There's no doubt that Pluey is a Miku fan, especially with all the merch he owns! But who's to say he's the only fake Mike that enjoys her music? Safe to say, he's in for a small surprise when, one day, he finds his Miku hoodie gone from the wardrobe.
Word count: 2,804
Also on AO3!
Jongler looked around before typing the code on the cat-shaped keypad and entering the Mike Room. They slithered in, quietly closing the door behind them. It was Mike's day off that day. In fact, it was everyone's day off! They weren't sure exactly why Tenna suddenly announced a day off, hiding in his room and refusing to go out, but it was better not to argue with the boss; especially since, well, day off! There was no guarantee if they'd even get a second one like that that year, so everyone unanimously agreed not to question the showman's strange behaviour and just enjoy the pleasant surprise to the fullest.
They shuffled out of the main room and down the short hallway. There were a few rooms there: a kitchen, a bathroom, an empty room and, of course, their shared bedroom. It wasn't as though they didn't have rooms of their own in their assigned living quarters, but they would have rather slept together than with Darkners of their kind. They've always been the odd ones out of their species in one way or another.
Jongler headed to the bedroom and opened the door, surprised to find Battat standing on a chair by their (also shared) wardrobe, trying to reach something from the 2nd from the top shelf. That.. didn't look safe. Especially not with how the Pippin wobbled while standing on his tiptoes. A sort of protective Zapper instinct shot through the tall Darkner, making them tense up. "Boss?? What are youse doin'??" The sudden question startled the other, making him flinch and almost lose his balance. He gripped onto one of the shelves not to fall and turned to look at the newcomer with wide eyes. "Ah! D-don't scare me like that, rubberbrain!!" he squeaked out, his face heating up slightly.
Jongler's visor furrowed in concern. "Dat's dangerous, boss!" They quickly slithered towards him and put their hands under his arms, gently picking him up. His face grew more pink at that and he started squirming a little, letting out small grunts in effort, but their grip on him was too secure for him to be able to wiggle out. "Don't be doin' dat. Youse gonna get hurt." they scolded lightly as they carefully put him down on the floor. The short Darkner huffed and shook his head, trying to brush off his embarrassment. "Relax, will you!? I'm just trying to get something! What was I supposed to do!?"
Jongler put their hands on their hips. "Still, youse could'a fell and den what? Youse too small to be goin' dat high without help!" Battat's face turned pink again. "I don't need help!!" he exclaimed, waving his arms to try and make himself look more serious (it didn't work). "I'm NOT a kid!! I can get stuff on my own!!" The Zapper sighed and shook their head. "What did youse even want anyway? Youse shelf is da second one from da bottom." The dice stopped waving his arms, letting them fall as he suddenly went quiet. His face heated up. "..." Jongler's visor scrunched up in confusion. "... Boss? What do youse want?"
Battat looked down at the floor, his fists clenching against his sides. "... The Miku hoodie..." he mumbled out, barely loud enough for the other to make out what he said. The Miku hoodie... Jongler wasn't exactly familiar with Miku, but they could somewhat recognize the character from what Pluey had told them. The Shadowguy was somewhat obsessed with her, so they tried to understand as much as they could (though they got lost when he started trying to explain to them what a "voicebank" was). But what they definitely DID know was that he had a white hoodie with a huge print of her that he wore only inside the Mike Room when he wasn't wearing his Mike costume.
"Da Miku hoodie?" They tilted their head in confusion. "But ain't dat Plues's?" The Pippin was quiet for a moment. "...Yeah..." he muttered. Jongler couldn't help it, their visor softened. It was rare for Battat to ever ask for anything, and it didn't help that he looked so endearing doing it so timidly, like a kid asking for something he wasn't supposed to. They just couldn't resist that small, flustered face, even if they knew they should. That was partly why they fumbled their job as a Zapper so badly - they were just too soft to say no sometimes, especially when it came to the mischievous but painfully adorable Pippins.
They sighed before turning towards the wardrobe. They reached up and skimmed over Pluey's clothes before they found the hoodie. It wasn't too hard to make it out - it was the only piece of clothing that Pluey owned that wasn't either black nor pink. They took it out, careful not to wrinkle the other clothes, and handed it to him. "Dere ya goes." Battat looked up meekly, appearing surprised that they actually gave it to him, before he quickly snatched it out of their hands, as if he was stealing it or something, and ran towards their triple bunk bed that they shared.
It was rather tall - it definitely wouldn't have fit if the ceiling in the studio wasn't so ridiculously high - with a light wooden frame and barriers. The bottom bed, belonging to Jongler, was the largest - it lacked any pillows or blankets, only a stiff, hard mattress. Only a Zapper could possibly want to sleep in such conditions. The second bed, belonging to Pluey was of an average size - it was absolutely filled with blankets, pillows and plushies of characters Jongler didn't recognize. They had no idea how the Shadowguy could even fit with all that in there. Also, they could've sworn every time they looked at it, there was a cat sleeping on it. And finally, the smallest, top bed, belonging to Battat - it had a blanket and a few pillows, along with fairly lights that were hung on the barrier. It was rather small and close to the ceiling, but it didn't bother the short dice much.
The Pippin quickly climbed up the ladder onto the top bunk and hid underneath his blanket. Jongler stared after him, confused as to what exactly he wanted to do with the hoodie. It was a size M - two or even three sizes too big on him, depending on the design. Couldn't he have just taken one of his own blouses? Well, there was no way of asking him now. With a small sigh, the Zapper grabbed one of their cowboy hats from the top shelf of the wardrobe and slithered out of the room, quietly closing the door behind them. Their little friend truly was an enigma and, if they were to be honest, they wouldn't have it any other way. Even if sometimes, they wished they could've known what was going on inside his head...
