Work Text:
You had a problem.
A... well it wasn't so big, but it wasn't small either. It was just, a problem. And despite what your friends, coworkers, and otherwise might think. It wasn't smoking.
It was your boss's smoking habits.
It'd been unintentional. A passing thought. A 'what if' that had ultimately and completely spiraled entirely out of control.
Backstage, gnawing on your pen because staff weren't allowed to smoke inside, you were watching as your boss lit a cig of his own. He always seemed to between segments anymore. Ever since that mailman came and left again. It'd definitely gotten more frequent since his sudden departure as well. But you didn't care so much about that.
No, your eyes were focused on how Tenna—Mr. Tenna, flicks on his lighter, cigarette grit between his teeth. How his lips wrap around it once it's lit, inhaling deep, then exhaling out. He does it once, twice more before it goes to rest between his fingers to bark orders.
Pippins scramble back and forth across the stage, the smoke trails lazily from his vents, his mouth, and the cig itself. You say—to yourself only, thank Angel above—what's on your mind.
"God I wish he'd put that out on me."
You'd surprised yourself with that. Praising whatever higher being was listening that you'd muttered it, and no one had caught on from a quick glance of the space around you.
It was stupid, a passing comment. You hadn't been serious.
You hadn't intended to be. But you'd been bored, needing to pass the time until you were needed. So you indulged.
And the indulging just got... elevated. Escalated.
The fantasies were just so appealing. Sitting on that desk, Tenna in front of you. Grabbing your chin, rough, not too rough—well maybe you weren't opposed—prodding open your mouth with his thumb. Holding it there as he takes a drag, leaning in, and releasing it into you.
Sitting there and taking it, just as you're supposed to. And whenever he was done with the cigarette, putting the butt against your thigh to extinguish it. Using you as he pleased. However he pleased.
Yeah. You went home that night and had, a great time, you and your hand.
And that had just been the beginning. It only got worse from there. Constant thoughts about it, about him. You never thought you of all people would succumb to a crush on your boss, thought you were above that and being like everyone else.
You felt shame from it, guilt. Tenna was your boss, it was weird. Yeah most everyone had a phase of it, but you were different. You'd been working with Tenna since the start, you weren't, you weren't like that.
And it wasn't fair to him either. To think things like that about him. About someone who was your coworker—technically, you never pulled rank, but you could—a work friend even. To a point anyway. You were pleasant with each other when you talked. You think that counts for something. Which made it worse.
At least you kept it to yourself. Kept it hidden. No one knew, nor would they ever expect you to have a crush. You stayed professional, polite. Never indulging in the workplace gossip. It'd be humiliating, without anyone even knowing the depth of your feelings, your thoughts.
It made matters worse when you started running into Tenna outside your normal times and meetings.
Primarily, on your smoke breaks.
While Tenna could do whatever he wanted, you had to at least respect the studio rules. Be an example or whatever. So you only smoked outside, by the fire exit that faced the fountain.
It was hidden away, not where most spent their breaks. Not where anyone besides you spent it, actually. It was hidden away, and cold. The balcony usually had a bit of snow on it that you always had to wipe off.
But you liked it like that, smoking wasn't a social habit for you. It was your pick me up. Your version of a cup of coffee. You used it to focus, adjust, calm down, that kind of thing.
You didn't think, truthfully, that most of the crew even knew you smoked. When shuttah had caught you on your way in one time, getting one last drag before you discarded your light, they'd been so shocked they took an unprompted picture.
Actually ended up being a good photo of you, surprisingly, but that was beside the point.
When you'd opened the door one day after lunch, ready to grab a quick smoke before the next segment, you'd nearly jumped out of your skin when you'd found Tenna leaning against the railing, staring out at the hills of white.
You don't think he heard you, you quickly retreated back inside, skipping your break, and any that followed that day. If you'd been paying attention, you'd have noticed how he'd swiped off enough snow for two people to stand side by side. But you were far too flustered to have done so.
Unfortunately for you, it hadn't ended up being a one-time occurrence.
Next time, you were already outside when there's a thump on the rail beside you. You nearly jump out your skin when you notice the red sleeve, the white glove, eyes trailing up to see Tenna light his cig, and take a long drag, smoke dissipating and mixing with the stream of his breath. You hadn't even heard the door open.
Tenna turns to you when he's finished, smiling. "Long day so far, huh?"
"I-yeah, you could say that again." You turn away, lifting your own light to your lips.
