Chapter Text
Spamton and Tenna's TV Time! The name had a catchy ring to it, at least in Tenna's not so humble opinion. It was what he had been working towards for months. He wanted his partner, his favorite little mailman, to join him on his show as a co-host. He had the charm, the charisma, he would do great! Tenna told him that time and time again yet Spamton would always have some excuse. I'm on your ads, how much more do you want to see my face! or I'm a businessman, not a host! It was always something. But Tenna was nothing if not ambitious, and he was good at wearing people down.
Besides, he needed to know what his secret was. How he made it so big so quickly. It was amazing, like it happened overnight. Tenna had to stay relevant. To the Dreemurrs and their friends, to his employees, to Spamton. If he didn't then what? He needed a benefactor like him..Mike.
Spamton never talked about him, whenever Tenna asked he'd just brush it off and say it wasn't important or that he just got lucky, but the CRT had listened in.. Eavesdropping wasn't a good thing, but this was important! That's how he learned Mike's name. It began easier to listen to their conversations though as they got more and more frequent. It seemed like just a year ago their phone calls would only be a couple of times a week and only take a couple minutes, but now it seemed like they were daily, and sometimes went for a little over an hour. He sometimes heard Spamton muttering to himself, almost as if he was having a conversation with the benefactor even though he wasn't on the phone. Sure, it was a bit of an odd situation, but Tenna could deal with that! If Spamton would just tell him then they could be big together.
Together.. That was what he wanted. To stay with his partner and be the kings of the screen. Maybe the smaller darkner could even teach him how to use email! He just needed him to sign the contract. Then it would be heaven…
There had just been a premier for a new show and the studio was absolutely buzzing with activity. While everything had been recorded and edited a few days prior, this was the first time that everyone, both darkners and lightners, would get to see the finished project. Of course everyone was excited about it. Tenna had to say he was probably the most enthused though. This was his purpose after all, of course he was the one to be the most stoked about something new coming out. Something that he had made, whether that be through acting, writing, producing, or whatever else.
He had also made sure that Spamton had been able to make some new ads, as the other ones has run for a few weeks already. There was nothing worse than stale advertisements! The smaller darkner would say. Tenna supposed it was true. Ads did get annoying after a bit. But he found he had started giving him more opportunities to make new content more and more often. It was a way to spend time together, at least in Tenna's mind. They worked late nights coming up with ideas and how to film the different shots. All the nitty gritty details that realistically could be dealt with by others on the staff, but yet they still preferred doing. They had some of their best moments there.
Tenna couldn't think about that now though. He was just about to reach the after party in the green room. Everyone would be waiting in there. Ramb would have drinks, Elnina and Lanino would probably have some type of entertainment lined up such as a party game or karaoke or whatever was new and popular these days, and, of course, Shuttah would be there to take pictures of it all.
He enters the room and is greeted with a cacophony of noises from the large group already inside. It seemed as if the party was in full swing already, with the shadowguys playing upbeat music and the pippins scurrying about making conversation. Tenna's eyes immediately begin scanning the room for Spamton though. He did that more times than not anymore. He always invited Spam to these kinds of events, saying that he was part of the cast and deserved to reap the rewards. The email man had attended them a lot in the past, but anymore he was showing up less and less.
He finally catches a glimpse of a bright red suit and then sees the slicked back black hair and feels almost relief. He was here. Tenna begins moving quickly through the crowded room, saying polite 'hellos' and 'how are you's?' as people noticed him. He soon catches up to where the other darkner was sitting, sipping a drink that Ramb had concocted while watching the room with a sort of appraising look.
"You made it!" The CRT exclaimed, raising his hands with a large grin. He sits at the other end of the couch, angling himself so that he could see his friend.
Spamton looks over and shrugs, giving a small, slightly smug smile. "I had the time. Figured I'd rather be here than with those florescent salesmen in Cyber City."
Tenna knew he meant he Addisons, and while he had never met them and Spam didn't talk about them much, he could tell they had a complicated relationship. He didn't want to pry though, especially not now, so he just nods. "Well I'm glad you made it! The cast has missed you at these events!" I've missed you. He adds mentally, a part of him hoping that the businessman would pick up on the implication.
It seems as if he does and he almost looks sheepish, something that practically never happened. He runs a hand through his hair to smooth it and replies, "Well, I've missed 'em too. And I gotta stick around to do some meet and greets so they don't forget who the big shot advertiser around here is." He takes a gulp of his drink after, appreciating the distraction that the slight burn provided. Ramb always made good drinks, he would give the bartender that.
"Oh, I don't think anyone could forget about you!" Tenna beams, shaking his head a little. The salesman was bigger than life! To forget about him would be like forgetting how to breathe. It was just impossible.
Spamton lets out a huff of a laugh at that, "Thanks Tens, you sure know how to make a guy feel good."
You deserve it, Tenna thinks but he just settles on, "Well, you know I try! Now, what do you want to do? Surely we can have more fun than just sitting around here all evening!"
