tenna x reader one shot inspired by a tweet i made: "lightner with self-loathing, so they get upset at seeing themselves reflected on the tv’s glass but Tenna thinks that hatred is aimed at just them looking at Him i mean what who said that" aaand i decided to expand upon it (after some intrigue!!)
tenna's probably wildly ooc and i apologize for that 🙇♀️ im not a writer i just make silly pictures.... this was supposed to be just hcs but it grew too big and the story swallowed up the author (me)
You were locked in a staring contest with yourself. 'I don't want to exist anymore,' rings in your head. 'Get over yourself,' fights back. You aren't fully convinced with those words; you feel uniquely more deserving of the disdain pointed your own way than to others. It hadn't been as much of a problem until just recently, when it escalated. And right now you can't even stand your own reflection. Every time you look at yourself you can only muster up disappointment at best but loathing at worst. As such, you've tried to avoid mirrors when possible but when you catch a glimse of you face in the dormant TV screen, you instinctively frown. Your gaze sharpens, your brow furrows. You look away, unable to stand your own face, before leaving to busy yourself with any distraction to bury how you feel.
In the dark world, Tenna's stomach dropped seeing his lightner look at him with such contempt. He wasn't a stranger to occasionally, VERY RARELY (because he's so good at his job) airing a program that wasn't always a hit! But... he's not airing right now. You hadn't looked at one of his programs like that. You looked at him with that expression. You usually gave his lightworld form a warm smile...! But now...
Guilt flooded Tenna's body. He had to have done something wrong. He didn't know what and he didn't know when but he had to have messed up and messed up BIG to recieve such an expression. And he had to fix it. He didn't want to be thrown away, he didn't want to lose you. He wouldn't be able to take it if he did. And before he had realized it, he shrunk.
Tenna immediately calls Mike because if anyone knows what he did wrong it'll be him! After all, Mike records everything he ever does or says! And he needs to know what he did in order to know how to fix it! But reviewing it, Mike can't find anything out of the ordinary. Even through their consolation telling him, "C'mon, boss. You know your lightner really loves ya! I don't think ya did anything to upset 'em." But even with all of Mike's efforts Tenna can't be convinced. Maybe his lightner just got... bored of him. He didn't know he could shrink more.
You've worked all day to distract yourself from falling into a pit. But eventually the distractions run out and all you want now is to visit Tenna. When you arrive in the Dark World, its harder to find him than usual. You're used to him greeting you at the fountain, getting scooped up in his arms as he spins you around in a hug, far too excited to see you again! But this time there's no one waiting so you begin the trek back to the studio through the snow.
Shadowguys and Zappers and Pippins are busy at work but Tenna's still not around. Upon your arrival in the Green Room, Mike quickly locates you. "Sorry, da boss's been cooped up in his office all day. He's been, uh... feelin' pretty glooby lately, but maybe you could help 'im. He really cares about you," is unfortunately the only explanation you get.
You give a gentle knock on the door before slowly opening into the office. Tenna's nowhere to be seen but his sniffles are certainly heard. Rounding his desk, you see him sitting on his desk chair, barely taking up any space. Tenna curls into himself when he hears you approach-- he can't bear to look up at you. What if you have that expression again? What if you came here in person just to tell him how much you're sick of him, and you're finally throwing him out for good, and he'll be all alone again. You sit on the floor, lowering yourself to his level. His antenna are drooping over his turned-off screen.
"Hey, what's got you so glooby?"
Tenna can't resist your voice. He slowly lifts his head and, seeing that ever-sweet expression on your beautiful, perfect face, he takes a deep breath and immediately begins crying.
Tenna kneels down and clasps his hands, rambling, "I don't know what I did wrong but whatever it was, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I wanna fix it because I love being your TV so, so much! I can't be thrown away! Please, please, angel, don't throw me away... I can do better, I can be a better TV for you! Just please... I don't wanna be thrown away..." His voice is breaking like its getting a bad signal. He tugs at his antenna while tears seep from his screen and fall onto the leather of the seat below him. He's shaking.
