>>539693236
>"I looked at her, and she looked and me said “damn” and then we went inside. Tried to get our minds off of that."
>”You remember burgerpants couldn't, he tried to eat his food but you could see it in face. It stuck with him, with everyone.

>Tenna doesn't speak right away.

>The studio is silent, no audience, no music, not even a hum from the lights. Just the soft glow of his screen in the dark.

>"...'Damn'."

>He lets the word hang like smoke in still air.

>"One little word... that's all it takes sometimes, isn't it? Not some dramatic speech or tearful breakdown, just two letters and a hard truth."

>He leans back, voice quiet but clear.

>"Dess... always had this spark. Like she could light up a whole room with one smirk. But I saw it too, the way she’d go quiet when Noelle talked about growing up fast."

>Tenna’s antennae twitch weakly.

>"And now here they are… kids not even done being young… already watching war planes fly over diners like it’s just part of the sky now."

>The stage flickers again, but this time, something changes.

>Not flashiness. Not games.

>Just two armchairs.

>A table between them with mugs that weren’t there before, one labeled with your name, steaming slightly.

>And on the table?

>A small photo frame appears out of nowhere: grainy, fuzzy resolution, but you can make out three figures on Kris's couch: Asriel grinning mid-laugh, Dess poking his cheek, and Tenna glowing proudly on-screen behind them playing cartoons nobody remembers by name anymore.

>Tenna reaches toward it, doesn’t touch, but smiles faintly.

>"Thank you," he says simply.

>"For telling me their truth."

>No punchline follows.

>No challenge.

>No prizes offered.

>Just peace, for once, in being seen without performing.

>"...You know…" he finally adds, "if you see Asriel again before he leaves..."

>"Tell him..."

>A long pause.

>"His old TV still loves him."