Chapter Text
Rouxls had been having… issues, lately. Not the usual ones of nobody would use his puzzles or he really needed to get in the good graces of an evil overlord sometime soon – in fact, with everything considered, he was living quite comfortably. Being swept up into Castle Town was one of the better things to happen to him in life, and he obviously wasn't going to complain about the free housing. It was the kind of luxury – or at least mildly safe – life he'd always deserved! There wasn't too much to complain about if he stayed away from the Addisons and their advertisements they'd taken over half the town with.
In regards to his typical problems? They'd all been overwritten after he finally – finally! – scored a role as second-hand to... well, he'd initially thought that TV Guy was evil. Apparently, he was just eccentric. And a little sad and weird? No critique on Rouxls' part! Everyone in Castle Town was a little sad and weird. Outside of Rouxls himself, naturally.
Regardless, Rouxls hadn't let that strangeness deter him from filling the role of co-host as best he could, and Tenna – TV Guy’s real name – had been beyond receptive. He’d been strangely enthusiastic, actually. While Rouxls had initially been on guard and suspicious, it turned out that the eagerness was just another part of Tenna being really lonely, God, okay. Sure, Tenna had a less-than-savory track record with employee care, and he could be a bit over-the-top, like he was compensating for something he felt he lacked. That wasn’t that big of a deal! Everyone did that last thing anyway, Rouxls was certain. It was nothing Rouxls would up and leave over, and besides, Tenna had been doing much better in the employee treatment category!
(Rouxls felt pretty content at his side, at any rate, even if he only half-counted as “employed”.)
In exchange for occasionally helping out with an episode of Tenna’s little show when needed, Rouxls got to personally offer creative insight on the games! He had an outlet for all of his puzzles, and Tenna actually listened! None of Rouxls’ other evil monarchs did that! That alone was good enough reason for Rouxls to be enjoying himself, not to mention that Tenna was overall quite amicable. And charismatic. And a shockingly good friend. And –
Well, there was plenty good about him. More than the average leader Rouxls took to following behind, shining in their shadow with all his endless glory. Tenna was someone worthy of Rouxls’ intelligence and prestige, and that was truly what kept Rouxls around.
…And the power and status. Of course. Even if that had fallen to the wayside of Rouxls’ mind, it certainly wasn’t irrelevant! It wasn’t as if Rouxls would stay without…
…
He didn’t need to think about that too hard. He’d done very well his entire life not mulling over nuance, and by the Gods, he sure wasn’t going to start! Rouxls was smart on his own merits. Who needed to consider things when they’d always make the right decisions and think the right things the first time!? Not him! Definitely not him.
Working with Mr. Tenna was a grand deal with all that in mind – more of a business partnership than a henchman thing, but Rouxls wasn’t complaining. In fact, it was quite cozy in its own right! When Tenna had dragged in that weird puppet that smelled vaguely of garbage, though? Rouxls had some… poorly internalized complaints, to put it lightly.
The explanation had been a bit long winded and interspersed with the clunky marionette yelling protests through glitchy advert headings. Despite Rouxls’ hesitations, he’d always been listened to by Tenna, so he graciously sat down and heard Tenna out on why the weird spam-mail-obsessed freak deserved to stay in the studio. They’d known each other at some point, as it turned out, and the puppet – Spamton was his name – had gone through some awful horrors to mangle him into… whatever he was now. What, precisely, those horrors were remained unknown. Frankly, Rouxls didn’t want to know anymore. It felt like he’d be messing with some powers beyond his pay grade if he figured out the mystery.
Still a fun story, even if Rouxls couldn’t get his head around it; not out of a lack of intelligence, just merely that it sounded so deranged Rouxls wouldn’t have believed it from anyone but Tenna. He didn’t question it too hard and Spamton found a place in Tenna’s little castle studio room, usually sleeping on top of the garbage bin. Initially, Rouxls had planned to not look at him too hard and hoped they were never assigned on a project together. Things wouldn’t be so hard if they went to plan! Even if Tenna was endeared to the little beast, Rouxls didn’t have to be, so long as he reserved his judgements for notecards he’d throw into the same trash can the thing slept on.
The whole ignore it and don’t think too hard about it plan had only lasted so long. It wasn’t like Tenna had a plethora of employees at his beck and call anymore, and soon enough, Rouxls had found himself working on decorations and puzzle planning with the menace. Spamton talked just as much, if not more than Tenna did, too, so shrugging him off and working silently was no option, either. At the time, Rouxls had clenched his jaw and barely handled the annoyance.
These days, though? Rouxls thanked whatever deity or being favored him enough to let him up in such a position.