You startled seeing his reaction. Tenna has shown his insecurities plenty of times before but this was... "Woah, hey, you didn't do a single thing wrong!" You move to secure and gently cradle your hands around him. You're always so gentle with him even though you know he's physically much stronger than you. Before he even realizes it, he's moved to grasping onto your fingers. It's tight and you can feel his claws but he's afraid if he lets go, you'll leave.
After a pause, Tenna asks, "When you looked at me with such a dark look earlier... I thought... maybe you'd gotten sick of me..."
Your eyes widen when you make the connection behind the question and entire misunderstanding. "Oh... oh that wasn't directed at you! I'm sorry. I just... whenever I look at myself I just remember all the things I... don't really like about me. So when I saw my reflection..." you trail off. "I didn't mean for you to think anything was your fault. And I'm not throwing you away! I just missed you. You always try so hard to make me happy, or give me a distraction when I need it, to make me feel like I'm at home. So I just wanted to come see you. Being around you always makes me feel better and like everything'll all be okay."
You thought this would relieve him to know it wasn't anything he did, expecting him to start growing to normal size again. But... he hadn't yet. While it was relieving for him to hear and he wasn't quite as small as before... he still feels bad. Something was wrong with his lightner and he didn't even realize. He should've been able to cheer you up. He should've known something was wrong and here he was, feeling bad about himself instead of doing his job! You were consoling him! He should be helping you feel better! He's supposed to be the distraction! He's TV! He...! He...
...He doesn't want to just be a distraction from this. He doesn't want his lightner to ever feel that way about themselves. He doesn't know what happend to make you think such things about yourself but you're too sweet, too funny, too patient and kind... He's trembling a bit but turns his screen back on and turns to you, holding your gaze for a moment.
Your soul feels heavy seeing him like this, so you give him a comforting smile. Tenna's voice is uncharacteristically small when he says "I don't want you to have to deal with those feelings alone. I don't want you to deal with them at all. You don't deserve it... and I'd always do anything and everything to remind you how much you mean to me."
"And you mean everything to me too, Tenna. I just... feel like I should be able to deal with issues on my own. 'N not make you deal with my problems, I guess. I know it doesn't make much sense to say that about myself when I always wanna help you out. But... you're just so great, it kinda feels like I don't deserve you sometimes? I really hope you know you've only ever been the best thing that's happened to me."
Hearing this, Tenna stares at them for a brief moment before sniffling, and that signature, goofy, wiggly smile appears on his face. Hearing your words, he quickly grows back to size. He effortlessly scoops you up in his arms, hugging you tightly. The static leaves a familiar, comforting feeling as he nuzzles your face with his screen.
"Sweetheart! Ohhhh, my star!!! Don't deserve me? I don't deserve you! You're the perfectest lightner I could have ever dreamed of. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes!"
"How is that supposed to work? You don't even have eyes!" you teased him.
"Pssh! Eyes, screen, antenna, doesn't matter! It's just some of that special TV Magic," He waves it off. "If you ever can't love yourself, then I'll just have to give you extra-dextra attention so you could never forget how wonderful you are!" Tenna looks into your eyes. "There isn't a single thing about you that I could ever hate, " before he lightheartedly says to a nonexistent audience, "(Closest is how you have to use a smartphone or laptop, but in this day and age, can’t be helped!)”
You laugh at his dramatic display and reassure him, "Even if laptops and smartphones do exist, and are very handy for lightners, they'd never compare to a TV as perfect as you."
You watch his tight smile wobble before a flower blooms from his nose and he smiles even wider. "And I hope you always remember nothing could ever compare to a lightner as perfect as you!"
dailybridgerton
vaporwave
origamiaround
baratheonpilled
blakekathryn
titsay
stormborns
snowghoul
kianamaiart
kaledo-art
