but he just keeps demanding, needing more and more and more until he’s satisfied. Leftover static from the CRT’s mouth drives him wild, and he succumbs to the desire to explore every inch of the screen.
Comparing this to the statue, oh Angel, he won’t forget the taste of Tenna’s mouth, voltage spiking alongside his heartbeat, leaving a distinct pop to the kiss that he’ll never get again. Stupid smooth, shiny statue, it was practically no help practicing for actually KISSING Tenna. He might not be able to go back, stuck dreaming of the lingering currents dancing between them, the push and desperation of the TV himself who might even want this more than him.
Out of breath, Battat pulls away, huffing as he catches whatever air he can get in his system. He gets barely a second before Tenna’s already trying again, hand wrapping around Battat to keep him steady for whatever insanity the TV has planned next.
There’s nothing more he wants than to continue, to steal Tenna’s lips one more time before the ball drops and the CRT realizes what he’s doing, but he REALLY needs to catch his breath.
With a hand holding back the TV’s casing, Battat stares up, disbelieving at Tenna’s disappointed whine. Angel, is it possible for anyone to be THIS starved!? He tries to ignore the way Tenna’s tail curls around his leg, plug tapping at his side as if vying for his attention.
Barely a second passes by after he’s removed his hand and Tenna’s already on him, inviting him for more, which Battat is happy to oblige. He’s yet to accept any of this as reality still, even if the taste of electricity, the numbness in his leg from just how possessive his tail is, is so new and so impossible with the statue.
Tenna pulls away this time, adoring grin present on his screen that WOW, is that really for him? And not Mike? The guy must be utterly pleased, given the petals grazing his back that he almost wants to grab and present to the TV if only he could reach.
“I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to kiss you back…” Tenna sighs, and begins leaning in for another kiss even though he’s barely caught his breath. And Battat’s ready to dip into another dazed reverie, indulging in every dream and desire he could ever think up until this moment, allowing himself pleasures beyond simply being by Tenna’s side.
…Huh.
“HUH!?” Battat screams, shoving the screen away.
He’s pretty sure his life FLASHES before his eyes in the split seconds after registering exactly what the show host just said. Sorry, KISS BACK!? That implies they’re KISSED before, and Tenna just, hasn’t been? Kissing back???
It’s not like Battat DOESN’T kiss some version of the TV every day, whether it be his plushie, or his figurine, or his poster, or his-
Anyways, he’s only ever kissed the poster on the lips and there’s no way Tenna can make himself flat enough to disguise himself as THAT, so…
The poor TV looks utterly offended and hurt that Battat pushed him away so violently; it’s almost enough to make him drop the subject and go back to making out like nothing happened, but he’s just… so astounded! Confused! Almost upset that Tenna’s probably been lying to him in the same way he has and he shouldn’t be that mad about it because that’s his just deserts and he probably deserved it.
He can’t even bring himself to play along when the show host starts sputtering excuses, the underlying truth of his words hitting him like a yarn ball from a kikky. “I-I mean, I saw you making out with one of the statues back at the TV Studio!” And he KNOWS that’s not true because Tenna would’ve done this sooner!
“As IF! I took this one from KRIS!” Admitting to the theft is an accident, one that leaves Tenna looking horribly offended because how dare he steal from his precious family member, but anyways, “You- Have you been DISGUISED as my Tenna statue!?”
From the TV’s guilty look, Battat can tell he’s right on the money, hitting that sweet jackpot he gets once in a blue moon. Better yet, he’s connected the dots to form a proper conclusion this time instead of making only a theory!
Except… his excitement quickly dwindles as he realizes the floor is getting a little closer than before. Tenna’s tail is wrapped around his leg tight enough to hurt, like he doesn’t want Battat to leave him. As if he’d ever do that! He’s too stupidly in love with this bozo to even consider abandoning him. After this, after this dream is over, he’ll just go back to being Mike anyways for the chance to stand beside-
“Wait.” If Tenna’s been disguised as the statue, then he's also been listening to everything in the Mike room. Battat’s embarrassing flirts and flatteries, but more importantly… “That means you know-”
“-know that a CUTE, devoted, sweet little green pippins has been wanting this for a while now, right~?” Tenna cuts him off, shoving his screen back in his face with the widest grin possible. Gosh, he’s a better flirt than in Battat’s fantasies.