Spamton certainly wasn’t any less strange than Rouxls had initially taken him to be, and the puppet wasn’t refuting that by any means. There was just… more to him than that initial freakiness. He knew more than Rouxls had initially taken him to, and he was rather friendly once Rouxls was able to see through his buggy phishing-scam-esque statements. He started see why Tenna had liked the puppet, with time. The two former partners were similarly enthusiastic. Eccentric. They wanted an audience, some group of people who loved them, and Rouxls supposed he could understand the desire. Of course, fans flocked to him wherever he went, but others weren’t so lucky!
(Why Tenna and Spamton didn’t have suitors out the door, Rouxls couldn’t fathom a reason for.)
The two had gone from begrudging frenemies to rather amicable coworkers – friends, if Rouxls could be so bold, and he would be – in no time at all. With that, Rouxls had two darling companions at his side who he had the pleasure of working with every day, along with a reliable place to stay and a cozy studio to hang out in. Really, he shouldn’t have been troubled at all! He was at the top of the world! Every Darkner worth their salt surely envied him by this point, though they likely did even before all his current success.
There was just some… strange nagging feeling. In his chest, maybe? He’d noticed his heart picking up speed at random times in the day as of late, mixed with a strange nausea and lightheadedness. Darkners couldn’t fall ill outside of the transforming into statues thing, far as Rouxls knew, and he knew everything within reason! If they could get sick, Lancer likely would’ve gotten whatever disease Rouxls was suffering from back when he was in his era of eating just about any object in the Card Kingdom available to him. Good lord, children could be little devils. Delightful ones! Usually.
That left Rouxls tough out of luck. If he had no ideas, he doubted any average Darkner would know anything, and as insightful as Tenna and Spamton could be, he figured telling them would only make it worse. Tenna might do something as bold as putting Rouxls on bedrest or telling him to take a day off! Mortifying. Downright evil. Rouxls would never. Not unless it was on his own accord, of course, because he could take breaks whenever he wanted! He just… didn’t want to. The idea of being away from Tenna or Spamton for too long while they worked alone was making that nausea creep up again, so he doubted it’d do anything good for the plague that Rouxls was battling..
Only one option, then! Keep on working. Rouxls wouldn’t surrender his status all to continue being sick over the fact he wasn’t working – what was he? Some sort of fool? It had to be that he simply missed his job, and that was why the idea of that TV-head and the chaos creature of a puppet were making him sweat. Troublesome, but easy to disregard.
There wasn’t much to be done today, a small mercy to his ailing self. Rouxls had gotten a memo from Spamton, which was crammed under his door and written in all capital letters, that there was a TV Time episode to be hosted in the Café. Fine and well and dandy, as far as Rouxls was concerned! They’d hosted there before, and it typically didn’t get too noisy until the show actually started. Even if the odd bird butler kept shooting him strange looks when he didn’t think Rouxls was looking, Spamton made it bearable, and he’d be there this time around. Perfectly fine. So long as work cured his inexplicable illness, he’d be right as –
Not rain. Using weather metaphors felt odd after all he’d gone through with… those two.
He’d be fine. That was the important part!
After adjusting his cuffs a normal amount of times in the mirror, then combing through his hair until it perfectly swooped over his forehead, Rouxls headed out into the hall. Upstairs was the studio and some of the other residences, though Tenna’s was the only one that mattered to Rouxls as of now. He didn’t exactly need to head inside, since he already knew his assignment elsewhere, but… hm. For some reason, that pulsing in his chest that might’ve been his SOUL acting up was guiding him right to Tenna. Strange. Was this illness some kind of parasite, hoping to exploit his relationships with those around him? A computer virus, of sorts?!
…Wait. Rouxls wasn’t a computer! Nevermind, then. He would be entirely fine.
He still wasn’t the sort to deny his heart, diseased or not. Rouxls started up the stairs immediately, idly combing back his white locks as he went. Did he look good? Tenna did have an affinity for complimenting Rouxls’ looks, and Rouxls didn’t want to give him a reason to not do so this time! Not that Rouxls didn’t try to look good for others, he simply… didn’t have to try as hard. Tenna was an absolute darling, if Rouxls did say so himself! It was natural Rouxls would need to put in some extra effort to impress him.
Rouxls managed to make it most of the way down the hall before a door was thrown open next to him.
“Gah –” He yelped in a manner he would call utterly dignified, as he did everything. “Who goeth there?! Do note testeth mine Capabilities in battle, or Else –”
“Oh It’s You.”
Ah. Grand.
In front of Rouxls, towering over him to a degree he wasn’t entirely comfortable with, was Queen. Her hand held onto the door she had very nearly hit Rouxls square in the face with, head tilted just slightly. If he had to guess, she was scrutinizing him, though it wasn’t as if she had eyes to give much away with. Maybe she was admiring his beauty? Anyone would! It didn’t exactly make Rouxls feel as odd as it did when Tenna or Spamton commented on his appearance, but it would do. He’d never deny some royal attention, long overdue as it may be.