Jongler sat on the couch in the main Mike Room with their cowboy hat on, reading a book. They turned their head towards the door when they heard it open, and their visor squinted upwards when they saw Pluey walk in. "Hey Plues! How'za been?" The Shadowguy closed the door behind him and let out a cheerful tune. Clearly, whatever he was doing went well. "Well, I's happy to hear dat." they said before turning back to their book. The other made his way down the hall and towards their shared bedroom, whistling a casual tune as he walked.
... A few moments later, he came back to the main room, letting out questioning notes Jongler's way. The Zapper looked up at him. "Hm? What's wrong?" Pluey moved his hands up and put them on either side of his head, sliding them down to gesture a pair of ponytails. Then he slid his hands down his coat to gesture at his clothes. It took a moment for Jongler to process all the gestures before what the other was trying to say finally clicked. "Ah, youse Miku hoodie?" Pluey quickly nodded. The Zapper felt themselves getting a little embarrassed, guilt starting to bubble inside of them as they remembered what happened not so long ago. "I's, uh..." They rubbed the back of their head. "I's gave it to da boss..." they admitted hesitantly.
Pluey looked surprised at that, letting out a confused tune. Jongler's visor squinted in slight shame. "He asked for it, so I's gave it to 'im... Sorry, Plues..." they explained apologetically. The Shadowguy smiled at them and waved his hand dismissively, as if to say that everything was alright, making the Zapper let out a small sigh in relief. He tilted his head though and whistled another confused note. "I's don't know whys boss wanted it either! He didn't say nuthin', just dat he wanted it. Didn't get to ask 'im either - scurried off to da bed. No idea what for, tis' too big for 'im." Pluey put his hands on his hips and nodded in understanding. He pursed his lips together in thought before he let out another tune and headed back towards the bedroom. It was about time he checked on that hoodie thief.
The Shadowguy entered the room, closing the door behind him and looking straight up at the top of the bunk bed. He quickly headed towards the ladder and swiftly climbed up. He would've expected any other Pippin to steal it, but Battat? Since when did HE have sticky fingers? The Shadowguy knew it was in the Pippins' nature to sometimes snatch things, given the fact that they were adrenaline junkies, but since when the theorist act on those impulses? Was it a momentary loss of control? Or something else?
He climbed up the wooden ladder on the side and peeked into the smallest bed. He could see a suspiciously dice-shaped lump underneath the blanket. With a sly smile, he grabbed the edge of the blanket and, without hesitation, pulled it towards him, sliding it off whatever (or rather, whoever) was in it. Battat was laying on the mattress, curled up in the white Miku hoodie, so big on him that it looked like he was in a sleeping bag; it even covered his legs, and the hood was over his eyes and almost reached the edge of his nose. He was sleeping comfortably in the huge (on him) piece of clothing, not even noticing the blanket being snatched off him.
Pluey's expression softened at the cute sight. It was probably the most adorable he had ever seen the grumpy Pippin be. Suddenly, the whole stolen hoodie fiasco made sense - he'd be lying if he said he also didn't enjoy wearing oversized clothes, stealing them from Jongler from time to time. But he would've never expected Battat to do so as well! He wished Shuttah was there to take a picture - it was simply precious.
But alas, he couldn't just stand there and gush over the other forever. He gently nudged the other's side, which earned him a sleepy grunt. He did so a few more times before he heard a huff. "Wha..." The dice slowly sat up, the hoodie falling from his head, revealing his drowsy face. His tired gaze settled on the Shadowguy. With his mind foggy from just waking up, he moved his hands up to his face, the sleeves sliding down to his elbows, and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. "What do you want..." he mumbled hoarsely. The other Darkner let out a small chuckle before he poked the Pippin's chest.
"What-..." Battat looked down at himself and his eyes widened, just realizing that he was currently wearing Pluey's stolen hoodie. His face quickly grew pink in embarrassment as the Shadowguy crawled onto the bed. "I, uhm-" he started to try and explain himself, flustered, but he was cut off when the other's hand made its way onto his side again, this time pinching it. The dice let out a startled squeak before bursting out into giggles as he kept being prodded at. "H-hey!" He shifted to lay on his back and tried to push the hand away. "Cut ihit out!"
Pluey, in fact, did NOT cut it out. Instead, he quickly slipped onto the bed from the ladder, sitting on his knees and towering over the smaller Darkner, and started attacking the other's stomach instead, relentlessly poking and picking at it. Battat's giggles turned into laughter, squirming beneath the other's ticklish torment. He still tried to push him away but it was fruitless as the Shadowguy didn't budge at all. "Pff- nahahaha! Stah- stahahap!" he giggled out. "Ihihi'm sohohohorry!! I'm sohorry, Ihi'm sohohorryyy!" he pleaded but it was in vain, as the other didn't slow down. His hands switched between his stomach, his sides and his ribs, too fast for the Pippin to catch them or defend himself against them. He couldn't help but start kicking uncontrollably, though it didn't seem to bother Pluey. The weak kicks against his knees didn't do much to deter him from getting revenge for his hoodie. He let out a mischievous tune and lightly scratched right under his ribs, making the other let out another squeal.
It went on for a while - a couple minutes or so. Battat's face was completely pink at that point, having given up on trying to defend himself and just curling up on his side, hiding his face in his arms. He kept apologizing through his laughter, more mindlessly than anything since it clearly wasn't working. The Shadowguy, on the other hand, was having the time of his life, taking all his mischievous tendencies out on that little hoodie thief. He was grinning the whole time, his hands always keeping up the pace. But, eventually, he decided that that was enough for now. A bit reluctantly, he slowed down, his fingers trailing down the other's stomach before taking them off. The dice stopped apologizing, panting and giggling a little as he tried to catch his breath and regain composure. He moved his arm away from his face and opened his eyes to look at Pluey, who was smiling at him with that wide, stupid smile of his. The Pippin let out a flustered huff and looked away in embarrassment. He could've sworn he heard the other let out a melodic chuckle.