Tenna tsks. "Those damn pippins... how hard is it to prepare a few set pieces? That's all their job is!"
"Oh you don't know the half of it. Try not being 15 feet tall and getting them to do something." You chuckle. "I've thrown out so many threats and curses... God."
He snickers beside you, making you turn. "You? I didn't take you for one to swear too often." He tips his head slightly. "Nor one for smoking, so I guess that doesn't say much for my observation skills."
"There's a lot I don't let you see. Which, you're welcome for, by the way. Think if you knew how much went wrong behind the scenes you'd blow a fuse."
Another drag. "Probably, can't have that happening to the star." Release. "Thank you, by the way. In general. I don't, do that enough."
You falter, looking away. "Ah, yeah. Just, doing my job! But... you're welcome."
There's a pounding in your chest. You don't know if it's from how the smoke casually leaked from his vents between puffs, how his teeth, fangs just peeking out, had held it between his teeth for a moment as a he spoke—
Or if it was the softness of his expression, his words, as he said them to you.
Neither's good, so you stuff the thoughts and feelings down. Keeping it professional, just as always.
If only that had been the end of it.
It became... common, for Tenna to join you on your breaks. Either he'd be already out there, or he'd come out and join you at some point. It wasn't something you were prepared for, but you think you handled it well.
Even if it drove you crazy.
Tenna didn't help matters, in fact he made it worse. Always offering you a light, or bumming off of you. The closeness of it made your skin crawl. And the times where he'd skip the lighter altogether, getting close, lighting your cig with his, or vice versa. Angel help you for the thoughts you'd have then.
Still, you knew. You knew better than to think it meant anything. It couldn't, you were just indulging in your own personal thoughts. Tenna was touchy with everyone. You weren't an exception. But you relished in it. That you'll admit.
Normal even. It was normal to bury your feelings, to spend time with him despite the burning that ate away at your very core. In fact you didn't know if there was a time he wasn't joining you these days. Even on the... not so great ones. There he'd be, hand gripping at his screen, a few burnt butts already on the ground around him.
You weren't expecting that. You weren't expecting to become a... support. The first time you'd wrapped your arms around his shoulders, held on to him against the cold, you had to bite your tongue. Ignore the way he relaxed under your touch.
You ignored how he'd lean into you from then on, whether you were comforting him or not. How he'd wrap a hand around your shoulder, light dangerously close to your clothes, your skin.
He'd nicked you one time, the noise you'd made was... barely passable for pain. He'd apologized profusely, despite you insisting it was fine. And he still continued to do it afterward, though never actually making skin contact again.
It was always there though, the threat. And by threat you mean the threat of you letting out a half-moan at your boss accidentally touching you with a cigarette.
You were in deep, now. Way too deep. It was borderline affecting your work. You had to busy yourself during commercial breaks now, lest you spend most the time oogling Tenna.
It'd gone beyond the smoking thing now, you wanted him, wanted to put your hands on him, be with him. Your mouth on his, in his lap, against that damn railing, whatever way you could have it, have him, you'd take it.
He was funny, snarky, short-tempered sometimes, but there was something underneath, something soft. He didn't let it show, only slip in rare moments, but it was there. And you wanted him all the same.
So, when you're heading out for the day and you're stopped by a pippins informing you Tenna wants you in his office, you panic. Internally of course, you were a professional. You thank them, and head on your way there, the entire time spiraling out about what this could be about.
He'd found you out, he had to of. And you were screwed, fired, kaput. He was probably angry, disgusted. Even if he didn't know the full extent, he probably thought you were some creep for even thinking you had a chance with him.
Angel above, you were stupid, so stupid. You should've found a different spot, shouldn't have kept going. This is all your fault. This is all your fault—
You knock, hand shaky as you retract it back to you.
"Come in." Muffled, but still clear enough to make out.
You open the door, Tenna's at the desk, looking over papers. His jacket's off, hanging on the back of his chair, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Sure enough, he's got a cigarette in his off hand, partly burnt.
He looks up, beaming upon seeing you. "There you are, doll! Glad I caught you before you left. Come in, have a seat—" He pauses, nodding to behind you. "Close the door. And lock it."
Oh fuck. This is it, it's so over for you. You nod, swallowing as you turn and shut the door, locking it. You slew curses around in your head as you take every heavy step towards the desk, towards him.
Despite your gloom, Tenna's still chipper, light. "Thank you, just don't want anyone to interrupt is all."
