Tenderness on the Block Ch. 03

"You mean the one with the mask they copied for the recent The Batman movie for Paul Dano's Riddler?

"Yes, that one..."

"Awesome! Let get your stuff downstairs and Colleen can we hook his trailer up to your Cube as they are keeping yours locked up here and could you take it to my house -- please?"

"Okay babe."

"Great, how 'bout I treat you guys to dinner at the English pub in the casino and then I'll go to the main cage and get Gary a cashier's cheque and my big mock cheque."

At dinner Gary gave Bobby the information for his storage unit and Bobby said he would clean up the unit when they would be down in two weeks then they walked to the convention center receiving dock and said their good-byes.

The next day they did meet with Denys and said that they would have an answer when they got back from SoCal from picking up Gary's storage unit.

----Chapter Four----

Bobby and Colleen decided to take her Cube with Gary's branded trailer, stopping at 'Stateline' (where Cali meets Nevada) at 'The Lotto Store*' to gas up and get some Mega Millions numbers. They stopped in Baker,* at the current Bob's Big Boy* where the former Bun Boy* once stood with the 'World's Largest Thermometer'* (which was still there) had lunch, took a picture with the fiberglass Big Boy* statue and headed South on I-15 towards SoCal.

They stopped in Corona to hit the Naugles* just off the freeway at 2260 Frontage Rd.* for some dinner and to top off the gas tank at the Chevron*.

They pulled into Pico Rivera and checked into the Epic Hotel* for the night, it had been about two months since Colleen had invited Bobby to 'dinner' at The Westward Ho Casino and now they were sharing a room (and maybe a bed?) -- was she ready after a dozen years of being by herself? Was she ready for a relationship? Let alone one with a boy 21 years her junior she wondered as she sat on the love seat in the suite. Bobby could see the concern on her face...

"You know I can take the love seat to sleep on if you want me to."

"I know, I know but I feel connected with you in the way that I felt with Peter but I don't know if I'm ready for a physical relationship on top of the emotional one."

They hadn't even gone past the kissing phase of their relationship (with only kissing on the mouth a couple of times).

"I won't push you faster than you want to go, but I can sleep on top of the duvet and you can sleep under it and we can talk of our plans for our store as we fall asleep."

"I can live with that option Robert."

So they did through the night until 1 a.m. when they said 'good night' to each other.

She woke up four hours later (two and a half hours before the courtesy call that he had arranged) and upon looking around she found her head on his slowly rising and falling chest with her left arm over his waist close to his morning wood, feeling things she hadn't felt since Peter died - comfort, contentment but most of all emotionally safe and secure...it was as if her body/'heart' knew what she needed but now needed to convince her irrational rational mind of -- she needed to be with Bobby.

She slowly got up from him giving him a kiss on his forehead went into the bathroom to relieve her bladder and to try and talk her mind into agreeing with her heart.

'He's twenty-one years younger than you...'

'Age is only a number...'

'He'll find a girl closer to his age and fall for her...'

'He has an old soul...'

'......'

Colleen's 'rational' mind ran out of excuses, even it knew that Bobby made her happy and whole -- so in the end her body/'heart' triumphed and she brushed her teeth and laid down next to him on top of the duvet put her head back on his chest and arm about his waist and fell back to sleep.

Almost two and a half hours later the room phone rang waking them both up, Bobby was surprised to see Colleen on top of the duvet snuggled up to his chest and even more surprisingly his left arm was wrapped around her shoulders underneath her head -- he leaned down to her as she leaned up to him and they kissed.

"Good morning Belladonna,"

"Good morning Count Bunnicula*," she had started calling him that (or alternately 'Count Bun Bun' or just 'Bun Bun') after dating for a month when she surprised him with a pair of animated black and green bunny ears that reacted via Bluetooth to the music he was listening to or to surrounding ambient noise.

"Ready to get some breakfast at (Original) Tommy Burgers, before we hit the storage unit?"

"Yes, Bun Bun, we need to talk about the store and us as well."

"Good I hope..."

"Let's just say I'm ready to give The Riv my two week notice and my landlord a thirty day notice..."

"You mean..."

"Yes, yes I want to take our relationship to the next level," then she pulled his head down and gave him a passionate tongue battle (a battle he gladly lost).

