Any headcanons for tenna you have that won't make it into the fic you think?
I sorta already had a doc of head cannons for him, oops—
I’LL LEAVE THEM HERE!! But warning it’s a lot of yapping, so yeah you’ve been warned. Also there’s some stuff here that has been referenced or been featured in A Livewire, but I think the majority is unrelated?
I feel like Tenna first made his fame through theater (wow, shocker). especially through stage plays and musicals — he was basically a star in whatever the Dark World’s version of Broadway is. Then eventually he hit the film industry and got even bigger there.
Might be obvious, but I think he’s got some form of BPD. Man cannot regulate his emotions to save his life. While he struggles with episodes and meltdowns (and absolutely thinks he’s “better” than therapy — what an idiot), he has taught himself some breathing exercises… which he learned from an old VHS tape on emotional regulation. lmaooo.
He has to have things run his way. Like, everything has to fit his routine or he starts getting anxious and twitchy. I wouldn't say he’s OCD, but it’s definitely a case of controlled chaos. If one piece of the puzzle’s missing, he loses it.
This man forgets to eat constantly. Orrr he just drinks instead. It's not healthy. at all.
but you? he’d make sure you’re well-fed — breakfast, lunch, dinner. You honestly help him build better habits just by being around. He wouldn’t cook nearly as many decent meals without you.
Talks to himself aaaaaall the time. borderline annoying. He narrates what he’s doing, sings random lyrics, anything to fill silence. It's worse when you’re quiet — then it becomes nervous mumbling or half-sung sentences.
While he desperately needs love and reassurance, he’s also weirdly confident?? Like he absolutely knows he’s kind of the shit (or was the shit). Sure, he has his moments, but he’s learned to fake it ‘til he makes it. Still, confidence doesn’t mean much unless other people see him the same way.
Touch-starved. Loney. A sad middle aged man.
Lowkey has toxic coping mechanisms (again shocker). He doesn’t want you to leave — ever. He'd rather just… do whatever you’re doing, with you. and if you try to leave without him or make him feel in any way abandoned? he will sabotage everything just to stop it. In his mind, you coming back to yell at him is better than you being gone.
Also lowkey a hoarder. This man probably still has the entire prop set from his first play. He can’t let go of things that made him who he is — even if they’re broken or useless.
Probably has stockpiles of old merch and deadstock from TV Time lying around. If he needs a new toothbrush, he’ll dig through a box and find a “limited edition Tenna brush” from the early 2000’s like it’s totally normal.
His laughs turn into tears, tears turn into laughs. He just can’t regulate what he feels. When he feels something, he feels it. big.
His alcohol tolerance is insane. good lord.
This man has absolutely been in multiple orgies, threesomes, etc. don’t ask.
He had a crazzzzy wild phase during his fame boom. Every drug you can imagine? Tried it. Every celebrity rising beside him? Probably slept with them. He blew more money than some people ever see in their lives — and it’s biting him in the ass now. Should’ve saved some of it, you stupid CRT.
Now he’s cheap as hell. refuses to spend money unless it’s necessary. That hole in the studio floor?
and even if safety inspectors show up? he’s got the charm and washed-up fame to get out of it with an autograph and a slap on the back.
Takes things super personally. Got heckled at a comedy show once and went home and cried. Mike had to reassure him for months.
big pervert. (this man is gross.)
His main love language is words of affirmation, but he’s a greedy bastard — he wants all of them. He loves love, loves being loved, and most of all, loves hearing you say it. he wants to feel it in the air. Greedy. Needy. Bastard.
When he falls for you, he falls hard.
But at first? he doesn’t really find anything extremely physically attractive about you — it’s your voice. If you say his name in a way he likes? oh boy, it’s wraps. he’s gone.
of course, he’ll come around to loving all your other parts too.