any headcanons for regressor tenna? :D
indeed i do!!! these build off of my post from a few days ago, which i recommend reading beforehand --- that one explains a lot of the context to his regression that i won't rehash here.
regressor tenna headcanons!
tenna began regressing during the big shot era without consciously knowing what he was doing or why. he sort of got overloaded and shut down, in a sense, living out a childhood that, as a darkner, he never got to have.
spamton was his primary caregiver during this time, but it wasn't ever properly discussed --- tenna's always been one to shy away from serious conversations when he gets the chance, and spamton's always managed to come off as harsh even when he's well-intentioned. for spamton, it became more of a chore than anything; making sure tenna was well taken care of, that his needs were met, that he was happy.
i mention this in my other post, but it's a lot like the struggle of having BPD and being terrified to tell your partner, even if you know that explaining things would make it easier for both of you. it's a lack of communication on both ends.
when spamton leaves, tenna assumes the worst, tying his regression into his reasoning as to why it happened in the first place, when that wasn't at all why spamton left --- it wasn't anything to do with tenna, not really, but that's what tenna thinks, so he moves forward supressing any feelings of regression or slipping.
he takes on more unhealthy coping mechanisms in this time, mostly as "harm prevention" to fight against slipping at an inopportune time. that's also around the time he puts himself into more of a caregiver role for others, making sure they're alright before ever considering himself.
it takes a long, long time for him to break out of that cycle.
i think that the knight is what it took for him to involuntarily regress again. all of the stress of chapter 3, his near-death, it shook him profoundly, as it would anyone. he was in a near-catatonic state, barely moving, barely speaking, wanting nobody but his mailman, half-forgetting the reality of where their relationship stood.
when he gets to castle town and gets repaired, things change a bit. there's no show to host. he's free, but he doesn't feel free. plagued by the horrors of what he endured, his past and present, it's too much for him. the mikes are still here for him, but he wants so badly for someone, anyone, to be there like spamton was for him.
he gets that when he's adopted by mettaton. someone who cares for him unabashedly, wholeheartedly, possibly more than they care about themselves. it still isn't ideal, but it's love.
in the light world, i think his regression is made obvious by his stubborn refusal to change the channel to anything but children's shows. mettaton just goes along with it, enjoying the background noise.
but once there's something of a dark world in mettaton's house, some way for him to be in his dark world form and for mettaton to be in an ideal body, it's a completely different story.
he doesn't have a set age he regresses to, but it's normally in the 4-8 range. childish and silly while still capable. he can be independent if he wants to be, but he definitely relies on mettaton for some things.
his clinginess is exacerbated significantly when he's regressed as well --- he'll shrink down more or less to the size an actual child might be just to cling to someone's leg or tug at their sleeve.
he's also very verbal when regressed, almost hyperverbal. he can not stop talking about anything and everything. like the "why" phase a child goes through, he asks mettaton all sorts of questions about the light world, himself, tv shows, everything. thankfully, mettaton doesn't mind. he likes talking, and he enjoys an audience, so why not indulge the kid's questions?
mettaton makes up these fantastical stories and adventures he's gone on, partially to fill the void in his heart that the question "why don't you ever go out?" creates, and he's actually very good at storytelling. tenna always listens eagerly and laughs at the sound effects mettaton makes.
they play dress up sometimes, at least in the dark world. there's all sorts of dresses and suits and accessories, so they put on little fashion shows to pass the time. maybe the mikes even (begrudgingly) take part in it.
speaking of the mikes. i think in this hypothetical dark world, they'd still be around, somehow. still pretending to be mike. so they're sort of secondary caregivers that give mettaton advice when he struggles.
overall he's just silly guys. i <3 him.