When they got back to Vegas they met with Denys and Angela again to finalise plans for 'Toons und Tunes' their combo 'darque' comic and record store. Denys said he would like them to open on Gothtober 1st and that the store would take about 60 days to be renovated to their agreed upon specifications.

-----Chapter Five-----

Colleen put her 2 week notice in at The Riv and Bobby did the same at Circus Circus, deciding to hit some comic cons all along the West Coast to weed out the non-horror comics from his inventory and add more horror comics - over the months of May to July before having to get back in August to help oversee then renovations at the store.

One of the 'big' things he wanted were displays of Goth artists' costumes. He had a current high bid on Marilyn Manson's suit from the video for 'Tainted Love' and one of the 'bunny' costumes (that being his inspiration to wear bunny ears most of the time) -- hearing this Colleen got an idea for the grand opening.

They only went on the road for the month of May and decided to set up a booth at Frank and Son* comic show in the city of Industry* in L.A. County for June and July to save money on gas and staying at Gary's house (as he was staying with Donna at the hospice) and they were cleaning it and prepping it so Gary could sell it when she died. He was going to take her cremains with him to Oulu, Finland* where he would live out the rest of his days.

"Hey Bun Bun do ya wanna check out Midsummer Scream* in Long Beach* for the last weekend of July?"

"Sound good Bella, I haven't been there in years."

"This year they've added a custom car show with cars from TV and film."

[Last Friday of July]

Bobby decided to wear Dave Vanian's suit and Colleen dressed as a 1950's zombie compleat with a back poodle skirt with a pink skeletal poodle. He had zero intention of entering the cosplay contest but when the cretin MC called him Riddler as he walked in, he decided would and he would edify him (and the gathered) by sending the clip of The Damned performing on TV with Vanian in the outfit from his Sonim XP-8* to the main hall screen, the celebrity judges were Rob and Sheri Moon Zombie (as they were there promoting the upcoming The Munsters film) and they declared him the 'Best in Show'.

Outside at an alternate entrance were the cars, the OG Munstermobile (also Rob Zombie's) and Grandpa's Dragula, Christine, Elvira's Macabre Mobile, the Green Goblin truck from Maximum Overdrive, Sam Raimi's 1973 yellow Oldsmobile Delta 88 ('The Classic') and...

"Holy hell, Bella - that's the 1969 Lincoln Continental from Manson's vid for 'Tainted Love'!"

Colleen knew this (as she asked the owner of Sterling Motors of Hollywood to bring it for her) for she knew the current owner Sterling Wrodolphus 'Doll' Messenger (who coincidentally had his hair go gray when he was a senior in high school) -- a collector of rare R & B sides and the reason why they were there.

After he introduced himself to Bobby, he left him to gawp..."close your mouth Bunnicula -- you'll gather flies," Colleen joked then joined him behind a partition...

"Are you still looking for that Timi Yuro 'It'll Never be Over for Me*' on Liberty Records*, Doll?"

"You know it Colleen, why have you decided to part with yours?"

"Well, my man Chris out there has Manson's suit from the video and one of the bunny costumes too...so I was thinking I offer you the Yuro 45 and a test pressing of Big Mama Thornton's 'Hound Dog'* for the car."

"Colleen, you have a deal, are you still in 'Sin City'?"

"Yup, do you think you can trailer it up there next month and meet me and Robbie Fry over at Fry's Kustom Kar Rentals then we'll swap."

August and September were great months as he picked up one of David Bowie's suits from Ridley Scott's 'The Hunger, Tim Curry's costume from 'The Worst Witch', Christian Bale's Raincoat and suit from American Psycho from the Huey Lewis scene, and for the coup de grace a Frank the Bunny 'stunt' costume from Donnie Darko with the help of the money they won from the Mega Millions.

Robbie worked on the 1969 Lincoln on the weekends during August/September -- sadly the car was a 'Trailer Queen' and needed a horde of new stuff before she could even run again

------Chapter Six------

[Gothtober 1st 6:30 A.M.]

Bobby was awoken by Colleen sensually caressing and sucking on his uncut 7" cock...

"Don't stop Bella, I'm almost there," she just looked up at him and smiled at him the best that she could considering his stiff member was tickling the back of her throat and winked at him -- sensing his balls drawing up to his torso she increased the stroking on his shaft as she withdrew her mouth to just underneath his spongy cockhead.