"You want to leave the party already? Seems a bit rude, seeing as you're the boss and all." The other darkner teased, giving a wink.
If Tenna had any less repose he knew would have blushed at that. At least as much as a TV could blush. But, he luckily was able to keep the little pink hue at bay and scoffs good-naturedly instead. "That's not what I meant and you know it! Fine, I'll rephrase: what would you like to do here? It looks like Lanina and Elnino have karaoke set up for tonight, that could be fun!"
Spamton gives a look, the one he gives when even the mention of an idea sounds absolutely awful and replies blankly, "I don't sing. I'm not a bird or a CD player or whatever. Even if I was interested, I'm absolutely not doing it in front of your employees."
The CRT lets out an overly dramatic sigh, but doesn't protest. He had learned early on that if the email darkner didn't want to do something, he wasn't doing it. And no amount of coaxing could change his mind. So, it was onto the next thing. Except..there wasn't really a next thing. These parties were more about socialization than anything, and it seemed as if Spam wasn't exactly jumping at that opportunity. Spamton interrupts his train of thought, almost as if he read the TV's mind, "How about we just stay here? Enjoy these free drinks." He holds up his glass and swirls what liquid is left around as if for emphasis.
"Well.. if you want then that's fine by me, but I don't want you to be bored!" Tenna responds, internally happy that Spamton even wanted to stay in the first place.
Spamton just shakes his head and mutters something like, "It's about impossible to be bored around you," Tenna just barely catches it between all the background noise and lets himself smile widely to himself.
They spent most of the evening together sitting on that couch and talking while sipping a variety of different drinks. The CRT did have to make a couple rounds and talk to people to be polite and ensure they were having a good time, but he always came back to the little mailman and resumed their conversation.
It didn't take too long for them both to become tipsy, and the TV host stopped after he started to begin to feel the effects. He did have an important image to maintain, and he didn't want to feel any type of impairment in the morning. Spamton, however didn't seem to take the same precautions and instead kept going. He had never gotten completely blackout drunk in all the time that Tenna had known him, and honestly he didn't want him too. The hangover would be awful and who knows what he would do in the moment. So, after downing the third drink and trying to go back for a fourth, Tenna follows and drags him back to the couch, telling Ramb not to give him anything else besides water.
Unsurprisingly, Spamton wasn't happy with this, grumbling about how "I can take care of myself," and "I know my limits you overgrown monitor." Tenna wasn't really sure what a monitor was, but he assumed it was some new Cyber City technology he hadn't been shown yet. Either way it didn't change the fact that no more drinking was in order and he plops them both down on one of the couches again.
However it was so interesting how different Spam could get when in this state. It was obvious to anyone with eyes (or even without in Tenna's case) that he was far more relaxed than he ever was sober. His shoulders seemed looser and there was a sort of expression he had that the CRT had only ever seen on him when he had downed a couple of battery acid glasses. He laughed easier, talked more if that were possible, and it was almost as if he had more confidence. Though that was a bit of an odd thing to think though considering he was basically the epitome of that trait. He exuded it in every way. He was the guy who could get on stage and ad-lib for a product he hadn't even heard of before and still get the item sold out. But this confidence felt a bit different, less..performative. In some ways it was nice to see him be able to let loose and just enjoy himself, but at the same time he shouldn't have to only be able to do that through the means of alcohol. Tenna wanted this place to be safe for him, he wanted to be a safe place for him. But yet he wasn't sure how to get that across aside from just saying it. He was just about to say something, maybe offer to talk if the other wanted, when he's abruptly brought out of his thoughts by the mailman jumping up, wobbling ever so slightly before catching his balance again and then exclaiming, "I have to go take a phone call!"
Tenna stands quickly after, beginning to follow Spamton as he starts walking to his dressing room. "Right now? Surely your benefactor has other better things to do at 10 in the evening on a Friday night."
"How do you know it's my benefactor?" He practically spat out, not bothering to stop walking.
Here he goes again, the CRT thinks. Whenever the topic ever even got close to the person on the other end of the phone his partner immediately got so defensive. "Because no one else would call you this late on a Friday night!" He retorts but before he can follow the email darkner into his dressing room the door closes with a sharp click. "For the love of the light." He mutters and leans against the wall by the door. He knew he should probably go back to the party and socialize with the others, but he couldn't help but feel nervous. This wasn't normal. A normal deal with some other person didn't require phone calls at such random times when most would be sleeping or out with others. It was almost like Mike knew what Spamton was doing, when he was awake and where he was. But surely that was just paranoia. There was no way that could happen, right? Technology was advanced and there was a lot of stuff he didn't understand, but if nothing else he knew how phones worked and that wasn't it. This was all just coincidence. It had to just be coincidence. Still though he couldn't shake that feeling.