Battat's eyes then drifted onto the hoodie he was wearing. Right. He should probably... He sat up on the bed, grabbing the hem of it. He was about to take it off to give it back when he felt a hand being placed on top of his, stopping him. Surprised at the sudden gesture, he looked up to see the Shadowguy's grin had softened into a kind smile. He let out a reassuring note, gently pushing the other's hands down from the hoodie. The theorist's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't want me to give it back to you?" Pluey shook his head before he playfully shoved him, making him fall back on the bed. Before Battat could react, he was swiftly tucked in with his blanket. The other patted his head a few times, letting out a friendly hum as if to say "it's fine" before he slipped out, climbing down the wooden ladder. Pink on the face again, the Pippin watched from between the barrier as the taller Darkner jumped down, skipping the last few steps, and, almost soundlessly, walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
He kept staring at the now empty room for a moment before shifting back. Despite the embarrassment from the whole situation, he had to admit, he felt quite comfortable with how the Shadowguy had tucked him in. He couldn't help his eyelids from growing heavy. He settled in under the blanket, his head falling back down onto the pillow. He let out a quiet yawn before closing his eyes, falling asleep and continuing on with his nap in the oversized, comfortable, Miku-branded hoodie.
Pluey walked back into the main room, heading towards the couch where Jongler was still reading their book with their cowboy hat on. They lifted their gaze up when they saw him sit on the sofa. "Hey, youse back. How's it go with da boss?" The Shadowguy stretched out and let a melodic note. "Good, huh?" He nodded and laid down, curled up like a cat. It was quiet for a short moment before the Zapper spoke up again. "I's were thinkin'... How 'bout we get da boss his own Miku hoodie?" they asked, but the other quickly shook his head. They tilted their head. "No?" "♪♪♪ ♪♪." Pluey hummed before pointing at himself with his thumb. "Oh, youse don't mind lendin' it?" He nodded before tucking his arm under himself, getting comfortable before dozing off. Jongler stared at him for a few seconds more before shrugging and turning back to their book.
After another pointless argument between Spamton and Tenna, the TV decides to be the bigger person yet again, not only in size but also behaviour. But when he goes over to check on the other, he finds something very unexpected. Something that he must learn how to deal with if he wants to make things right again.
Word count: 3,959
Spamton and Tenna got into an argument.
Not a very surprising statement. Those two bickered all the time over the silliest of things. It was a repeating pattern: they disagreed over something, they started yelling, one or both of them would storm off, and then, they'd act as if nothing ever happened, forgetting what they were even squabbling about. It didn't seem as though this one was going to be any different from all of their past quarrels. Tenna already had the chance to cool down and realize he didn't even remember what they disagreed on in the first place. He sighed, laying on his back on the bed in his room in Castle Town. He could hear the distant whirl of his cooling system working overtime so that his processor wouldn't overheat from his previous anger. He should probably check on Spamton, shouldn't he? The little mailman had the tendency to hold a grudge but he couldn't stay mad at him forever, especially for something so trivial that Tenna had already forgotten. Right? The TV took a deep breath before pulling himself up. Continuing the routine, he left his room to find the salesman and check up on him. It felt as though he had walked the same path - out of town and to the abandoned area opposite to the way that used to lead to the entrance to the Card Kingdom - for the same reason a thousand times already. To check whether the other was still pouting and to make half-hearted amends if he was. Despite the repetitiveness, Tenna never found himself feeling bored or annoyed. The routine was so familiar, even back from the Big Shot era, that he grew rather fond of it over time. After all, they were just silly squabbles and nothing serious. And he wasn't going to complain if it meant he had an excuse to visit the other. They still weren't on best terms after everything that happened, but they had at least gotten over their hatred towards one another. The atmosphere around them was more lighthearted nowadays, even if it didn't come close to how friendly it was during their prime. And the two weren't looking forward to talking all of their frustrations out, so whatever they had now had to do.
His thought process came to an end as he was about to turn to the alley where Spamton lived. Tenna couldn't understand why the other would rather spend his days and nights on a secluded pile of rubble when he had Ralsei offer him his own room at the castle, but he decided not to ask. Spamton wasn't in the best headspace, so it was better not to prod him with too many questions. Unless one wanted him to snap or glitch out, that was. Tenna peeked around the corner, expecting to find the short scam artist sulking on top of a mound of trash and mumbling incoherently to himself as usual. However, what he saw was something new and unexpected. Instead of the small Darkner that he was used to, there was a huge, colourful mech with wide wings, weirdly long but thin limbs and Spamton's head. It was standing with its back turned to the entrance, arms crossed, looking as though he was fuming in silence. Tenna gulped. It wasn't the first time he saw Spamton in that state and he didn't like it at all. The last and only (until today) time he saw Spamton in his NEO form was when they first truly reunited, and it was NOT a pleasant experience, to say the least. From what he was told by Kris afterwards, he got that Spamton couldn't fully control his NEO body, nor could he control going in and out of it. It depended entirely on his feelings and emotions. Though Tenna's size-changing abilities were also dependent on his mood, he was still able to control his size if he focused enough. Spamton could not, which could get quite tricky, especially with his unstable mental state. Long story short, he was upset. Very upset.
Tenna swallowed harshly again. This wasn't right. Spamton never got THAT upset over their bickering! Could it have been that the TV host had struck a nerve? He felt his gut twist a bit. If that was the case, then it was REALLY bad; he couldn't for the life of him remember what they were even arguing about! No matter how much he racked his brain, nothing came up. He dreaded going over there and trying to talk to the other, especially with how his last NEO encounter went, but he couldn't just leave him like this. He had to do SOMETHING. He took a deep breath and let out a small huff, trying to gather some courage. He has got this. He quietly, but swiftly, made his way forward, trying to seem nonchalant even though Spamton didn't see him. He still had his back turned on him. Tenna wasn't sure if he just didn't hear his footsteps or if he was actively ignoring them. The TV stopped a few feet away from him. He hesitated before clearing his throat, trying to get the other's attention. Spamton didn't turn to look at him but the twitch of his wings showed that he heard him. So he was ignoring him. Great. Tenna forced on a wide grin. "Spamton, buddy! Eheh... How's, uh... How's it going?" He asked, trying to sound casual. Spamton didn't respond. Maybe he has not got this. "Um... Beautiful day we're having, no?" The host rubbed the back of his TV head, silently pleading for an answer. There was none. He was starting to get more nervous. "Uhm... See, about our, um... CONVERSATION from before... Heh..." Still nothing. Not even a twitch this time. "You know I didn't mean anything I said, right?? C-come on, we're buddies! I would NEVER mean any harm, you know that!" He exclaimed, practically begging the other to respond or at least give him something to work with. But there was nothing. He didn't even look at him.