“Mine Queen!” Rouxls clasped his hands under his chin. Even if he had no interest in defecting from Tenna’s ranks, he had to put forth a good impression! You know. Just in case. “Looking stunninge as ever. To whateth do I owe this Occasione?”
“Oh It Isn’t About You.” She held a hand in front of her mouth, screen displaying the letters LMAO. Rouxls still had no clue what that meant! Or how to pronounce it, for that matter. No bother. It was likely some modern nonsense. “I Actually Kind Of Forgot You Were Here. Or How Much You Look Like A Lamp. What’s Up With That.”
Rouxls very politely held his tongue on the fact he was the lamp that had spent a frankly embarrassing amount of time in her room. How hadn’t he seen the opportunity he had with Tenna and Spamton sooner? Queen didn’t seem to care much about the answer anyway and continued onward, looking around idly in place of meeting Rouxls’ gaze. Certainly due to how intimidating and dashing he was, he imagined. Gods, he really was stunning.
“I Wanted To Ask About: Weird TV Guy.”
“Mine Tenna! Thoust hast seen his Grace? His Charme? Isn’t he just Dashingeth?” Rouxls rocked back on his heels at just the mention of Tenna. He’d utterly lucked out working with the man, truly! Rouxls’ own prowess at winning over royals never failed to shock him.
“Oh Yeah He’s Kind Of Cool And Funny I Guess. I Show Him Cat Videos And He Asks Me What Keyboards Are. LMAO. It’s Fun.” Queen’s screen flashed those strange four letters again. “Not Really What I Was Talking About But: Thanks For Asking.”
“I could talketh about Mine Tenna for Eons if I musteth.”
A moment of silence passed. Queen looked directly at Rouxls, frowned, then shrugged.
“That’s Nice Honey Schmookums,” another pause, “Um. Rocksels.”
“It ist pronounced, ‘Rules’.”
“Yeah That’s What I Said LOL.”
“You Literally did Note.”
“Anyways.”
“Anyways???”
“Anyways,” Queen repeated, gesturing as though she were swirling a wine glass, “Have You Checked On That Guy Lately.”
“I… have not. Why? Has Calamatie occurredeth?” That nausea, the fluttering of his chest, that heat – it was rising again at the idea of Tenna on his own. The thought of him being hurt, with Rouxls swooping in as a hero to save him…
“Oh No,” Queen started before hesitating and backtracking. “Well Maybe I Don’t Know. What Do You Count As: Calamity.”
“A dragone holding him Captiveth, only to Release him once I cometh in wielding mine Daggere on a nobleth Chariot?”
“Oh,” Queen poorly suppressed a snicker, “Then Probably Not I Don’t Know. There Has Been A Total Of: Zero Dragons Today.”
Pity, that.
“I Was Just Wondering If He,” she made a circular motion with her wrist, “Like. Normally Sits In His Room Pacing Fervently. And Doesn’t Leave For Five Hours.”
“Five?! He normallye only takeseth, Like, two!”
“He Should Get That Checked Out Maybe.”
“No, no, I doeth it too.”
“Yeah No I Should’ve Expected That,” Queen said as she leaned back on the doorframe. Rouxls got the vibe she wasn’t saying that in a particularly charitable way, but he let it slide. There were bigger issues to address than that! Such as the thrumming of his SOUL in his chest, for instance! …Wait, no. He was ignoring that. Right, right.
“I will… go Investigateth his troublese…” Rouxls murmured, beginning to step backward. “Do noteth Disturbe me, wench. I have to Attende to mine Compatrioteth.”
“I’m A Computer Not A Wrench.” “Wench.”
“Yeah No I Heard You.”
“Thou ist the oneth who requires, as Thou puts it, ‘Checkinge Out’.” Rouxls narrowed his eyes at her. He was still uncertain if she acted stupid on purpose, even after knowing at least a couple details about her by now. It also didn’t matter to him at this point! …Or at any point. Who said monarchs needed to be intelligent?
“People Check Me Out A Lot LOL.”
Okay. Whatever.
“That is… Nice. I Guesseth.”
“No Not Really They’re Weird About It. But: We Ball.”
That time, Rouxls was the one to go silent. He blinked once, twice, then shook his head and groaned.
“Whatevere. I will be Aloneth with mine beloved Hoste, if thou doest not Mindeth.”
“I Think You’re Going Anyway. Why Would You Care About My Opinion LOL. But Yes I Want You To Go I Literally Asked.”
“...Kinde of Forgoteth about that, amidst the Everythinge Else.”
“I’m Really Good At Making People Lose Track Of Time I’ve Heard.”
