Swinging Tire

13

Author's Note: I ask everyone to read this note carefully before deciding if you want to continue reading Swinging Tire, because here it where it takes a turn for the darker side. Also, it takes a turn from first to third person in narrative.
The first three chapters are short adaptations from a fic written a long ago as a spin off for someone thought as a friend, but that I always thought that the very fic stood perfectly on its on, as it was constructed that way. As is my complete invention, from plotline to characters, I feel entitled to use it, adapted to this fic, as I please, and as I am protected under the international copywrite law, I can use and diffuse my own work whenever and wherever I want.
Enjoy.

Interlude 1

*****

"La, lalalala,lalalala, lala..." Duff was bobbing his head to the beat of Queen as he waited at the bar from the drinks. He was back with Izzy, and he could barely contain his joy at the mere idea of it. Sure Duff knew about Axl. In Izzy's live, it would always be Axl, Duff didn't feel threatened by Axl's presence, because after all Axl was a permanent fixture in Izzy's live long before Duff came into the frame.

What Duff couldn't stand was the rumors about Slash and Izzy. That would turn his stomach upside down, made him dry heave just a the thought of it, it was indecent, it was depraved, it was cruel, to himself hell yes, but infinitely more so to Axl, that was in love with Slash but loved and trusted Izzy so implicitly, it was a shame really.

But there they where now, and it was Izzy's idea, the night out, the nice club, upscale, full of nicely dressed , beautiful people, the lights and the music out off what they would have chosen, and miles away from the dirty, smoke clogged dives they were all used to it. But it was kind off cool, the five of them, Steven with his nice as pie girl ( she was even called Chery) that was alredy missing, pissed off that he was probrably fucking some slut in one of the toilets stalls, Duff tought to himself and laughed.

He made his way back through the trong of sweaty bodies back to their table, passing Axl on the way to the the toilet, having to scream over the blaring music to be heard.

But the table was empty and Duff felt a knot on his stomach, an uneasy feeling pouring on him like hot rain in Georgia. That godamned Queen song was playing with his mind, he thought, putting the drinks on the table, eyes scanning the crowd for Slash and Izzy. As he mixed himself again between the dancing people, he found them, in a busy corner, dancing with the crowd, but his smile fadeded as quickly as it started.

They were dancing, yes, but also grinding against one another, and then they kissed. A long, messy, all mouth, all body, kiss.

And he just stood there, paralysed, unable to go foward or to step back. Just stood there and watched.

Axl touched his shoulder then. "Duff! Are you all right man? Where's Slash and Izzy gone? Steven is.."

Duff cut Axl's words with a violent shove backwards. He must not see this, he thought, he must not see this..

"Man! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Axl screamed at him, but his eyes were lost then, and Duff knew he had seen it, just as much as he had seen. They stood looking at each other, panting, hurt mirrored in each others eyes and Duff hugged him, suffocating Axl's sobs with his own, pushing him back tot he table, dancing with him, holding him tight.

"Sush, it's allright. They haven't seen us, it's all right."

Axl nodded and let himself be guided to the table, drying his tears with his shirtsleeves. They didn't see them right? They could just pretend it never happened, yes that was it . It never happened. Axl smiled at Duff then, a sad sad smile. It never happened.

When Slash and Izzy returned to the table, Duff and Axl were discussing tour details.They rolled their eyes and joined the banter, Axl telling them about Steven and a slut noisy fuck at the toilets and when Axl asked where they were, they smiled and told them they were ouside, smoking.

Izzy smiled at Duff then, a croocked, loving, innocent smile.

You could have fooled me, Duff thought.

You could have fooled me.