Becoming

Fear Of The Dark

Later that evening, after they checked into their hotel, Bruce held Dave back for a moment when they all got off the lift on their floor. "I... I think I'd like to give that puppy pile a try," he said softly, looking down awkwardly.

Dave smiled. "You want us to come to you, or you come to us?"

"I don't know... I'm nervous about doing this, but... I just... I don't want to be alone, you know?" Bruce gave a slight shrug, looking embarrassed.

"I understand," Dave said. "We'll come to you, then. We're both used to staying in a room other than the one we've been assigned, after all," he joked, earning a pale smile from Bruce. "How about I bring some popcorn and we'll find a decent movie or two? Or better yet, a really horrible movie or two, something MST3K-worthy. Or maybe we'll be really lucky, and find MST3K on one of the cable channels?"

"That... sounds good, actually," Bruce said, looking a little brighter. "Maybe after dropping off my stuff, I'll run back down for some beer to go with that popcorn?"

"I won't say no to that," Dave answered with a grin. "Neither will Ade." He paused at his own door and asked Bruce, "What's your room number?"

"1223," Bruce answered. "Give me about half an hour? I'll go get that beer, but I want to grab a quick shower, too. I need it after... well, after earlier, you know?"

Dave smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I know. Half an hour, then." He stuck his key card in the slot and pushed the door open. "I'll check the movie listings while we're waiting."

Bruce nodded. "Sounds good."

Dave changed into his usual sweats and tank top for sleeping and rummaged out a few bags of microwave popcorn before tapping on Ade's door. "Hey, love," he said after Ade let him in. "Bruce wants to try the puppy pile tonight. We're gonna meet in his room to watch movies, yeah?"

Ade smiled. "Absolutely. Hopefully that'll get him relaxed enough that he'll forget to worry about the idea of sleeping in with us." He hurried to change into his own sweats and tank top, then pulled out a can of mixed nuts. "What about drinks?" he asked.

"Bruce said he'd supply the beer tonight," Dave said. "He also wanted a shower before we go over, so let's give him a few more minutes." He gave Ade a soft kiss, then grabbed the remote to bring up the channel guide and see what might be on the schedule. "Oh, perfect!" he said on seeing one of the movies scheduled to start just after they planned to join Bruce in his room.

Ade peered at the channel guide and laughed. "Yeah, that is perfect," he agreed.

A few minutes later, they knocked on Bruce's door, popcorn packets and can of nuts in hand. "Hey, mates, come on in," Bruce said. "Davey, what movies did you find?"

Dave laughed. "We're in Japan... Godzilla, of course!"

Bruce grinned as he shut the door behind them. "With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound, he pulls the spitting high-tension wires down..." he sang.

"Oh no! They say he's got to go. Go, go, Godzilla! Oh no! There goes Tokyo. Go, go, Godzilla!" Ade sang in response.

Dave caught sight of a cream-coloured teddy bear in jeans and a t-shirt, holding a guitar, and grinned. "Emppu give you that?" he asked. "I like it!"

Bruce blushed but nodded. "Yeah... and I gave him one, too." He pulled a trio of beers from the mini-fridge and passed them out before moving towards the bed. "What channel, Dave?"

Dave stuck a bag of popcorn into the room's microwave and started it. "Um... 23, I think it was."

Ade flopped onto the bed and grabbed the remote, turning on the telly and flipping to the correct channel. "Yeah, it's starting in about ten minutes," he said. "Come on, Bruce, you're in the middle." He picked up the bear so Bruce could settle in and managed to hit the sound button in its paw.