Tenna's helplessness was starting to turn into frustration. When was the last time Spamton got THIS grumpy over a stupid argument!? It must've been ages ago when they were still working together. But back then, his business partner didn't turn into a giant and unpredictable robot! How was he supposed to know what to do!? It wasn't like he could use the same tactics he used years ago to calm him down! ... Or could he? Tenna cleared his throat and fixed his tie. He was definitely asking to be punched in the screen but he had no other ideas. He put on his best sly grin and stepped closer, leaving over Spamton's shoulder to hopefully get a glimpse of his face. "Hey Spammy~" he spoke playfully. "Why don't you turn that frown upside down?" Spamton didn't react so the host decided to go a step further. He poked the other's cheek. "Come on, you know I LOVE that smile almost as much as you LOVE TV~!" At that point, Tenna would've been more than happy to get punched in the screen. The salesman was still ignoring all of his attempts, his face as steel and cold as his NEO form. The only new thing was that his wings twitched a little again. Even teasing couldn't get a reaction out of him! The TV was running out of options fast. His smile soured. "Come on..." He poked the other's cheek a few more times. "Not even a smirk!? You know how much I hate silent treatment, Spammy!" Tenna's nonexistent eyebrows furrowed. That was it, wasn't it? Spamton was keeping quiet on purpose to rile him up. It wouldn't be the first but he used to be easier to crack than that. Back in the day, he would already be swatting at him and telling him to shut up while trying to hide a smile. Was he ever this stubborn?? What did Tenna do when the businessman was being this stubborn??? "Damn it...! Uhhh... F1??"
Suddenly, a small, Spamton-shaped angel materialized right next to Spamton. He turned his head a little to look at it, his expression softening slightly from surprise. Meanwhile Tenna grinned victoriously. "YES!" He exclaimed excitedly. Ironically enough, the F1 angels were always his biggest allies during his past bickering with the little mailman, much to the other's dismay. They always took his side! Well, mostly because he was the one to call for them, and he was pretty sure they couldn't actually understand what was going on. But it still counted! Definitely! He watched in anticipation as the smaller, cuter version of Spamton let out an equally small and cute coo, clearly happy to have been summoned. It looked like it was about to fly over to Tenna but it paused when Spamton let out a frustrated huff and turned his head away. The little helper's smile fell. It looked between the two before it turned its back on the host as well, crossing its arms and mimicking its bigger counterpart's resentful expression, though in a much more pouty way. It let out a disapproving, offended chirp, matching the atmosphere. Tenna's jaw practically dropped. He gripped his TV head with both hands in distress. "NO!" He shouted, absolutely distraught. How could it have not worked!? It ALWAYS worked! ALWAYS!!! The F1 angel soon disappeared, not having helped ease the tension at all.
NOW Tenna was frustrated. Spamton wasn't going to budge? Fine. He'd just have to make him do so the old-fashioned way. No more games. "You wanna be like that? Huh?? Fine!" He snapped. "Play unfazed all you want but you can't keep it up forever! Come here!" Confused, Spamton was about to tilt his head to get a glance at Tenna but he didn't get a chance to do so as he felt the other wrap his arms around his waist, pinning his arms to his sides. In one, swift motion, he was lifted up from the back. He let out a startled squawk, his wings extending instinctively, accidentally hitting the other in the screen. The TV host grunted but didn't let go. Instead, he dug his fingers into the salesman's waist, making him screech again, this time from the intense ticklish sensation it caused. His wings fluttered wildly, repeatedly smacking Tenna's head. The TV made another disgruntled noise, tilting his head back to avoid the involuntary punches. He didn't stop though, he was way too headstrong and determined to get Spamton out of that annoying funk he was in. His fingers prodded without hesitation with a mix of annoyance and mischievousness. If that overgrown bird wasn't going to give in on his own, then he'd make him do so. He could feel the other tense and start to squirm in his arms, letting out displeased sounds while doing so. He might've been in a different form, but he sure did have the same exploitable weaknesses.
Tenna's hands tried to creep over to the other's stomach but every time the tips of his fingers so much as grazed over it, the spam email would shriek and try to curl in on himself. Of course he did. It had always been his worst spot, after all. Now, if it were any normal day, Tenna could easily just hold him down with one hand and tickle him with the other. But, to him, there was absolutely nothing normal about the current situation, other than his old colleague's stubbornness. And even then, it seemed unusually excessive. That whole entire thing seemed excessive and unnecessary and he still had no idea what he did for it all to spiral like this! For Spamton to spiral like this! ... Well, when he thought of it like that, Spamton was already spiraling BEFORE the whole squabble. He hasn't been the most mentally stable individual lately, to say the least. But still! And that NEO form thing was just making everything three times harder! He never had anyone be physically capable of putting up much of a fight against his, dared he say, top-notch tickling skills. But now that Spamton was almost as tall as him? It proved to be quite the challenge to keep him still with all that flailing and resisting. But Tenna was determined! A bit annoyed, but determined.