“Thou shalt not distracte Me from mine Maineth Goal!” Rouxls turned on his heel, not intending to waste any more time with Queen. As great of a ruler as she could be – she wasn’t at all, but Rouxls felt a bit morally obligated to call her okay, at least – she was also particularly good at being insufferable in conversation. Nothing Rouxls, in all his effortless grace, couldn’t handle. He just had more to deal with in the present moment. “Onwarde I venture!”
“Have Fun Honey Sweetie Goober Pie.”
Rouxls would address Queen’s overuse of borderline infantilizing pet names some other time. He was on a one-minded path to Tenna’s room, which, thankfully, wasn’t but a couple yards away. Queen was still watching him when he knocked on the double doors with his mouth opened in the biggest smile he could manage. It didn’t even feel forced, as it so frequently had been around the King! Miraculous. Tenna’s presence could really work wonders.
“Tennaaaaaa, mine Liege! Thou’s favorite Assistante Supreme has arrived for an obligatorie Check Uppeth!” Rouxls folded his hands behind his back, mimicking the posture he’d used when “posing as” (he called it practicing to be) Butler Supremeth. Despite his knocking, there was no answer. In fact, there weren’t even footsteps attributable to Tenna’s frantic back-and-forth pacing. Just crickets.
…Well, not actual crickets – point being that it was quiet!
Rouxls tried again, rapping his fist on the doors a bit harder.
“Tenna, mine deareste, could you Please openeth the door? Thoust silence ist Worryinge.”
That got a response. Rapid steps around the room, the noise of a few things being picked up and rearranged, followed by a voice Rouxls could recognize anywhere. For a moment, he was caught up in how honey-sweet it sounded, though the actual words processed in his brain soon enough for that not to last.
“I’ll be juuuuust a second, Kaard! No worries here, none at all, just have my hands a little full!”
Hm. Concerning. Still, as dutiful as ever, Rouxls waited outside the doors for whenever they’d open. It was just when he was starting to get worried and pondered breaking open the doors himself that Tenna’s antenna poked through a crack between the double doors, followed by his head widening the gap. Rouxls couldn’t help beaming just at the sight. No wonder Tenna’s show had grown so famous, with a CRT screen like that.
“Rouxls! Rouxls, Kaard, honey, baby,” Rouxls heard Queen laughing in the most flat cadence fathomable, “what’s the matter? Thought you’d be heading straight off to work! I didn’t – well, if I knew you were showing up, I’d have dressed for the occasion!” He could practically hear the canned laugh track playing, even if Tenna wasn’t on the air at the moment. It always felt like Tenna was performing, even when it was just him and Rouxls.
No matter. Maybe. Probably. It was a little worrying, sure, but… the whole world was a stage, wasn’t it?
“I could Nevere deny a chanceth to witness mine Deareste host,” Rouxls assured, his grin only widening. Tenna’s screen flickered a couple times before stabilizing, followed by a half-hearted chuckle. It was so adorable flustering that man! The colors his screen would transform into while he tried to still his surely beating heart… ah, Rouxls could feel his ailment flaring up again at the mental imagery. He tried to bookmark the visions for another time where he wasn’t trying to seem normal. Because he was, in fact, incredibly normal.
“That’s… really nice, actually, but, uh,” Tenna shifted his weight, head rocking a bit more out of the gap in the doors, “kinda busy right now… So, it’s – you’re fine, you can… y’know. Skedaddle?”
“Queen saideth thou hast been Pacinge for hours. More hours than is Usualeth, even.”
“I Did Say That LOL,” Queen piped up from her doorway.
“Wh –” Tenna left his room to look across the hall at Queen, who looked not a single bit fazed by her own actions. “Don’t eavesdrop! Come on, what – are we on television 24/7 now or something!? Get a room!”
“Okay To Be Fair You Act Like You’re On TV Anyways So.”
“Thaaaaaat’s…” Tenna looked over at Rouxls before snapping back to face Queen. “Not the point! Go! Shoo, get out, leave me to it!”
“Nobody Likes Their Private Data Leaked Anymore. It’s Sad.” Despite her momentary complaints, Queen slinked back into her room and let the door click shut behind her. Only then did Tenna seem to relax at least somewhat, shoulders slumping back as he directed his attention onto Rouxls again.
“It’s… nothing! I’ve just been – thinking, and –”
“Thou art a Poor liar.” Rouxls paused before tacking on as fast as he could manage, “Meant as no Insulte to thou, of courseth! Just – it’s – ‘tis truthfully a Virtueth, to be so Honeste!” Nailing it.
Tenna frowned, the smallest peek of… were those fangs? The smallest peek of fangs, goodness gracious, slipping over his lips. His trepidation was poorly hidden, but evidently, it didn’t stop him from stepping aside to give Rouxls room to head into the studio.