He’s pretty sure his face is stupidly warm, with a stupid grin, because Tenna looks so proud of his stupid remark and Angel, did he look so good saying it. The TV’s casing is creased like he wants to say something, but Battat just wants to kiss him more.
But… Mike! Tenna knows something for CERTAIN, no doubt seeing the truth behind the Mike conspiracy far too many times at this point. He’s tossed that costume on and off in front of the statue practically every day at this point, there’s no way he, Pluey, Jongler, any three of them have avoided being caught. It might even be the reason WHY he’s…
Well, Battat doesn’t quite MIND being rewarded for his efforts.
Tenna, however, looks like he’s about to crumble from his hesitation, as if Battat could ever WANT this to end.
As much as he wants to poke and prod at the TV, asking anything and everything he knows about Mike—except maybe his disappearance, seems the guy has no clue about THAT one thing—the last thing he wants is for Tenna to run off and abandon HIM.
If the Mike facade ends… If Mike is actually gone…
There’s always a chance Tenna didn’t actually SEE or HEAR anything, anyways! He can’t pretend to be the statue ALL the time anyways; it’s possible he’s never heard a lick of any Mike theories or caught a glimpse of a costume change! It’s a small, tiny, utterly miniscule chance, but Battat’s willing to bet on it.
Because Tenna never confirmed anything, did he? All he’s admitted to is pretending to be the statue—and being kissed, much to his embarrassment—which isn’t any sort of confession towards, well, Mike. Surely that means he DOESN’T know?
So that’s why he can keep being Mike! In costume, he’s Tenna’s favorite little assistant, the micro phone who’s always by his side and will never leave him. And as a pippins, well, at least he can have ONE thing to hold over Mike’s head when the real one gets back.
With renewed vigor, he grabs the edges of the TV’s casing (now that he can reach them from Tenna’s dwindling height), and pulls him into another kiss. Poking and prodding will just ruin everything, no matter how much he wants to dig deeper, he’ll just have to settle for personal research. Besides, he’s busy discovering Tenna’s likes and dislikes, pleasures and displeasures, just how much he likes having his antennas pulled.
The cable around his leg’s loosened; not like that’s stopped its wild swaying though, from the way it raps against Battat’s back constantly. It makes for a nice rhythm though, allowing him to yank at the antennas and pull Tenna into a deeper kiss confidently.
He pulls back, out of oxygen, and Angel, does he want to dive back in immediately. The small pause is enough for him to get lost in thought again, as he always does because he’s just too curious all the time, and he wonders why the HECK Tenna even popped in here. “Why did you even come here?” he huffs out, holding the TV’s screen back as he waits for an answer.
‘Course, Tenna’s busy catching his breath too, so he doesn’t quite get a reply other than photons rays looking even more flushed than before. As if anything can be more embarrassing than finding out he’d been kissing the REAL Tenna instead of a statue! “W-Well, I thought Mike was going to the cafe…” he starts, with a shy grin like he’s been caught doing something. “I mean I saw him going to the cafe! I, ha, assumed he’d bring BOTH his friends with him…”
Ah. So he’s been coming here during their lunch breaks, if he hadn’t called Mike prior! Since Pluey’s the only one in her Mike costume all the time, which Battat unfortunately has to admit has saved them from being caught WAY too many times, she’s really the best excuse Tenna has for not bothering Mike!
And, well, Battat wouldn’t go out with them as much if not for Jon dragging him out to make sure he eats SOMETHING. He should, uh, be more thankful towards the two of them since he’d probably not have the energy to do this much kissing without a good night’s sleep and breakfast in the morning.
“So what? You want to hear more praises and flirts from me?” he shoots back with a raised brow. He doesn’t anticipate the eager nod, his antennas twisting in a way that Battat now realizes might be attraction or love. Angel, even MIKE hasn’t seen Tenna like this! Of course he’s gonna accept; how can he not when Tenna’s asking HIM and not MIKE!?