His embrace grew tighter as he fought against the other's squirming, his nonexistent face cringing at the constantly fluttering wings. Spamton seemed more irritated than anything, trying to escape him with a crooked scowl. The TV didn't know what he was expecting anymore. Despite his initial motivation, he was starting to have doubts. Was it really worth it? Would it not have been better if Tenna just let him cool off on his own? But Tenna wasn't ready to quit just yet, not when he had already gotten so far. Too late to turn back now, he supposed. He had a feeling he could break the other if he could just reach his stomach and stay there for a bit. His grip tightened as he tried again, this time with more luck, managing to scribble his claws over the mech's stomach. Spamton cringed as he was unable to push his hands off this time around. His lips pressed together tightly and even his eyes shut from the effort to hold back. Did Tenna finally get it? Was the salesman about to give up? The TV host's hope resurfaced. If he could keep it up just a little longer, he'd finally win! He sped up slightly, trying to make the other really feel it. Just a bit longer! Just a little bit more and they were home! Just a little...
Suddenly, Spamton let out a squeal. And along with the noise, his NEO form unexpectedly began to retract into itself towards the head in a swift manner. It caught Tenna off-guard and he instinctively moved his arms back. When the mech fully retracted, all that was left was Spamton's proper body in the place where the NEO head was, some distance above the ground. It wasn't long before he started falling with a startled yelp, but Tenna quickly snapped out of his shock and caught the other before he could hit the ground. He brought the now small businessman close, holding him against his chest as the puppet laid in his arms on his back. Spamton looked up at Tenna, only to see that his screen went completely black. He stared up at him for a moment. Awkward silence hung in the air for a moment after the whole fiasco before the little scammer broke it. He tried to grin but it came out awfully nervous. "HEHE... [[10% OFF]], HEH... HOWZA, UHH... [[How you doin'?]]" he asked, shining his best award-losing smile. "..." Tenna didn't respond for a while before a wide, toothy grin slowly spread across his dark screen. Spamton gulped. That wasn't good. The TV spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Why, hello there~"
Before the other could even start begging for forgiveness, the host moved one of his large hands up and buried its fingers into his small stomach, making him squeak in panic and ticklishness. He burst into laughter when he felt the other poke scribble all over. He kicked his legs hopelessly as he squirmed in the firm, yet careful, hold. "NOEAHAHAHAHAA!! [[Cathode]]!! MEHEHEAHAHAERCY!!" Hearing that familiar, goofy laugh, Tenna's screen brightened, his antennas perking up. His grin softened a little, although it was still filled with a huge amount of mischievousness. He didn't expect THAT to happen but he certainly wasn't complaining, especially not when he was finally able to get some revenge for all the trouble he had to go through just to get him talking. "Oh, NOW you want mercy!? Well, you certainly weren't so forgiving when you were throwing that little hissy fit of yours, were you!? Nooo, I don't think so~!" he exclaimed teasingly. "Where is your huge mech now, huh? Where's that big, intimidating, grumpy Spammy that was resisting SOOO much!? Hm??" his voice began to take on a more playful note. "Maybe there's a button I need to press to get him to come out again, hm? Maybe here?" he poked one of the puppet's ribs on his right, making him squeak. "Or maybe here??" Tenna sunk the tip of his finger into his left side, earning another squeal. He lifted his finger up and began moving it around in circles in the air, pretending to think. "Orrr, what about riiight...-" his finger stopped right above a certain spot that made Spamton even more nervous than he already was. His face turned red as he began to giggle in anticipation. "WH- WAIT!! [[Tennessee Resort]], DON'T-!!" he was cut off as Tenna poked him right on the belly button. "-here!" The small salesman let out a shriek in laughter, trashing around uncontrollably as Tenna's finger circled around the sensitive spot. It was always his worst weakness and that didn't seem to have changed much from the time they had worked together. "NAHAHAEHEHEAHA!!"
It was hard for Tenna to stay mad at Spamton for being so difficult when he was laughing with that goofy yet nostalgic laugh of his. He only ever laughed like that when he couldn't control himself (which was absolutely Tenna's fault most of the time). It left a bittersweet feeling on the host's tongue that he didn't necessarily hate. Quite the opposite, it was somewhat comforting, knowing that even though time passed and circumstances changed, some things would always stay the same. Of course, he couldn't let the other know that. So he reluctantly took his hand back and cleared his throat, regaining his composure. He waited for a moment for the puppet to catch his breath. Spamton let out a small cough before panting, trying to stabilize his breathing. He hadn't laughed like that in ages... And his lungs weren't used to it anymore. After he got his breathing in order, he heard Tenna speak. "So.. we're done pouting now?" The salesman looked up at him. He stared at him for a short moment before he scoffed, crossing his arms and looking away with a bitter expression, seemingly having remembered what the situation was before the whole tickling fiasco.
Tenna let out a sigh, his smile falling and his antennas slumping down. "Spamton..." he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "... I'm sorry." Spamton closed one of his eyes and looked at the TV with the other, his scowl softening a bit at just how genuine the sentence sounded coming from the other. "I..." the TV host turned his head to the side, not wanting to face the man he was holding. "...don't remember what we were arguing about. I CAN'T remember, no matter how hard I try." he turned back towards the businessman, his hand resting on the back of his neck. "But I'm sorry. I've never meant to strike a nerve this much." he paused. "... You know that, right? That I'd never REALLY want to hurt you...?" Spamton looked away with his one open eye, his face cringing in nervousness and slight guilt. The relationship between them as of that moment was.. strained, to say the least. Their best years of friendship were long gone. They couldn't even go one moment around each other without starting a fight over something ridiculous and utterly pointless. The atmosphere between them felt like a warzone. And yet, Tenna was right there. After all that time being apart, after all the hurt and resentment had been brewing up for years, he still bothered to come over to that pile of garbage the puppet called "home" and check whether or not he let the argument go. And he tried so hard to be able to properly apologize to him, going through so much trouble just to get him to forgive him.