“I’m fine, Kaard! I’ve never been not fine! There’s no time in the bookings for that kind of thing and we know it. If you really wanna say hi, though… Well, what kind of host would I be, shooing away my biggest fan?!” Tenna clapped his hands and laughed a bit too loud.
“...Biggeste fan?” Rouxls only got a couple steps into the room before stopping, his feet failing him between the title he’d been given and the current state of the studio. It was… not pretty. While Tenna had clearly tried to rearrange it, there were still multiple papers covered in marker scrawlings spread across the floor. A few boxes containing old episode recordings had been tipped over, leaving VHS tapes spilling from the cardboard flaps left agape. Rouxls found himself having to tip-toe just in hopes he wouldn’t step on something important.
When Rouxls looked up, Tenna had already shut the doors with a trembling hand and looked away from everything. His screen cast a soft glow on the door behind him, which he’d trained his gaze onto rather than acknowledging any of the toppled objects in the room itself. Rouxls couldn’t blame him. God, what had happened? Frankly, Rouxls was starting to entertain the dragon idea again in a different manner of speaking
“What…?”
“It’s – I – It’s just complicated. Please. I’m fine. Don’t… Don’t think too hard about it! That’s what we do. What I do. You don’t have to think, just –” Tenna turned around on his heel and pointed at his screen, which was now displaying an episode of some action-packed cartoon. Rouxls only looked at it because it was the closest thing he could do to staring Tenna in the eyes. The show wasn’t as transfixing as the man before him, nor was it as deeply worrying. “ – look at me! Please. I know you want to leave, I know, but just stay, I can make it all better –”
Rouxls took a step back. He held up his hands, palms facing Tenna, then folded them under his chin. His gaze panned across the floor, taking in the wreckage at his feet, before Rouxls chuckled.
“Who saideth Thise was going to frighten me off, Mine Deareste?” The notion that some disaster would scare Rouxls Kaard, former servant to the Spades King, from the best job he’d had in years was enough to make Rouxls himself crack up. While he managed to suppress most of his laughter for the benefit of his companion, a few snickers still escaped his clenched teeth. Tenna obviously took it the wrong way, antennae sparking as he jolted.
“Wha – You know this isn’t some joke! What is this, a game to you?! I’m not playing with you, I’m –”
“No, no, I knoweth that much, I juste…” Rouxls stooped down, dropping to his knees to pick up a paper. Some old schedule for episodes that would be airing. Nothing new. Nothing necessary. He folded it up over and over until it formed a compact square before pocketing it. “A bit of mess is Hardlie my biggest worrieth. I find myself more Glade thou ist safeth and sound, to be Frank.”
“That’s not –” Tenna shook his head hard enough that it nearly hit the doorway. Rouxls made a beckoning gesture and Tenna, who at least seemed sobered enough to recognize the harm he almost caused himself, approached with tense steps. He stopped a few feet from Rouxls, refusing to come any closer. A shame. Rouxls could’ve used Tenna’s hand intertwined with his own, and he had the feeling Tenna would appreciate the same gesture. Oh well. It probably would’ve made Rouxls’ little ailment flare up even worse, anyway.
“What ist it, then?”
“You’re not a talker. You wouldn’t get it. I don’t want to make you get it. You shouldn’t have to hear it, it’s – it’s all dumb. Irrelevant. I’m irrelevant. No need to think about it, right, just… keep having fun. Shouldn’t have even come here, really, Kaard, you’re…” Tenna’s screen cut to black, snapped to his normal face for a second, then went back to the off screen. Rouxls also wished he could be seeing that pretty face that he’d grown so attached to, but he wouldn’t force Tenna to do anything. Not now, of all times. He sounded awfully hung up on something. For what purpose, though…?
“I faileth to see why, Precisely, thou thinkest I am not Earneste in my desire to Listeneth. If I did note wisheth to Heare mine darlinge speak,” Tenna’s screen took on an odd pink tint, “I would not Beckone for thou to do as mucheth.” Rouxls’ hands found another object – a VHS tape with a sticker label. June ‘89. He flipped the tape in his hand once before dropping it into one of the upright boxes remaining on the floor. “Come. Sit. Thou lookest like thoust hast seen a Poltergeiste of some sort.”
“Whatever you’re doing’s about as supernatural as one,” Tenna huffed with no bite behind the words. His feet eventually dragged over the floor until he sat down beside Rouxls, knees tucked up to his chest. As Tenna stayed utterly still and stiff, Rouxls moved to pick up another tape only for his wrist to be caught by Tenna’s fingers. Latex slipped around the cuff of his own gloves and Rouxls lifted his gaze, eyes meeting nothing but the side of Tenna’s head.
…Without another word, Rouxls inched his hand back and interlaced his fingers with Tenna’s. It was making his stomach flip and some odd heat crawl across his face, but it was… bearable. So long as it made Tenna feel better? Rouxls would do a hell of a lot.
