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

Ch 25: Stop (Bruce)

Frowning, I paced around my living room, running a hand through my hair. He had to be hiding something. There was no way he wasn't. He was constantly apologizing, constantly saying sorry for something he knew I had forgiven, which had to mean there was something else going on, that there was something else he was apologizing for. Eric had to have done something, but I just didn't know what. The doorbell rang, interrupting my train of thought, and I walked to the front door, hating myself for almost hoping it wasn't my boyfriend. 

I pulled open the door and found Eric standing on the doorstep, giving me a nervous smile. "Hey Bru! I got you some flowers," he said, handing me a bouquet of roses. I accepted the flowers, which were of course gorgeous and must have cost him a lot since roses were expensive, and gave him a kiss. "What're they for?" I asked. "Just uh...just for everything I did," he said sheepishly. "Eric, you didn't have to do this. I've told you time and time again that it's okay. You can just stop apologizing now," I said, a little harsher than I meant to, but he didn't seem to get the hint. "Well I know but still! I feel bad!" he said, giving my hand a squeeze. "Anyway I have to go, but I'll be back later this afternoon!" he said. "I hope you like the flowers, I designed the arrangement myself!" 

"I love them," I said, giving him a kiss. "And I'll see you later this afternoon." "Bye Bru Bru!" he said, giving me a kiss and running off to his car. I shut the door with a sigh, putting the flowers in a vase and sticking the vase in my living room with half a dozen other vases of flowers from Eric. "Dammit," I muttered, picking up the phone and calling Paul, desperate to talk to someone. "Hey Bruce, what's up?" he asked. I frowned, running a hand through my hair. "I need to talk to you about something." "Oh yeah? About what?" 

"It's...it's Eric, man. He keeps apologizing for what he and Gene did and it's getting to me." "Getting to you? How so?" Paul asked. "It's just constant apologies all the time and I can't take it man! And I just feel so awful, you know? Like he loves me and he keeps doing things for me but shit man it's just too much too often, you know? But damn I feel terrible for being unhappy that my boyfriend gets me gifts all the time!" I said. "Mhm. Have you talked to him?" Paul asked. "Yes! So many times! I've kept telling him he doesn't need to apologize or buy me things but he still does!" "What have you said to him exactly? Like are you sure he's getting the message?" 

"Yes! I'm literally saying 'Eric, stop buying me things, you don't need to apologize anymore,' like I could not be clearer!" "I see. Well, why exactly does it bother you so much?" "It's just...okay well it's just a lot. Like he's always apologizing, always trying to make up for something I'm not mad at him about, and it's kind of...annoying. And it...shit man this sounds terrible but it feels like he's trying to overcompensate for something he did. Like...like he's cheating on me or something."

"Bruce, he wouldn't do that to you! Eric's not like that at all!" "I know! I know, I know, but still! It's getting to me man! I'm paranoid about that, you know I am!" "Yeahhh. Yeah, I know you are. But you really don't need to be, especially not with Eric. He'd never cheat on you, he loves you with his whole heart." "Gosh, I know man! I know! But still! It's just so much all the time and I can't deal with it!" "Talk to him again. Sit him down and be extremely clear about how you feel. Like explain it to where he can't interpret it any other way." 

"You think I haven't tried?! I don't know how I can be more clear than saying 'Eric, you don't need to keep doing this, stop apologizing,' like I'm literally saying it directly to him!" "Well, have you been telling him how you feel? Maybe he just thinks you're saying it to be polite but still really actually enjoy the gifts and stuff. Tell him that you really don't like it, you're not just saying that to be polite." "Oh, good idea, I haven't thought about that. Thanks Paul," I said. The doorbell rang and I let out a sigh. "Well, that's probably him. Hopefully your idea works." "Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine! I know you two love each other. Anyway, goodbye and good luck!" he said, hanging up. 

Taking a deep breath, I ran a hand through my hair and pulled open the door, feeling my heart sink as I forced a smile. "Oh, hey Eric!" I said. He gave me a huge grin, practically bouncing up and down on his toes. "Um okay wait go wait in the living room! I have a surprise for you!" he said eagerly. I bit down on my tongue before nodding. "Alright, sounds good," I said, heading into the living room and letting out a long sigh. "Come on Bruce, he's just doing it because he loves you. Just talk to him," I muttered.

A few minutes later, Eric walked into the room absolutely beaming, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the kitchen. "I got you something!" he said cheerfully, being the complete sweetheart he always was. But I felt my heart sink as I realized he had bought me a cake that had '💖Sorry for Everything💖' scrawled on it in red icing. "I-I got you a chocolate cake because I know that's your favorite flavor," he said, giving me a nervous smile. I tried my absolute best to force a smile and act like I was excited but as I saw panic well up in his eyes I knew I was doing a terrible job of it.

"Do you...not like it?" he asked quietly. I took a deep breath, hands balling into fists. "Can you just stop?" I asked in a low voice. "W-what?" "Just please stop. Stop apologizing, stop buying me things, just stop! I told you so many times I forgive you and I don't care anymore! You keep buying me things and apologizing for it but it's not even necessarily like sweet or endearing anymore, it's just kind of annoying! No, it is annoying! I've asked you to stop man, please just stop!" I cried, unable to help myself. "Well I was just--"

"I know what you were just trying to do! But stop it! It feels like you're trying to hide something, like you've cheated on me and you're trying to make up for it without ever actually telling me what you did!" "Bruce I'd never do that to you!" he cried. "I know you wouldn't, but still! That's what it feels like, just please man, please stop buying things for me! Stop fucking apologizing!" I shouted. 

There was a pause before he nodded, biting down on his lip. "Oh. Okay. W-well, I'm s-- I'll just...go home," he mumbled, turning and starting to walk to the door. There was a slight twinge in my heart as I watched him go, but I meant all the words I had said. He had crossed a line and I couldn't deal with it anymore. I heard the front door shut and walked to the cake, about to throw it in the trash before changing my mind and sticking it in the fridge. 

"Damn," I said to myself.