"... I [[Knowledge Acquired]]..." Spamton eventually responded, not looking over to see the other's reaction. He just wished that the moment would end. It made him feel a kind of unease that he desperately tried to avoid. Meanwhile, Tenna perked up at what he decided to perceive as a sign of forgiveness. A red flower bloomed on his nose as he grinned in endearment. He brought the other closer, squishing him against his chest with a squeak. "Awh, Spammy!" he exclaimed as the other struggled against him. The salesman managed to push his face and torso away from him and he let out a huff. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!! [[Enough Stock For]] WITH THE [[Perfect Valentine Gift]]!!" Tenna let out a short chortle and reluctantly pulled away. "Awh, fineeee." He groaned lightheartedly while Spamton opened his other eye and looked at him. "You won't even let me have this little moment after all this time, will you?" he chuckled again, clearing not taking it personally. Spamton just rolled his eyes, though he was glad that the TV wasn't brooding anymore.
Tenna tilted his head, looking down at the other. "Actually, Spammy, can I ask you something?" The puppet looked up at him with a questioning look. "OH, UH, [[Agree2all]], WHAT'S THE [[Trivia Questions]]??" "What WERE we arguing about anyway that got you so worked up? It had to be pretty big if it upset you so much that you got stuck in your NEO form." Spamton's expression suddenly went blank. The TV host's smile started to slowly fall. "Spamton?" " UHHH..." the small scam artist was speechless for a moment before another nervous smile made its way onto his face. "EHEH... I, UM... [[Forgive & Forget]]...??" he admitted unsurely. The other's screen took on a deadpanned expression. The flower on his nose lost its petals, which fell down onto the ground. They stayed in a tense silence for a moment before Tenna spoke up. "You what." he asked incredulously with a hint of anger in his voice. Spamton chuckled anxiously and looked away, fidgeting with his hands and a panicked grin. "EHEAHA, [[Affirmative]]... BUT, AH, IT'S NO BIG [[Dealz]] NOW, RIGHT??" The area went quiet again. The ex businessman's award-losing smile was back in its full glory as the tension rose again. Then, the TV's expression twisted into pure irritation. "You WHAT." his hand made its way back onto the other's stomach, prodding at it again and making the him burst out laughing almost instantaneously. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I'VE BEEN TRYING SO HARD TO GET YOU TO FORGIVE ME AND YOU JUST FORGOT WHY YOU WERE OFFENDED!? BUT YOU WERE STILL POUTING ANYWAY!? AFTER EVERYTHING I HAD TO DO TO GET YOU TO EVEN TALK TO ME, AFTER THAT WHOLE TANTRUM YOU THREW, YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHY YOU WERE DOING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!?!?" Tenna yelled and ranted as the small salesman squirmed in his grip, laughing his little lungs out in both panic and ticklishness. "EHEAHAHA!! [[Me, Myself & I]] SORRY!! I'M [[Apology Gift]]!!" he managed to blurt out through all his squeaks and laughter as he trashed around helplessly.
It was going to be a long rest of the day for the two of them, which was most likely going to end in another pointless argument that was going to start the routine all over again. But, if they were to be honest (which they would never be), they didn't mind having an excuse to see each other again in the near future. Spamton especially didn't mind having a visitor come over every now and then. Even if it meant having his undeniable weakness exploited during their confrontations. Especially if it meant having someone hold him in their arms like he still mattered. Like he was worth all the trouble.
Here's your star for making it to the end :)
Not fully beta-read but I couldn't be bothered. I've got a writer's block on beta-reading and I've been working on this for way too long anyway, it's about time I delivered on what I promised. It's gonna be posted on my AO3 as soon as the maintenance is over.
Also, if anyone's interested about the last post, I'm mostly focusing on "NEO Fuss" and I'll be focusing on the other two winners more after I finish that one. I'm halfway through it already :D Would be great if I didn't have over 30 drafts sitting in my notes with most of them not even fully planned out lol
I have a few Deltarune t-word fics in my drafts but I don't really know which ones I feel like writing, so I decided to make a small poll. The choices are just fic names + the characters involved so pick which one sounds best to you XD
Which one do I focus on
NEO fuss (Tenna + SNEO)
Underwhelming Recovery (Tenna + Spamton)
Traitor!!! (v1/v2) (characters vary) (package deal!) (will take twice as long)
Shower Break (Pippins + Battat) (might be a longer one) (will take longer)
That Thief Is Pushing My Buttons... Literally! (Pippin + Zapper)
Conditioning (PB&J) (aka Fake Mike Trio)
Snack Buddies (Pippins)
Voting ended onJan 28
I'm probably gonna pick one from top 3 if I can even get that many votes lol
After Battat reluctantly let Jongler and Pluey join his work as Mike, it turned out that they also wanted to have a say in their costume designs! How absurd! Mike is NOT a cat NOR a cowboy!!! But Pluey was determined to get his way with a little 'coaxing'.
Word count: 2,594
Battat was in the Mike room, checking over the notes on his notepad. He wrote down a few theories in there during lunch break and he was now checking which ones were plausible enough to go on the corkboard. That was cut short, however, as he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. He glanced over his shoulder to see a familiar Shadowguy walking up to him, holding something behind his back. "Oh, it's you."
The Pippin turned around to face him. "What do you want? I'm busy, make it quick." He asked with an unamused tone. It's only been a few days since the Shadowguy and that Zapper snuck into the Mike room. Ever since then, they just wouldn't leave him alone. Reluctantly, he allowed them to stay and even participate in the entire "pretending-to-be-Mike" gig. But that didn't mean he WANTED them to be here, let alone liked them. He only let them join because they wouldn't let him be and because he could use the two additional pairs of hands to deal with Tenna. Any interactions with them besides the necessary ones were a drag for him.
Pluey, the Shadowguy, let out a short note of excitement before he took out what he had behind him and proudly showed it off. It was a drawing of the design Battat came up with for his Mike costume on a piece of paper. However, there were a few modifications added. The modifications in question being a pair of cat ears, a tail and more paw-like gloves and shoes.