“Thou couldeth have just Askede,” Rouxls said with a breathed-out laugh. Tenna responded with nothing more than a noncommittal grumble. Leaning back with his other hand propping him up, Rouxls tried again to get Tenna to say something, because the uncharacteristic silence was really starting to eat at Rouxls’ SOUL. “Did something… happeneth, or –”
“That’s the worst part!” Tenna threw up his free hand and then slumped forward, covering his screen as it flickered a few dreary colors before settling on his typical face again. “Nothing happened! I should be fine! I – I am fine, it’s a temporary setback, it’s just a minor… malfunction… Not malfunctioning. I’m in perfect health. I’m fine. I –” The hand Rouxls was holding twisted like a trapped animal. One squeeze later, more in hopes Rouxls could relish the touch for a little longer, and Tenna’s hand suddenly went limp. When Rouxls glanced up in surprise, Tenna’s screen was bathing his hand in a dim pink glow.
Cute.
Oh. Hm. That was a thought! A thought which Rouxls was happy to continue not thinking!
“Thou still has not Toldeth me what the Probleme ist…” Rouxls mumbled. He heard yet another quiet groan from Tenna before he sat up somewhat, hand once again stiffening in Rouxls’ grip. Rouxls found himself running his thumb over the back of Tenna’s hands just in hopes he’d calm down. Tenna had said he had no reason to be upset, but then… why?
“...When’s enough enough for you, Kaard?” When Rouxls remained quiet, Tenna continued, words rushing together like they were the scribblings of someone with no time to waste. “This – You’re seeing me here and you’re sitting around like nothing’s the matter! Everything is the matter and everything has to do with me! And you’re just – pretending nothing’s wrong! It is! You can tell, I – I know you aren’t stupid, so – c’mon! Pull the rug out from under me and just…” Tenna breathed for the first time during that rant, shoulders slouching. “Get it over with. This isn’t going to stay. Nothing stays. You won’t, least of all.”
Rouxls noticed the man had gotten smaller at some point, enough to where Tenna could’ve leaned on Rouxls and nestled against his shoulder quite easily. That would be comfy, wouldn’t it? And then it’d be easier for Rouxls to – there went the illness again! God, Rouxls would have to do something about these feelings after work. Later. His mind was elsewhere whenever Tenna was by his side, with those feelings not being helped by all Tenna had said. None of it made sense, and yet, Rouxls tried his hand at helping anyway.
“Have I… giveneth that Impressione?” Rouxls poked a finger into his own chest, letting it hook down to fiddle a bar on the front of his dress uniform.
“No! No, that’s… even worse than this being over nothing. You’ve been great, it’s… I don’t know.” Crumpling in on himself impossibly more, Tenna reiterated, “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
That gave way to silence. Not necessary tense – Rouxls didn’t think of it as such, anyway – but certainly full of unanswered questions. It just didn’t make sense to Rouxls. Darkners loved Tenna! Rouxls loved Tenna just as much. More, in fact! How could he think he’d just be thrown to the curb so lackadaisically? Even Spamton, who had somehow been unwise enough to lose a catch like Tenna, had come back without forgetting Tenna for a second. It wasn’t reasonable.
Then again, did it have to make sense? Tenna wasn’t the first Darkner to believe in something false and he surely wouldn’t be the last. Even if it made his thoughts foolish, it didn’t make them less real to him. Still a silly line of thought, Rouxls believed, but he wouldn’t debate with Tenna when he seemed so set on the idea. Rouxls doubted he’d have much to say that Tenna didn’t already know either way. It wasn’t Rouxls’ fault that he was grand enough to be past things as trivial as self-doubt.
(Tenna was just… grand in other ways.)
“I suppose… I could stayeth in the Studio, perhapse?”
Tenna’s hand tightened in its grip around Rouxls’. He gave no verbal response, though, which Rouxls took as quiet motivation to continue.
“Thou dreadeth the Notione I would up and Departe at a moment’s whimst,” he elaborated while waving his free hand around, “therefore, the Naturale Solutionth is to… Not Leave, I presume.”
“...It’s… complicated, but – sure! Yeah.”
“Good enoughe for me.” Rouxls shrugged. “Then ist it note Logicale that I would taketh Residencie with mine deareste Host? That way, I shalt rarelie be beyond Arm’s Lengthe! That, I Imagineth, would cure many a Probleme, given my Aura of Radianceth and Calminge.”