"Here it comes," he moaned as one, two, three, four, FIVE! ropes of cum shot into her mouth where she didn't spill a drop...she opened her mouth to show him the remnants of his spend as she finished swallowing it with a flourish.

He pulled her up to his mouth and kissed her invading its coated interior with his tongue.

"That was great Bella."

Then he flipped her onto her back and began his kissing and nipping and sucking descent down her neck -- across her 44DD tits stopping at her nipples to lick and tweak them and he continued down her torso stopping at her belly button sucking on it like it was her clit playing with her belly ring pulling it gently with his teeth.

Suddenly, impatiently she pushed his head down to her bare pubic mound where he split her moistened labia with his fingers and invaded her nether-lips like he did with her other pair probing and thrusting with his tongue and then attacked her stiff little clit with his mouth and teeth and tongue while he attacked her digitally with varying numbers.

"Oh my Bun Bun -- I'm almost there!"

To accelerate her orgasm he took his middle finger that was lubricated with her enflooding juices and suddenly shoved it into her ass hole causing her to squirt over his face and the bed clothes

"Oomph" she moaned.

"What are ya trying to do drown me?"

"You know very well that happens to me when you do that!" She stated as she pulled him up to her face and reciprocated the intense kiss that he had given her just a little while ago.

"Now, let's get in the shower and no funny stuff, we've got to get ready for the noon grand opening."

He followed her into the large en-suite, getting into the large shower first adjusting the water temperature in the shower while she waited outside, she then tentatively put her arm in to check the temp but Bobby grabbed her and pulled her against him as he leaned against the wall.

"You little so-and-so!"

"Well, you yourself indicated we are tight on time and I know how you like your water temp."

"You -- you Bun Bun!"

"Aaannnd you like that, don't you mi bella Bella."

Bobby drew her into a romantic embrace kissing her forehead as she collapsed melting into his chest.

"Yes, I really - really do Robert. I have an idea...why don't you wear Manson's suit today with that forest green tie I bought you at The Attic* last week?"

"Excellent choice, what about you Bella?"

"Just my typical black gauzy look -- why mess with a good thing."

"I couldn't agree more mi bella."

They decided to eat breakfast at Death by Dawn instead of eating at home to meet with Denys and Angela plus to enjoy a hearty Death by Dawn breakfast and some Lucozade Energy Orange* and then talked with their two part time employees about the day's goings on.

Sterling was coming up from Hollywood trailering the cars, they would be offloaded with 'The Classic' being driven by a Fake Shemp*, the Macabre Mobile* with one of Sterling's friends dressed as Elvira being chauffeured by John 'Breather' Paragon and a third 'mystery' car with a 'mystery' driver.

At 11:15 Colleen excused herself to the 'little girl's' room -- and stripped off her dress and donned a pair of jeans with the same Middle Earth Records tee that she wore at that 1st lunch with Bun-Bun and then ducked out the back door and headed to the empty store on the far end of 'The Block'.

When she got in she greeted the two drivers (plus Breather's guest) and Sterling helped her get into her costume.

It was almost 11:30 and she hadn't yet returned but he decided to head out of the store to the street (which the city had closed down) and stood behind and to the right of Denys as he started to address the gathered crowd.

"Hi everyone, I'm Denys Patrique Ryan co-owner of 'The Block' and I want to welcome the first non-Ryan family member owned business 'Toons und Tunes and here is one of the co-owners Robert Ruof."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the grand opening of 'Toons und Tunes our Goth comics and record store...I'm Robert 'Bobby' Ruof and my partner Colleen Marguerite seems to be running late but anyhoo to start us off here are three 'Horrormobiles' provided by Sterling Motors of Hollywood."

"First up is Sam Raimi's 'The Classic' driven by a Fake Shemp" as the car pulled onto the street from the east side he was surprised to see Bruce Campbell* dressed as Ash Williams* (what the actual fuck? He wondered) "probably the best known of all the Fake Shemps -- Bruce 'Ash' Campbell" the crowd exploded in cheers

"Next up we have Elvira's Macabre Mobile" from the west side the car drove up driven by John Paragon in a rumpled tan trench coat with Elvira in the back seat (holy shite Bobby thought) "with Cassandra 'Elvira' Peterson being driven by John 'Breather' Paragon.