The Pippin stared at it for a moment with an unreadable expression. Then, he looked up at him. "... Are you serious." The Shadowguy let out a cheerful noise and nodded eagerly. Battat looked back at the drawing. "..." He squinted his eyes and looked at him again. "Absolutely not."
Pluey's smile fell into a frown and he brought the drawing close to himself. He let out a disappointed tune, as if asking why not. The green Pippin let out an annoyed sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Because Mike is definitely NOT a cat!" He lowered his hand and looked up at him, annoyed. "You can't add cat features to the costume, Tenna's gonna figure out that something's off! Did you even THINK about that!?" Pluey stared at him for a moment before he looked down at his drawing. "..." He let out another disappointed whine. Battat rolled his eyes at him.
The Shadowguy looked back at him and moved the drawing close again, this time right up to his face. The Pippin grimaced. "Hey-! No!" He tried to move the paper away but the Shadowguy refused to budge. Battat let out a grunt before he shoved the drawing, making Pluey stumble a little and move the paper back to his chest with a huff. The Pippin scoffed and turned his back on him. "Now, if that was all, I have better things to do than to squabble! Go bother that Zapper you like so much instead!" He exclaimed angrily before going back to reading over the theories in his notepad, murmuring something about "obnoxious coworkers" under his breath.
Meanwhile, Pluey furrowed his eyebrows, slightly annoyed. The little theorist barely even considered it! Sure, it might've not been accurate to how Mike really looked like but... Then, he suddenly got an idea. A smile slowly creeped onto his face. He gently folded the paper and put it into his pocket before walking closer, up to the small Darkner from behind. Battat could practically feel the Shadowguy behind him. He let out an irritated sigh. "Just get over it! It's only a costuuU-!"
He was cut off as the mischievous Darkner suddenly grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down with him. Battat stumbled and dropped his notepad as he was pulled into the sitting Shadowguy's lap. He sputtered something incoherently, taken off-guard and a little bit flustered, before he started to try and get up. "Wh- what was that fohohOHOHOR-!?"
He was interrupted yet again, this time by Pluey pushing him back down and scribbling his fingers over his stomach. His other arm was keeping him in place from the back. The small Pippin was quick to start giggling at the unexpected sensation. He tried to squirm off the Shadowguy's lap and push his hand away but it was no use. The taller Darkner was significantly stronger than him and his position certainly didn't help.
"Wait! Waha- wahahahahit!!" He laughed out, unable to keep his snickers at bay. "Stoh- stahahap ihihit!!" Pluey did indeed stop scribbling but he instead started tracing something on his stomach with as ticklish of a touch as previously. Battat was still wriggling but he managed to focus enough to make out what the other was drawing. A small outline of a cat head. The demand was clear as day.
"Khhh- no!!! No way, Ihihi'm not making your costume lihike thahahat!" He refused, his face scrunching up as he tried to get down. The Shadowguy didn't let him, however. At the sound of his protest, he let out an amused whistle and his hands went over to the smaller ones sides and ribcage. He pinched and prodded at them, making the green Pippin squeal and start laughing uncontrollably all over again. "Pfff- nooahahahaha!!!"
Pluey refused to let up, digging his fingers into the Pippin's sides and the spaces between his individual ribs. He was playing him like an instrument, skillfully and confidently. It didn't help that Battat was annoyingly sensitive. It was driving him mad but his determination to make the Mike costumes as accurate as possible was keeping him from outright begging for mercy. Instead, he tried to keep his tone stern and authoritative but it was hard to do so through all the squeals and giggles. "Cuhuhut it ouhuhuhut!! Ihihi mehean ihihihihit!!!" Pluey let out a few notes that sounded awfully like amused chuckles.
The Shadowguy paused to draw something again. This time, he used both his fingers to trace an outline of a cat on the small Darkner's stomach. The Pippin let out a squeak before quickly putting a hand over his mouth. His face grew pink. It was so embarrassing... Pluey didn't seem fazed by the sudden noise though. He finished his little drawing with a few light scratches, making the other squeak again.
The Shadowguy stared at his "prisoner" expectantly, keeping up the gentle tickles and scratches. He was relentless in his pursuit to get the costume he wanted. Battat managed to catch his breath, though he was still tittering behind his hand. He squinted his eyes and tried to glare at his "captor" but he couldn't push down the smile in his eyes. He still refused to give in, as embarrassing as the situation was. It was about Mike, after all! And he took his Mike research VERY seriously. "Ihihi already said no! Gehet over ihit! And lehet me go!!!"
That seemed to be the wrong answer. Pluey's smile widened as he moved his hands to the other's sides to hold him still. The Pippin was confused but he quickly realized what was about to happen when he saw the Shadowguy take a deep breath in. His eyes widened and he started to snicker in panic and anticipation. "Wait! Wait, wait, WAIT-!!!" His pleadings went unanswered as Pluey leaned over, burying his face into Battat's stomach and blowing a raspberry.
The little Pippin practically shrieked in laughter, throwing his head back. His legs started to kick and his hands instinctively moved to the Shadowguy's head, trying to push him away while gripping his hair at the same time. His face was completely pink from laughter. "NOHOHOAHAHAHAHA!!!" His words of protest were barely coherent amidst all his laughs. Pluey held him a bit closer, wrapping his arms around him like a hug, and started nuzzling into the other. He let out an amused string of notes as he felt the smaller Darkner squirm and squeal in his grip.
"EHEHE- EHEHEHEHEK!!! FFF- FIHINE!!! FIHIHIHINE!!!" Battat laughed out loudly, finally breaking under the merciless tickling. "IHIHIHI'LL MAHAHAKE IHIHIT A CAH- CAHAHAHAT!!!" He yelled out desperately. Even the most devoted theorist had a breaking point, it seemed.