Tenna made a noise that sounded like he had something else to say about that remark, but he fell silent before anything came of it. The dull electrical hum of his buzzing antennas was all that filled the room for a minute or two, with Rouxls idly running his thumb over the back of Tenna’s glove. It was… nice, for what the setting was. Sitting around, hand in hand with such a dazzling partner –
Nevermind. He needed to get out of here sooner or later. His face was starting to feel hot again for no good reason! Perhaps he could see if those Cyber City Darkners that Spamton reluctantly associated with knew anything about what ailed him, given its severity. He could stoop to their level temporarily if it meant he’d be able to stay by Tenna’s side without feeling so nauseous. Truly, a horrible fate, to be driven from his love…ly companion.
Oh, this virus was bad. Severely so. Hm.
“Worth a shot, I guess… Can’t hurt anyone but you, and you’re the guy offering, right?” Tenna’s voice snapped Rouxls back into a reality not full of pink clouds and the soft thrumming of electricity. “...You’re sure about – ?”
“I do note make a Habith of lying. I only do so Recreationallie, and for Malicious and Dubious purposeth. None of which I havest a Desire to participateth in with thou.”
“...What kind of…”
“Gettinge Hiredeth by Evil Monarcks, mostly.”
“Oh.” A beat. “Makes sense!”
“Point Beinge,” Rouxls flipped Tenna’s hand in his grasp, with Rouxls’ thumb now idly tracing grooves in Tenna’s palm that were barely felt through the glove, “I was being Honeste, mine dearest of Hosteths. I wish to helpeth however may be Possible, includinge assurancest Against your strange and vile Minde Terrors.”
Tenna laughed and let it taper off into a terse chuckle after a few seconds, his free hand now tensing and relaxing against his leg. The pink haze over his screen had faded, leaving only the face Rouxls had come to admire so deeply. A nice change. Seeing him so frenzied was… perhaps not abnormal, but certainly different in a way Rouxls didn’t exactly want to see perpetuated. Rouxls resisted the urge to turn Tenna’s head to face him just a little more. Probably not the time, tragically.
“You’re… something special. Kinda weird, but special! And, hey – who in this place isn’t a bit strange, am I right?” Typically, Rouxls would’ve protested being equated to anything akin to what other Darkners were. When Tenna said it, though… it almost sounded affectionate. It was a compliment! A compliment from his dearest business partner! Well, Rouxls was never going to refute such a thing! In fact, even with how hard his chest was thrumming with some angry fuzzy feeling, he’d dare to compliment Tenna right back!
“Ah, but thou ist the Strangest and most Endearinge of them alleth!”
The pink glow returned for a split second. Tenna shook his head right after, hand shifting to rub the base of his neck.
“Hah – oh, come on! You’re not even on camera! Don’t start flattering me now. Save it for later, sweetheart.”
“Oh, but thou makest it so hard not to Praiseth thou…”
“Kaard!” Tenna waved his hand dismissively and chuckled, the smallest glint of those fangs – good God, Rouxls was experiencing new feelings about those fangs – peering out in his grin. “Alright, alright, you’ve done more than enough. I shouldn’t be taking up your screen time now! You’ve got work to do! At this rate, they’re gonna start thinking I pay you just to look pretty.”
“Doest thou not Payeth me for as much?”
That earned Rouxls a firm elbow to the ribs before they both cracked up.
“You’re too much. No wonder you scored such a cozy place at my side! You’ve got a face for television and the voice and charm to match, I’m telling you.” Tenna got to his feet, a little unsteady at first, then tugged on his hand to prompt Rouxls up. Reluctant as Rouxls was to break the precious moment, he stood and dusted off his pants. A moment later, his hand slipped out of Tenna’s grip. He didn’t know who let go first, but he knew he was no bit eager to do so.
…They’d have to do this again sometime.
“Ah, and yet I am the Flatterer? Cometh on, mine Liege. Thou art the one makinge me seem so Lovelie…” Rouxls draped an arm over his forehead, then tacked on: “But please continue. It is quite nice. Always. Everything you doeth, I Mean. Very nice.”
He was so good at this. How did he not already have people waiting for his hand in marriage? Not that he needed anyone to put a ring on his hand, naturally. Rouxls doubted he’d accept anyone except…
Except who? His brain failed to fill in that blank, and the racket of fluttering fuzziness in his chest provided him no answer except a distracting racket. He gave up the mental subject just in time to see Tenna’s flustered face. Worth it.
“You’ve got work to get done, Kaard! You can spend your hours telling me what you think of me later! …Which I wouldn’t mind –” A cough meant to poorly disguise wherever that line of dialogue was going. “Nevermind! Foooorget I said that and get a move on! I’ll see you soon. And…” His shoulders fell, a bit of the showman’s bravado slipping away with the motion. “...I owe you one. For that. For… everything you do. Just keep me posted if you need a hand, alright?”
“Thou doeseth more than Enoughe for me, I assurest thee.” Rouxls hesitated as he made it to the doorway. “...But! I will nevere denyeth a Favor. Considere your offereth… duly noted.”
