KISS: In The Band

Ch 11: Well...(Eric C)

Bruce sat on his bed, frowning. I let out a sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "You're pissed, what's up?"

His frown darkened and he shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "Why'd you let Gene stay with us?" he asked quietly. I shrugged myself, stifling a yawn. "Well...he's our friend and he was in trouble and I didn't know what else to do. He just looked really upset and was standing on a bridge so I just...talked to him a bit I guess. I felt bad for him. You're still mad though, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I am mad."

"Come on Bruce you know we're the new ones to the group, even if we have known them for years and--"

"I know, I get that, but that's not the point! The point is, we were friends! I know we might not've been as close as the rest of them were, but still! They've just completely hung us out to dry man, it's bullshit! I mean have any of them responded to your wedding invitation?" he snapped.

I winced, stomach twisting into knots. "Well...no, but-but they're busy! They're like rock stars now, I'm sure there's probably like a tour going on or something during that time!" I said quickly. Bruce shook his head, rising to his feet and pacing around the room. "There's not. I checked their tour dates. They just finished touring and have a gap for three months." I sat back on my bed, heart sinking. "Oh. Well, they're famous, they probably don't want to be a distraction on my wedding and stuff!"

"Eric, you're just making excuses for them. They got famous and left us out to dry and it pisses me off. I mean come on, have you been invited to any of their shows? Any of them?" I shrank deeper into myself before sadly shaking my head. "N-no. I bought tickets to one once, for me and Carrie, and we were thinking maybe we'd be able to go backstage and stuff since we know them but they didn't want to see us."

"Exactly! It's bullshit, man! And then you just invite him over and we have to help him with his issues?! He fucked up! He's the one who's in the wrong!" he cried. "I know! I know he is, I'm not denying it! He was wrong, he was really wrong! But he's still our friend, man! And so is Shannon, and Nick too even. We don't have to do a lot, just give him a place to stay for a day or two."

"I have an idea, why doesn't he go stay with one of his actual friends? Like Paul or Ace or Peter?" Bruce asked coldly. "You know, one of the people he still talks to?" I jumped to my feet, putting a hand on his chest and forcing him to stop pacing. "He still talks to us, just not...as much. He's still our friend, they all are! They're just busy!"

"Stop making excuses. You know I'm right." "Yeah. You are. But I mean what do you want me to do? Go out there and wake him up and tell him to get out of our apartment?" A thin smile spread across Bruce's face and he shook his head. "No. I'm just going to be a bitch to him." I grinned, shaking my head before giving him a hug. "Hey, I'm not gonna stop you. I am gonna go to bed though, I'm tired."

Bruce was still very mad at Gene by the time he was making breakfast for just me and him and most obviously not Gene. "Hey do you have like...anything I could eat?" Gene asked after a pause. Bruce turned around to scowl at him. "Why don't you just use your newfound fame and riches to buy yourself some breakfast?" he snapped, sliding me a plate.

"W-what? What is that supposed to mean?!" Gene cried. I shook my head, biting back a smile. "No probably shouldn't get him going on that," I said under my breath. Bruce slammed the pan in the sink, scowling. "What's that supposed to mean?! Oh I don't know Gene, maybe the fact that you guys all went off into your band and got big and just completely blew the rest of us off! I mean for fuck's sake, were you ever going to tell Eric if you were going to go to his wedding or not?!" he shouted.

My face turned red and I felt like melting as Gene stared at me in shock. "Y-you're getting married?" he stammered. I shrugged, pushing my breakfast around with my fork. "Yeah. In a month," I said quietly. "I didn't know that, shit, I'm sorry man," Gene said, but Bruce shook his head. "No, you did know. Eric sent out invitations ages ago. To all four of you. And not one of you guys responded either way. Didn't even have the decency to tell him you couldn't make it," he hissed.

Gene's face grew crimson and he looked like he wanted to die. "Oh. Sorry," he mumbled. "Nah, it's fine. I wasn't really expecting you guys to be able to make it. We haven't exactly been friends for awhile, after all. I mean hell, I wasn't even allowed to go backstage at your show because you guys didn't want to see me," I said mildly, taking a bite of breakfast which was, per usual, delicious.

"Wait when was that?" Gene asked, looking at me in confusion. "I dunno, I went like a year ago. We made eye contact and you just shook your head and walked into your dressing room, do you not remember that?"

"He probably doesn't, Eric, I don't think he's given a damn about us for quite awhile," Bruce muttered. "None of them have." "Ooh, facts," I said with a grin. Gene buried his face in his hands, and I felt a bit bad. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry for just ignoring you guys like that. We shouldn't have, I shouldn't have. It was wrong and we all just...we've all just been so caught up in ourselves and everything. I'm sorry," he whispered.

I gave Bruce a pointed look and he rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Look, Gene, I get it. You guys are rich and famous rock stars now. It makes sense we'd drift apart. But you didn't have to ignore us the way you have."

Gene lifted his head from his hands, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "Oh fuck I'm just ruining every relationship in my life. I'm so sorry." I waved my hand dismissively. "Look, we'll deal with that later. I'll resend the wedding invitations. Right now, you need to figure out how you're going to apologize to your wife and make it up to her. If she even wants to listen to you."

"I don't know how to! I-I mean what do I even say to her?" he cried. "I don't know. I never cheated on Carrie and Bruce never cheated on Shandi or Lisa. You've been cheated on, Gene, so you know how it feels. Kinda makes you wonder why you'd do that in the first place to be honest."

To my horror, he burst into tears, rising to his feet. "Fuck!" he wailed, practically running out the door. Bruce and I stared after him in shock before I followed him without a word. "Gene! Gene, wait!" I cried, catching his arm and trying to drag him to a halt. "Gene, it's okay, just calm down and take a deep breath and we'll work this out, I promise."

"No! I ruined everything! I had a wife who loved me and a son and-and I threw it all away f-for what?! Some ditzes who just wanted to make out with me because of my name?! A-and you've been such a good friend and then I didn't even realize you were getting married?! Eric I'm so sorry, I've fucked everything up and I don't know what to do!"

"I know, I know you did, but just shut up and let us help you! You need to calm down, you're a mess!" He decided to respond to my advice by getting so panicked he passed out, pitching forward in my arms. I staggered under his weight, due to the fact he was almost a foot taller and probably a hundred pounds heavier than me. "Bruce!" I shouted.

He walked into the hallway, not even saying a word as he helped me carry Gene back into our apartment, sitting him on the couch. "Get some cold water and throw it in his face," he said in a flat voice. I nodded, running off and doing as he said, throwing water in Gene's face as Bruce slapped him probably a little more aggressively than he needed to. "Hey, Simmons, wake up, don't do this."

Gene stirred slightly, shaking his head. "Fucked it up," he mumbled. "Yeah, you did, but you can fix it. We'll help you. Just come on, wake up," I said, shaking him. He shook his head, screwing his eyes shut. "Just fucking kill me now," he said under his breath. "Gene, come on! Don't be like this, you just gotta talk to her!"

"What do I even say to her?" he said sadly. "I don't know. She's your wife, you know her. But I know you need to apologize."

He nodded miserably. "I know, I know. I'm sorry." "Save it for Shannon, man, save it for Shannon."