Pluey stopped his nuzzling. He tilted his head and looked at the Pippin in his arms, his smile turning into a satisfied grin. He let out a victorious whistle and tried to move his head up, only to be stopped by Battat's hands in his hair. He winced slightly as he felt them pull and tug his hair when he tried to move up but decided not to mention it to the disheveled Darkner yet. He decided to wait until the other got his bearings together.
Meanwhile Battat let out a small gasp to catch his breath. He started panting, still giggling a little. Now that he had a moment, he could think about what he just agreed to. Did he SERIOUSLY just agree to make that Shadowguy's costume a cat? A cat! Mike's not a cat!!! Tenna would SURELY catch onto the inconsistency, especially with the other Mike costumes not having cat features! But, at the same time, what could he do? If he refused, it would just get worse, wouldn't it? And even if it wouldn't, even if the key to winning the argument was just to wait it out until the other side gave up, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. Curse him and his sensitive body...
But he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a little.. fun. His breathing started to slowly even out. Pippins thrived on adrenaline and excitement, and the whole experience was quite a wild ride. His giggles quieted down into small snickers, the pink fading from his face. And, to be completely honest, Battat couldn't remember the last time he laughed like that. It felt nice, despite how embarrassing it was.
His thoughts were interrupted by the Shadowguy holding him. The Darkner let out a tune to get his attention. Battat looked at him and saw him with a small, awkward grin, pointing to his head where Battat's small hands were still tightly holding onto his hair. "Oh-!" The Pippin, only now realizing his hands were in the other's hair, quickly let go and moved them back, his face heating up again a little. When he took his hands off, Pluey put an arm on the other's upper back and gently pulled him up into a sitting position, still on his lap. Battat opened his mouth to say something but he closed it again when heard a new voice speak up. "Uhhh... Boss...?"
Both Battat and Pluey looked up to see their third, the Zapper you as readers might know as Jongler (the idea of minigame names as their names in-universe comes up much later). They were peeking into the room, looking slightly nervous. The position the other two were in went completely unaddressed.
"Oh, uh, yeah?" The Pippin asked, trying to regain composure after what just happened. "Uh, well... I just thought.. about da Mike costume thing... D'ya think ya could add a cowboy hat to mine?" "..." Battat stared at them in silence for a short moment. "... What." He deadpanned. " Ya know... A cowboy hat. Like da ones in the shows that Asgore likes ta watch." Battat's eyebrows furrowed. "A cow- cowboy hat!? Are you kidding me!?" He snapped.
"Why not?" The Zapper asked cluelessly. "What do you mean "why not!?" You can't have a cowboy hat in your MIKE costume! Mike is not a cowboy!!!" "Are ya sure?" Jongler tilted their head. "He might be a cowboy..." The Pippin's expression turned into irritation as he threw his hands up. "And what's the evidence to back that up, huh!? Where's the proof!? What's your source!?!?" "..." The Zapper put his hands behind his back, blushing slightly. "... Cause cowboys look cool..."
"..." Battat looked downright offended now. "THAT'S NOT A CREDIBLE SOURCE!!!" He yelled, waving his arms a bit in anger. " SOMETHING LOOKING "COOL" DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT!!! IT'S NOT EVEN A FACT, THAT'S JUST AN OPINION!!! MIKE IS DEFINITELY NOT A-" He started to rant but he quickly paused as he felt Pluey's hand creep onto his stomach. He didn't even need to look, he had a feeling he knew exactly what the Shadowguy was implying. And jeez, was that threat effective. He gulped. No way was he going through THAT again, especially not in front of a Zapper. Anyone but a Zapper.
His mouth twisted into a panic smile and he raised his hands in surrender. "A- actually, on second thought, why not!?" He stuttered out quickly in an overly cheerful manner. "Mike c-could've been a cowboy! Sure, there's no evidence for it.. but there's no evidence against it either, right!?" Pluey let out a quiet, approving note. Jongler perked up, clearly pleased with the change of heart. "Yea, dats right! Thanks, boss." And with that, they hopped off.
Battat let out a short sigh of relief. That was close... He could feel the Shadowguy's hand pat his stomach lightly, as if to say he made the right choice. Not that he had much of a choice to begin with... Pluey then gently pulled him off his lap and placed him on the floor next to him. He stood up and extended his hand towards the green Pippin. The smaller Darkner hesitated for a moment. He had half a mind to refuse and stand up on his own, but...
Reluctantly, he put his hand into his. The Shadowguy pulled him up with ease. He let out a friendly-sounding tune as he let go and gently patted his dice head. Battat's face cringed a little under the touch. Pluey moved his hand back and reached into his pocket, taking out the folded drawing. With one last whistle, he placed the paper onto the nearest desk and walked off, satisfied with the results of their little 'conversation'.
The dice stared after him, still processing what exactly just happened. He looked down at his hands, not really knowing what to do with himself now. It was.. a strange experience. He barely even knew the Darkner and yet the other was acting so familiar with him, as if he'd known him his entire life. Or was that normal? He wasn't sure. He didn't have much experience with other Darkners. Well, he wasn't all that experienced with his own kind either... It wasn't the WORST thing ever to happen to him. A bit humiliating but the Shadowguy didn't seem to be all that interested in teasing him for it or telling anyone. That was good, he supposed. Maybe.. having the other guys around wouldn't be so bad after all...? The Mike room did get a bit.. quiet at times...
He glanced at the drawing on the desk. He reluctantly picked it up and opened it to get a closer look. Yeah, it looked like something he could sew up. Getting a cowboy hat wouldn't be much of an issue either. His main concern was Tenna catching onto the inconsistencies with the costumes. Hopefully that wouldn't come back to bite him in the rear later on. But even if it did, he was sure he could make something up. Not that he had much of a choice anyway. Wouldn't want to get on the Shadowguy's bad side again. Even if the two other Mike costumes weren't going to be accurate. But, as hard as it was for Battat to admit, there might've been something more important than accuracy...
Congrats on reading through until the very end lol here's your gold star
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