At Odd's Ends (Bruce Kulick x Eric Carr)

Ch 9: Get Going

"Well we work all day and we don't know why, well there's just one thing that money can't buy! When your body's been starved, feed your appetite! When you work all day, you gotta uh all night!" I sang, moving through my hotel room and chucking my clothes into my suitcase without bothering to fold them up. 

"Mmm take me to the jungle honeyyyy, we're livin in a human zoo! Getcha turning tricks for money, I'd rather roll around with youuuuu! Cause when the waiting is overrr! I come a-running to youuu! I got the whole night to--" There was a sharp knock at my door and I immediately shut up, staring at the door. "Aw please don't be a reporter, please don't be a reporter," I whispered, not even close to presentable. "Uhh lemme find a shirt," I said under my breath, before remembering the door had a peephole. As whoever was on the other side knocked again I stood on my toes, squinting through the little window and breathing a sigh of relief as I saw it was only Bruce. With a smile, I pulled open the door. "Hey what's up?" I asked. 

There was a pause as his face grew sad and he ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno. Need help packing?" he asked. I blinked, looking at him in confusion. "Well, to be honest, yeah. But you don't have to if you don't want to!" "No no, I will. Got nothing better to do," he said, stepping past me into my room. I closed the door behind him, trying to figure out whether or not I should ask him why he wasn't with Paul but he just gave me a grin, shaking his head. "Oh yeah you definitely need help packing. Geez man, you ever actually consider folding your clothes?" 

"I mean why do that when I could just ball them up and stuff them in my suitcase?" I teased, grabbing another shirt out of my dresser and chucking it at my luggage. Rolling his eyes, he caught it out of the air, carefully folding it up. "Mm, I bet folding your clothes gets in the way of your singing, doesn't it?" he teased. My face went beet red and I turned back to the dresser, looking intently at my clothes. "Shut up," I mumbled. He walked over to me, putting his hands on my shoulders and giving them a squeeze. "Aw don't be like that, you know I'm kidding! I really like your singing, you've got a really nice voice. I wish Gene and Paul would let you sing on some albums." 

"Well, I've got a couple songs in the shows! You know, like Black Diamond and stuff, Beth if I feel like I can get away with it without Peter cursing me from afar," I said with a grin. He shook his head with a chuckle. "Yeah, I know, I know. But still. You deserve to have your own song." "I wish you got to sing some! I don't think I've ever seen you have lead vocals on a song for the band," I said, giving him a small smile. He winked before starting to fold up the clothes I had already shoved into my suitcase. "That would be because I haven't ever had lead vocals. Maybe some day," he said with a sigh. "You'd think since our boyfriends are co-founders of the band we'd be able to get away with some lead vocals." "Our...boyfriends?" I asked slowly. "Well yeah. I'm dating Paul and then you and Gene are a thing, right?" he asked, giving me a baffled look.

Oh no. No no no no no.

"Oh! No, no we're not dating! We're just friends," I said with a laugh. He blinked. "Oh...really?" "Yeah, we're just friends. Why, what made you think that?" I asked. He shrugged, face going red. "Oh. Well I was just...I mean, you guys have just seemed like you've been hanging out a lot lately so I assumed that...that you guys were dating, I guess. You're not then?" I shook my head aggressively. "Oh no no we don't like each other like that." "Oh, you're sure he doesn't like...secretly like you or anything?" he said slowly, giving me a look I couldn't quite read, and I hoped desperately that he was saying he secretly liked me as I shook my head. "Yeah, I'm sure. We talked about it actually! I mean uh...okay don't like tell anyone or anything because I dunno how much he wants it known but like...I mean we kinda had sex a few nights ago and then the morning after we agreed that we don't like each other like that." 

"Oh. Well that's that then I guess. But yeah, I mean you two have just been hanging out so much lately and stuff and yeah. That's on me though." "No no don't worry about it! We've just been hanging out a lot more lately because...well don't take this the wrong way but you've just been hanging out with Paul a lot so I haven't really been able to hang out with you," I said with a shrug, finally grabbing my last pile of clothes from the dresser and stuffing them into my suitcase despite how Bruce had been trying to get me to folding them up. 

He winced, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I do...really miss hanging out with you, I'm not gonna lie." "Oh no Bruce don't feel like that! No you and Paul are dating, of course you guys would spend a lot of time together! Why the hell wouldn't you?! I mean if I was dating you I'd want to spend a ton of time with you!" I said, before biting down on my lip. But thankfully he didn't seem to realize what I had said and just let out a sigh. 

"Yeah I know. But still. You're my best friend and you have been for awhile. I wanna hang out with you more. Look we've got a flight tomorrow morning and uh...well I mean Paul and I have been in a bit of a rough patch so you wanna sit with me on the plane?" he asked. I grinned, heart leaping. "Yeah of course! It'll be nice to have a bit of time to catch up!" I said eagerly. "A bit of time? It's a flight to Europe, we're gonna have a lot of time," he teased, ruffling my hair. "Aw shut up," I grumbled, pushing his hand away. 

Smiling, he gave me a hug and I had to try really hard not to just absolutely melt into his arms. "Come on man, you know I love you. You're my best friend." Burying my face in his chest, I nodded. "Yeah. Same with you of course." He let me go, setting down the last shirt he had folded. "Well, I'll let you finish. Make sure you save yourself a shirt to wear tomorrow," he teased, looking at me, and my face started to burn as I realized I still wasn't wearing a shirt. "Yeah, I will. And thanks for helping! I'm looking forward to the flight tomorrow!" 

Nodding, he ruffled my hair, walking out of my room, and I could hear him start to sing softly as he walked down the hall. "Well we work all day and we don't know why, well there's just one thing that money can't buy, when your body's been starved, feed your appetite, when you work all day..."

"You gotta uh all night," I murmured, finishing the song as he disappeared from view around the corner. Letting out a content sigh, I flung myself onto my bed, folding my arms behind my head. "Aw man Bruce, we'll be so happy dating," I said to myself.