"Ah, gotcha. Right." You feel small, sitting there across from him. You weren't short, but you were nothing compared to Tenna's height. Your hands grip the edge of the chair, looking down to the side.
Tenna tsks. "What's with the downtroddenness? This isn't serious! If that's what you thought." He waves his hand, beckoning. "Come on, relax, scoot closer, here you want a light?"
"Ah, thank you but I-really shouldn't smoke indoors." You oblige him though, moving your chair forward so you're almost against the desk, you have to shift your arms, setting them down on the edge. "Have to, obey the rules so everyone else does."
Tenna's mid pulling out another cig from his pack, his own stuck between his teeth as he looks over to you. You think if he had eyes his brows would be raised.
"Sweetheart, who do you think makes the rules?" No time to respond. "And there's no one else here, is there? So, let me ask again, do you want a light?"
Another swallow. "Sure."
"That's what I thought." That smile twists something in you. You stuff it down.
He offers out his hand to you, you take it without thinking. He slips your unlit cig into your hand, holding onto your hand as his other lifts the lighter to it. He then guides your hand back to your lips, which part to take it.
Still, Tenna holds on, waiting you realize. You suck in, then exhale out. He nods, smiling again as he lets you go, sitting back.
"There, see? Not so hard was it?" He snickers as you huff.
"I know how to smoke, asshole." You mutter, then catch yourself, eyes widening. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean to say that—"
But Tenna's laughing. "So you do swear! And here I thought you were lying to make me feel better."
"Well I do that all the time, you're not wrong about that." You shake your head, chuckling lightly as he laughs again.
The two of you sit there a few minutes, puffing, only the sound of your breathing in the room. Again Tenna urges you to relax, and you try. Leaning back feels awkward, but leaning forward onto the desk feels intimate.
You deal with it however, it somehow seems like the better option, and when he bends to rest his elbows on it, chin in one hand, you assume it's the right call. You're still nervous as can be, but you try to ignore it.
You're chatting now, about absentminded things. Or rather, Tenna's chatting at you and you're nodding along, giving small comments now and then.
"You alright?" He asks at one point. "You're quiet tonight."
You flinch. "Oh, y-yeah I'm fine. But Tenna, what is it you called me in here for, I know it wasn't just for a smoke—Ah!"
There's a stinging sensation against your arm, you hadn't even been paying attention to how your sleeves had rolled up. You look down, seeing Tenna's hand has fallen, cig having grazed you.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that! Wasn't paying attention." He brings it back to his lips, drag long, slow. He puffs out, languid. "What were you saying?"
You have to bite your cheek to keep your composure. "I was asking about what you needed me for? After hours?"
"Ah, right, right. Well—" He's talking with his hands, and realizes his cig's almost gone. "Hold on a moment, need a new one."
Before you know what's happening, he's grabbing your wrist with one hand, and using the other to press the cigarette into the flesh of your arm. Again, like before you cry out, but it's much more of a moan this time. Mortified, you cover your hand with your mouth, face burning.
Tenna doesn't pay it any mind. In fact he wasn't even looking at you, he's searching for his pack. He finds it, using the hand that's not holding down your wrist to pluck one out.
He leans forward, chair creaking as he does. He puts it between his teeth, looking to you. "D'y'mind?" He asks, nodding to the cig grit tight between your lips.
You shake your head slowly, jumping as he takes hold of your chin, pulling you in closer to put the butt of your light to his. He stays there a moment, even after it's lit, before pulling away, leaning back and tiling his head up to the ceiling.
He exhales. "There. Much better."
"T-tenna..." You manage to get out. Your legs squeeze together tight. You feel hot, on fire even. It takes all your effort to not pant from how overwhelmed you are.
"Yes, love?"
You shakily take your cig from your mouth, gaining the courage to look at him again. "Why, why am I here?"
"Oh." He rocks in his chair a second. "I thought it was obvious by now. I needed an ashtray."
You can only stare at him, mouth agape, eyes wide. He just smiles at you.
"I-are you, you're not serious..."
He shrugs. "Why wouldn't I be? Now come on, I have scripts to review. I can't do that with your arm in the way." He adjusts things on the desk, clearing off a spot to his right, patting it. "Let's go. Need these done before mic check tomorrow, and hey, you might even be able to give some feedback. If your pretty head can handle that."
You swear your jaw drops at that, stuttering and trying to think up a response, a retort, anything, but you can't.
"Better close that mouth of yours, unless you want something to fill the space." He smirks, then straightens up, snapping his fingers as he looks amongst the papers on his desk. "But seriously, come on."