"And for our final car, I have been told by Colleen that this is a favourite of mine" then from the alley in front of Misery came the 1969 Lincoln Continental with a bunny driving (I have died and gone to heaven thought Bobby) "the 1969 Lincoln Continental from Marilyn Manson's video for his cover of Soft Cell*'s cover of Gloria Jones*' 'Tainted Love*' and I am even wearing the matching suit, save the tie."

Colleen carefully stopped in front of the astonished Bobby then got out and handed him the keys to the car, shocking him and then adding awe to the shock by removing her head and shaking her two-tone locks and walking over and kissing him and taking the mic from the stunned Bobby.

"I'm Colleen, Bobby or as I like to call him Count Bunnicula's partner in 'Toons und Tunes, also in life. You are all invited in for a selection of black and green imbibments in commemorative 'poison bottles' plus our lovely V.I.P.s have generously offered to meet and greet in Death by Dawn where you can say 'Hello Lover' to the man himself and chat with the Mistress of the Dark and her stalker Breather also known as Jambi the Genie."

Bobby opened the door to the store and Colleen waved the crowd in, then as they dispersed she sidled up to him, "give me 20 minutes to get out of this hot, hot, hot costume and to cool down before I get all gauzy again" she ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek "oh, and I hope you like your large grand opening present..."

"What is it?"

Why it's the car, ya dinkus" he almost collapsed in her arms.

"You are so incredibly AWESOME! I love you mi bella Bella!"

"Remember I'll be unveiling the store displays since you introduced the cars."

"Si, my bella Bella."

At 12:20 Colleen returned and they gathered everybody to reveal the costume displays, but then Bobby noticed the two additional cases on either side of the record counter. Promptly at 12:30 Colleen turned on her wireless headset which broadcast through the store's tannoy.

"Ladies and gentlemen and V.I.P.s now comes the unveiling of our costume displays which are not for sale" Bobby went to each display pulling the curtains off just before she spoke about them - "first up in the right front end corner is Dave Vanian's costume from the TV appearance by The Damned on the final episode of 'The Trouble with the '70's', next up in the left front end corner is Tim Curry's costume as The Grand Wizard from 1986's TV film adaptation of Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch." A smattering of 'oohs' and 'aaahs' followed.

"Next up is the back left hand corner and one of David Bowie's costumes as John Blaylock from Ridley Scott's 1983 film adaptation of Whitley Strieber's 'The Hunger' and in the back right hand corner Christian Bale's see-through raincoat and suit from the Huey Lewis scene from Mary Harron's 1999 film adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' American Psycho," now murmurs and twitters.

"In the right center we have a 'stunt' costume of Frank the Bunny from Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko and opposite it two bunny costumes from Tainted Love" with serious applause for them.

Finally we have the latest costumes on the ends of the record counter, on the left, an Elvira costume donated by the Horror Icon herself from Elvira's Haunted Hills* and on the right a costume from the other Horror Icon in the room an Ashley Williams costume from Ash vs. Evil Dead with actual stunt rifle and chainsaw," the crowd turned to the trio of V.I.P.s and a thunderous noise arose.

-------Chapter Seven-------

[Later that evening after closing]

As they lay in bed, Bobby tried to figure out how to start his 'interrogation' of Colleen but he couldn't so he just said "how?"

"Well, I got the car from Sterling by trading two rare vinyls and when I told him what you did for Gary it filtered to Cassandra and Bruce who volunteered to help in my subterfuge and then decided to give you the costumes,"

"And what about your bunny costume?"

"Sterling forgot that he had it in the trunk of the car and when Robbie found it he said 'just keep it'."

"You really are the best mi bella Bella" then he kissed her in a love filled way, then he excused himself to the en-suite and came back a few minutes later but came around to her side of the bed and got down on one knee

"Colleen Linda Marguerite, will you be my wife?"

"Yes, you wonderful man" as he slipped the vintage ring worn by Stevie Nicks on her left hand.

--------Epilogue--------

On January 10th a year after they met Bobby and Colleen went to the Las Vegas Marriage office and had Denys marry them at Misery, then that summer they drove out to Midsummer Scream in the Lincoln Continental and were joined as Boil and Ghoul by a Tall Man* clone after winning best couples costumes as one of the bunnies and Marilyn Manson.

And I thank you for those items that you gave me

The bunny and the Lincoln Continental

I practiced every night, now I'm ready

First we take D.T.L.V., then we take Long Beach.