He’s not even hot or anything so this might not work, but he puts on his best smirk. Again, both Pluey and Jon have told him that his face looks utterly stupid when trying to ‘confidently’ flirt with the Tenna statue—oh wow, Tenna’s probably seen him make this face before—so he’s surprised that the TV turns redder than his suit.
Angel, yeah, Tenna wasn’t lying when he said he’d been waiting for this moment. Battat can’t even use the same practice lines he’d been using on the statue though, since apparently, he’d already HEARD all of them but whatever!
He’ll… he’ll make something up! There’s always some new, amazing thing he can say about Tenna’s beauty anyway!
So, maybe he should just, turn off his brain and say the first thing that comes to mind!
“You’re the star of the show, the light of my life. I can’t imagine wanting to see anything but you.” It sounds good for two seconds until Battat realizes how corny he sounds, and then he flushes green.
He gets even more green, this time with the intent to puke, because Tenna freezes up. But… he hears a quiet pop behind him, the blooming of yet another flower from the TV’s nose, and reckless abandon turns into solid confidence.
Angel, whatever anxiety he might’ve had before is completely drained; it’s just that easy to compliment Tenna. Words, praises, teases, flirts, anything and everything comes out in a smooth flurry of well-mixed cinnamon and butterscotch, the same sweet love you find in a romance where every argument is solved in the end. Tenna reacts perfectly, screen practically bathing him in red; they’re so close that Battat can feel the heat emanating from the hardware.
Wide, uncontrollable quivering grin, swishing tail, it’s all so silly, Battat can’t help the small laugh that escapes him. “Surprised I didn’t notice sooner…” he giggles, lightly petting Tenna’s casing. “You don’t even hide your emotions well.”
“I-I can control myself! Besides, you were too busy FLIRTING with me to realize!” Tenna sounds pouty, but still leans into Battat’s hand.
While that MIGHT be true, Battat’s too busy thinking about how desperate the TV was, doing his best to stay still and not react, just to get a few more kisses from him. Angel, he’ll be riding this high forever at this point.
So MAYBE he lets Tenna know how good of a TV he is for it. And MAYBE he tells him how good of a kisser he is, how good of a flirt he is, just all the wonderful things Tenna’s so good at doing and how proud Battat is. Just a few compliments here and there about how cute he is when he blushes and his tail wags, and-
“Hah~ Tell me you love me,” Tenna practically begs between breathless kisses and endless honeyed words. “Tell me you love TV.”
“I love you, Tenna.” There’s no hesitation in his words; Angel, how long has he been in love with this man!? Tenna flushes red, of course, but that’s not really what he likes to hear, is it? “I love TV,” Battat continues, feeling the heat spike from beneath the screen, the whirring of fans below from the rest of his body.
So he repeats it like a mantra, saying “I love TV” until he’s out of breath again, just to watch Tenna’s adoring look. He’s pretty sure he’s the only person willing to do this for the show host, and maybe Tenna knows this and that’s why he keeps coming back every time. Forever and ever, with reciprocated kisses peppered on the screen between each breath, and he repeats, and repeats, and repeats-
“Hey boss, we’s got you the cheesecake- Oh.”
What the heck.
They break away, Tenna still holding him thankfully; he’d rather not take a roll on the floor right now and test his luck. Jon and Pluey are standing at the door, several bags in hand instead of the single cheesecake bag he expects and oh.
What a nice, inconvenient time for the two to NOT sit in at the cafe! Tenna’s horribly speechless right now so Battat has to carry the conversation and excuses and explanations and gosh, can the show host pipe in!? He’s ‘Mr. Improv’, for Angel’s sake! “Jon! Plue- I mean, Mike! Uh. Thought you two would be out for longer,” Battat forces out, like he doesn’t have Tenna’s spit all over his mouth.
And, well, his coworkers look as displeased as they can possibly get. “…We’s gonna leave you two be.”