You nod, then realize yourself. "I-yes sir."
"Tenna's fine."
"Yes Tenna."
You force yourself to stand, a little dizzy, dragging your lead-heavy feet around the desk. You take a moment, steady yourself, and hop up onto the edge of the desk. You fold your hands into your lap, waiting.
Tenna taps a stack of paper against the desk, setting it aside to focus on you, smiling again. He pats your legs, looking up to you.
"Don't need all this on now do you?" He asks. You shake your head, and he clicks his tongue. "Good. Let's fix that."
He starts with your shoes, lifting them off your feet and setting them on the ground. Your socks follow, then he focuses on your upper half. He seems to be debating, unbuttoning your shirt and pulling it open. He shakes his head, turning back to your pants.
The belt is unbuckled, rolled up and set in the pile below with your shoes and socks. You hold your breath as he unbuttons your pants, gently tugging them down and off. You squirm as you can only sit there as folds them up.
He tilts his head back, and forth, you do everything you can to not squeeze your thighs together. He seems satisfied, turning and pushing himself back towards the desk. You think it's finally over, hands gripping the edge of the desk tight.
You can do this, this is fine. If you just have to sit here and get a few burns, you can handle it. That's fine. You'll freak out about the implications of this scenario later. Yeah. It's fine. You'll cool, you're calm.
You jolt as Tenna's hand slides up your thigh, resting his palm against the flat of your underwear, cupping your sex. It doesn't go unnoticed to you how that's the same hand he's holding his cig in, and how close it is to hitting the skin of your naval.
You look over to him, shocked, but he's focused on his script. Reading, taking notes even. Not paying attention to you. Or acting like it anyway.
You don't know how long you sit there, but you know he's purposefully going through cigarettes faster. Burning through them at a rate faster than normal. Each one extinguished on the bare skin of your thighs, each one making you flinch. Each time you do he scolds you lightly, adding a demeaning comment along with it.
"Don't move, don't make a sound. If you're going to be a distraction you can leave, understand?"
You'd nod, almost speaking up, but stopping yourself. He smirks. "Fast learner, I like that."
It only makes things worse that between he starts to rub his palm against you, nonchalant, nothing targeted. Feeling for himself more than anything. But then his thumb circles, slow, right on your clit.
It takes everything you have to sit still, not move an inch. Your hands hold tight to the edge of the desk, palms clammy. Your back hurts from sitting so straight, but you hold strong. The rest of you, specifically below the waist. Not so much.
Your thighs shake, from pain and from arousal. You feel soaked, thankful to at least have something between you and the desk. And you desperately, desperately want to rock your hips against his hand.
Finally, when he slips his fingers underneath, prodding your leaking slit, you have to tip your head forward, mouth opening to gasp, but no sound escaping.
Fingers thrust into you, and you bite your lip hard to keep from making a sound. You're thankful he's got his cig between his lips right now, or this would be far worse.
You can't stand it, you don't know how he's keeping his composure like that—
A quick glance over at him makes it very clear to you that he is. In fact. Not.
Smoke pours from his vents, his screen is tinged pink all over. His antennas twitched along to the tapping of his foot, leg bouncing rapidly. His other hand has a tremble to it as he scribbles something with it. Honestly you wonder how much of what he's written is real words.
You dare to take a glance down. There's an obvious tent in his pants, and there's a dark spot right above it.
Just as you're about to look up to him again, Tenna slams his pen down. "Fuck it."
Hand leaving you, shifting to your thigh with the other, gaze set on you. "Can you stand?"
"I, yeah." He helps you off the desk, only to pull you into his lap. You yelp, keening as your hips are slotted against his.
He reaches up, breathing in smoke, then cups your jaw, you open your mouth. His grip tightens at that, then moves forward mouth on yours and filling you with smoke. The feeling makes you melt, leaning into his touch, pressing your body to his, your sex to his own.
Tenna groans, kissing you properly now. He grinds up against you and you moan as you meet him, rocking to his rhythm. You're so worked up, so overstimulated, you finish just a few moments later, crying out best you can mid-kiss.
Tenna picks up his pace and a few moments later his hips stutter, whining as he cums.
You break apart, salvia and smoke trailing between you both. You're panting as you look at him, he's doing the same. Then you're together again, lips meeting roughly, having to adjust.
The hand which had been holding your hip slips off to dig between you, and you hear the clink of his belt buckle. Pushing you back a little to slide his pants down, both of you making a noise at the loss of contact.