Tenna knew this was probably going to take awhile, so he decides to go back out to the green room to tell the others that he was going to turn in for the night. He makes excuses about being tired and how he had to get up early in the morning to continue work on a great show, but after he leaves the room he goes back to his business partners dressing room and decides to just wait. He would tell him goodnight, wish him the best, maybe offer him a spot to sleep at the studio so he didn't have to go all the way back to Cyber City, and he would make sure he was okay. That's all he needed. That's the only reason he was waiting. It was only natural, right?
The call didn't seem to take quite as long as the others and soon the door to the dressing room was opening. Tenna scrambled up from where he had slid down to sit on the floor and looks at Spamton. He seemed a bit different. More tired maybe.. and he didn't have that happy glint in his eye that he had before. "Are you okay? What did he say?" The TV host can't help but ask, trying to hold back his almost overwhelming concern.
The smaller darkner seemed slightly surprised to see the other there, but forces a smile quickly and waves him off. "It was nothin' just some advice for a new promo I'm working on."
Tenna could see the lie from a mile away, and while it hurt a bit he chooses to ignore it. He couldn't make him talk, and he didn't want to just stress him out more. So, he just tries to offer his own slightly forced smile and replies, "Okay.. Well I was just waiting to tell you goodnight! I also wanted to let you know you're welcome to stay here if you don't feel like traveling all the way home."
Spam seems to consider it and then nods. "Yeah, sure. It'd be easier."
That made his smiler come back a bit bigger and he almost changes height a little bit. Of all things even something as simple as that managed to make him ecstatic. "Well great! I already told everyone in the green room goodnight, so I'll head back, but if you want to tell them as well then I'll wait for you."
Spamton just shakes his head, "Nah, I'll just go with you now. I'll see all the others tomorrow."
Tenna nods and the two begin to walk through the studio together. Perhaps it was a bit on the nose that he actually lived there, but with how small the dark world was he just found it to be easier than trying to find somewhere else to go. It didn't take them long to get to the end of a hall that had a large wooden door. He unlocks it and they both go inside before Spam almost immediately flops down onto the couch like he always did when they stayed together.
The CRT can't help but laugh as he takes his shoes off and pulls his tie loose. It didn't seem to matter how many times it happened, it never failed to amuse him how quickly his partner would just make himself comfortable. "I'm going to go change." He says and goes into the bedroom. He comes back out a couple moments later in a TV time shirt and some pajama pants that made Spamton laugh at him. It seemed as though the darkner in question was already half asleep on the couch. Tenna quietly goes over and lightly touches his shoulder. "You should change clothes. Then we can get some rest." He offers.
"Yeah, that'd be nice." Spam murmurs and stands up. He hadn't even realized how tired he was until he laid down on the couch. He changes using the clothes that he always left there for just in case times like these, and once he goes into the bedroom he finds Tenna already there, leaning against the headboard and looking at the ceiling. His gaze moves to the salesman as he enters however and a small smile comes over him. He pats the spot next to him and Spamton wastes no time going over and getting settled. It wasn't even close to being their first time sharing a bed, and honestly now that they had started there was no going back. It was just too comfortable.
Soon they're both laying down next to each other, curled up under the blankets of the large bed. It was so quiet, you couldn't even hear the party going on in the other part of the studio. Spamton liked that a lot about Tenna's place. It was so different to the city and his place in the mansion that always had a cacophony of noises at all times of the day. Here he could actually relax for once. His thoughts continues in a slow, lazy way until his partner says a soft, "Good night Spam."
"Good night Tens." He replies easily in his own soft, low voice. The CRT then turns out the bedroom light and they're both bathed in darkness.
They lay like that for a long time, but Mike just kept popping back up in Tenna's head. Why was Spam always so defensive about him? Why not just tell him what was going on and how to make his own deal with the guy? He begins speaking before he even realizes it, "Spammy? Are you still awake?"
The other darkner stirs slightly and responds, "Yeah, what do you need?"
"I just wondered when you'd tell me about your secret to success. If you did it now it'd be over with."
Spamton stiffens and stays silent for a moment, as if debating what to say. "I'll tell you soon." He settles on, trying to keep it vauge so he can worm out of it again later.
"You said that before. That was over three months ago now. Tell me a date." Tenna points out, turning his head so that he could see his partner better.
The email darkner sighs and once again is quiet for a moment. "I'll tell you tomorrow." He settles on finally. He had no intentions of holding to that decision, but if it would get the TV host to be quiet and go to sleep then he would be able to work with it. And hey, maybe he was more asleep than Spamton thought and wouldn't even remember it in the morning.
This, of course, causes Tenna to get excited again and he pulls Spam across the mattress and into a bone crushing hug. "I knew you would tell me eventually! Tomorrow.. I can wait until tomorrow."
The white darkner squirms slightly against the tight hug but eventually relaxes into it. Tomorrow..I have to figure out a way to worm out of this by tomorrow. He thinks. He closes his eyes after that, but he has a feeling that he probably won't be able to sleep very much tonight now that he backed himself into this corner.