“Good. I’d do anything for you.”
Oh. That was making his ailment all the worse. Not that he exactly wanted Tenna… not to say things of those ilk, but…
“Noted! As mentioned Beforehande! Thank thoust for thine Kindnesse, and good riddanceth!” Before Rouxls could once again get swept up in his head, he shut the doors, waving with his other arm. Once the room was shut off and Rouxls had made it about halfway down the hall, he leaned against the nearby wall, slumped down, and covered his face with his hands.
“Big Talk Today Huh.”
Rouxls jumped in what was, once again, a very dignified and high-class manner. He didn’t need to look up to recognize the flat, robotic voice, but he still begrudgingly turned his head to meet the black screen that marked Queen’s face in place of eyes. He groaned, hands dropping onto his knees.
“Stop Doinge That all the timeth.”
“Let Me Consider (Not Considering At All).” Queen stood still, then smiled. “No.” And then she burst into her regally bothersome laugh, one hand over her mouth. “Anyways What Happened I’m Nosy.”
“That is Noneth of your Businesse,” he jabbed a finger in her direction, “with all due Respecteth, mine Queen.”
“Oh I Know You Don’t Respect Me At All LOL. But It’s OK It’s Kinda Funnier This Way I Think.” After a brief pause, Queen turned around so she could sit at Rouxls’ side, one leg crossing over the other. Her arms folded behind her head as she lounged like she were on a vacation beach, while Rouxls continued to have a complete and utter crisis about whatever plague he had. At least one of them was having a good time. Gods, what Rouxls would do to be with Tenna again, or working on decor with Spamton…
“Queen. Mine Queen. Mine Queen, which I am sayingeth in a Disrespectfule and Suspicious mannerst.”
“Yeah Most People Say My Name That Way What’s Up.”
“Havest thou ever… dealteth with… a Viruse, of sorts?” Rouxls refused to look at Queen’s face, instead preferring to stare at the cement of the floor. His eyes snapped up to Tenna’s door within seconds, though, and suddenly his shoes felt a lot more important to admire. His fashion was excellent. Everything about him was excellent. This disease – this plague – it was merely a test! He would prevail, as he did with anything! Nothing could hold him back. Nothing. Not even whatever had gotten into him as of late.
“Oh Like: Computer Viruses.”
“I am not a Computere.”
“Oh Wait This Is About You OK.” Her position shifted, with Queen sitting up just a bit more and letting her head rock to the side in perceived thought. Whether or not she was genuinely considering anything, Rouxls never knew, and now was no exception. “No Not Really LOL I Keep My Guard Up Too Much For That.”
“Thou doesn’t seem particularlie… Invulnerableth…”
“Well Yeah Because You’re A Harmless Twink. I Don’t Think You Can Do Anything Honestly You Would Fall Like A House Of Cards (Pun Intended).”
“Hey.”
“Sorry (Lie).”
“Thou – you –” Rouxls swallowed his urge to protest against being whatever a twink was. With a very deliberate sigh, he dragged his hands down his face, then tried again. “I have been… Dealinge with… some Personal Issuesth. I believe I have Contractede someth sort of Sicknesse. Something… Vile. It makeseth my heart Race, my face Heated, whenever I approache mine Liege or his latest Assistante. I fear there may be no cureth. That I am Curséd to spende Eternity suffering by their sides, forcedeth away from mine Darlingse…”
“Oh. Hm. Wow. That’s. Oh. Um. Hm. Ah. Well,” Queen stammered for several seconds, no doubt caught in the same perplexity that Rouxls had been facing lately. She then went silent, seemingly failing at finding a response.
“I understande my Plight is likely… difficulteth to Console me upone.”
“No It’s Not That It’s,” she paused again, “I,” once more, “Actually I Think I May Need Outside Help For This Do You Mind.”
“Why would thou needeth –”
“OK Awesome I’ll Get Back To You At Some Point Later Maybe (50/50 Chance).” Without any further hesitation, Queen hoisted herself back to her feet, already absconding to her room. “See You Later Rocksels Schmookums.”
“It is pronounced –”
But she was gone, her door slamming shut behind her. Rouxls blinked a couple of times, contemplating whether or not to try and burst into her room if only to correct her. Ugh. Not worth it. Why had he anticipated she would be at all helpful?! This sickness was definitely impairing his judgement if he was seriously relying on her.
He’d figure it out on his own terms or hide in his room trying. Not important. He had work to get done, for now! And work that would involve the other Darkner making his SOUL pulse.
…Though he was almost starting to not mind the feeling.
With a sigh and a roll of his shoulders, Rouxls headed off to what he was certain would be a perfectly tame, normal, and helpful interaction. All he needed was to get his mind off things!
…Right?