You force yourself to release his shirt, shakily fumbling with buttons to at least get it open, he mumbles for you to stop, but you persist. Only after that's done do you work to slip off your underwear.
He helps you, guiding them off. He pulls away again to look down, between you.
Fingers gently trace across your folds, fingers becoming slick just from that. He brings them up to his mouth, tasting, sitting back with a groan.
You're a bit more clear-headed, so you speak up. "B-better than a smoke?"
"Far better. I'd take that over a cigarette anyday. Everyday." He sighs, shaking his head. Looking at you, pleading. "Could I? Please?"
You shake your head, far too out of it to think. "One step at a time. Finish what you started, first."
"That's not a no." Fingers dive into you, stretching, pressing. You don't know how, or if he'll fit, but you're as ready as you can be.
Tenna takes another shaky drag, bringing you closer and lower as he does. Then, as he pulls you down onto him, he exhales, smoke pouring into you. The dual feeling is overwhelming, in the most delightful of ways.
He's slow, careful. The act from before is gone, now just like putty beneath you. Your hands roam against the plating of his chest. You want underneath, but you think that'll have to wait for another day. To appease yourself, your hands snake back, to the back of his head, finding what you seek with ease.
Tenna arches into you as your fingers slide into his wiring. Having to break away and bury his head into the crook of your shoulder. His arms are around you tight, thrusting up, stuttering anytime you tug or squeeze too hard.
You grip a cluster with one hand tight and it earns you a low whine. He starts pressing kisses into your shoulder, mumbling out small pleas, begging incoherently. You feel yourself getting close again, and he must too as he starts moving faster, less coordinated. The sounds in the room are obscene and you praise the Angel that everyone's gone home by now.
When you feel you're at the edge, the tipping point, you take both hands and hold tight to the wires at the back of Tenna's neck and head. "Cum for me." You shudder out, your release following soon after.
His head tips back, gasping, hips stuttering as he finishes in you.
You relax then, slumping forward into him. Breathing heavy. When you've calmed down a bit, you pull back to look at him, still panting.
"Was that... did I, did I do good?" You ask.
It takes him a moment to comprehend your question, head start to shake before he kisses you outright. He speaks up when he pulls away again, forehead resting on yours. "Oh sweetheart, you were perfect. Absolutely. Not a shadow of a doubt. I-I, that... I'm feeling like I didn't do enough on my end."
"No, no, no. I, I really enjoyed it." You look away, getting embarrassed now. "I enjoyed it a lot."
Tenna brings you back to meet his gaze, chuckling after a moment. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that. I was starting to lose hope."
"R-really?"
"God yes." He groans, sitting back to stare at the ceiling. "I kept dropping hint after hint and you just weren't taking it so I wonder if I was just imagining things. But I didn't want to push but I also just, couldn't stand it anymore." He sits up again. "S-so I, decided to take a chance. And I'm... so glad I did."
You think back on all your time with Tenna, especially the last several months. Slowly the pieces start to click into place and you become more and more flustered. You bring your hands to your face. "Oh my god. Oh my angel I'm so stupid." You feel like screaming. You won't, because that'd be impolite, but you feel like it.
You peek up from your hands. "How long? How long have you..."
"Honestly? Longer than you, I think." His arms wrap around you, pulling you close. "But I never minded, and after you said what you did, I realized you felt the same, even just a little bit."
You sigh, kissing him again. "I'm such a fool. I can't believe it."
"It all worked out though, right?" He shrugs. "I, that is... if you want to—"
Another kiss. "Yes. Please. Absolutely. This is, everything I could have hoped for." Several more kisses.
"Me... Too..." Tenna's smile is wobbly, screen a deep shade of pink. It makes you giggle, leaning forward and laying your head against his chest.
You stay there for a bit, Tenna rubbing his thumb against your back. You'll worry about getting cleaned up in a moment. This is... too nice to pass up.
But while you're relaxing, clarity returns once more to you.
"What did you mean by what I said?" You question.
Tenna flusters. "I, love. Your headset is always connected to my ear piece. Even when you're not on other channels. Your mic was on."
"Huh-oh my god."
Tenna laughs as you bury your head into your hands, embarrassed as can be. Utterly mortified at the fact that he'd heard, he'd known this entire time. And when he starts to tease you about it you beat your hand against his chest until he stops.
Despite that, utterly humiliating revelation, sitting here, with him, right in this moment...
Well, that makes the embarrassment all worth it.
For the most part, anyway.