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

Ch 27: Sweet

I opened the door to find a really red-faced Bruce standing on the doorstep, holding a plate nervously. "Oh! Hey Bruce," I said, trying to force a smile. "What's uh...what's up?" "Um...I think I kind of owe you this," he said quietly, handing me the plate. There was a slice from the cake I had given him on it, with the 'Sorry' part of the frosting on it. My heart melted and I looked up at him with a smile, taking the plate. "Aw, Bru. You don't need to apologize!" I said. 

Shaking his head, he kissed me on the forehead. "No, I do. I shouldn't have--" I held up a hand, shaking my head with a small smile. "No no. Come inside and we'll talk, alright?" "Sounds like a plan," he said, giving my hand a squeeze and walking inside with me. I dragged him over to the couch, sitting him down and handing him the plate. "Hold that, I'll be right back," I said, running to my kitchen and grabbing two forks before joining him in the living room.

Heart fluttering, I sat next to him, handing him one of the forks and taking the plate. "Alright, I wanna share this with you while we talk," I said with a smile. He gave me a soft smile in return, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me against his side. "Thanks Er Bear," he said, taking a bite of cake. "Damn, you really did get a good cake." "Well yeah, only the best for my boyfriend," I grumbled. "Anyway! You wanted to talk, right?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Uh...I'm really sorry for overreacting. I should've been more reasonable and just talked to you like a mature adult instead of just silently getting upset before finally snapping at you." I nodded, leaning against his side, instantly soothed by the steady rise and fall of his chest. "Yeah. But I'm really sorry for not being able to see that you were getting annoyed. I just...when you said stuff like you didn't like it, I didn't realize you actually meant it, I just sort of thought that you were saying it to be polite, like...like when someone gets you a gift and you go 'oh you didn't have to get me anything' you know? That's what I thought you were doing," I said sheepishly.

"Damn Paul had you pegged," Bruce said under his breath. "What?" "Huh? Oh, nothing." "No no what about Paul?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged. "Um...well, I called him and kind of vented about things and he uh...he said you probably didn't realize that it was bothering me and I should talk to you, and I did but I didn't really...talk well to you, since I kinda sort of flipped out on you," he mumbled. I gave him a look. "Come on Bruce, just talk to me about things! We're in a relationship, we should be able to work out our own issues without having to reach out to other people!" I snapped. 

He winced, face burning. "Sorry. I just...I wasn't sure, I was scared to talk to you and find out that like...you were cheating on me or something. Like I'd rather not know, you know?" I rolled my eyes, snuggling against his side and feeding him a bite of the cake. "Well that's stupid since I'd never cheat on you, but I get it. Ignorance is bliss and all that." Bruce let out a sigh, kissing me on the forehead. "Sorry I doubted you. I know you'll never do anything to cheat on me or anything like that." 

"Damn right I won't," I said, taking another bite of the cake and looking at Bruce, giving him a smile. "You know, you're looking like a snack yourself right now," I teased. "Mm, am I?" he asked, giving me a crooked grin. I set down the now empty plate, sliding onto his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck, kissing him. "Yeah, you definitely are," I purred, giving him a kiss. Grinning, he kissed me back before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me to my bed. 

~Approximately one year later~

"Stripes look good on you," I said, sitting on the edge of the counter. Bruce looked up from taking off his jacket, hanging it up on the rack with all our costumes. "Everything looks good on me," he teased. "Mm yeah that's pretty accurate," I mused, blowing him a kiss. "How long until we're set to go home again?" 

"Two more shows and the tour's done," Gene said, walking into the dressing room. "Ooh, two more shows! This was a good tour, Crazy Nights was a good album. Is a good album," I said absentmindedly, tapping my drumsticks against my thigh. "Yeah it is a good one. At the same time though, I'm glad to be going home," Gene said with a shrug. "Me too. But hey, this tour was way better than the last one," I said, giving Bruce a pointed look.

His face went red and he ran a hand through his hair. "Hey, you're the one who caused all the drama that caused our drama, don't blame it all on me." "I don't! I also blame half of it on Gene!" I said cheerfully. "Hey! It was a mutual idea!" he cried, pointing at me. Laughing, Paul walked into the dressing room, draping his arms around Gene's shoulders. "Well in the end it all worked out," he said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Yeah Bruce, it all worked out," I said pointedly. "You're literally the one who brought it up!" he said, rolling his eyes. "Aw shush stop being so dramatic," I teased, jumping off the counter and giving his hand a squeeze. "Come on, we're going back to the hotel room before we're going out to dinner," Bruce said, giving me a fond smile, before waving goodbye to Gene and Paul and walking out of the dressing room with me. 

"You seem on edge Bru, what's up?" I asked, walking with him to the hotel. "Mm, you'll see when we get back to the hotel room," he said mysteriously. "Ugh fine be secretive," I grumbled. His smile just got even more smug as he gave my hand a squeeze. "Shh. Don't be mad," he said with a wink. Finally, we made it back to our room and I sat on our bed, folding my arms and looking at him. "Now tell me what you're hiding!" "I just had a question to ask you," he said simply. "A question? You dragged me all the way back here just to ask me a question?" I cried. "Well it's a pretty important one," he said, still smirking. "Fine, fine, what is it?" 

Grinning, he dropped to one knee, pulling a box out of his pocket. "Will you marry me?"