"So, remind me why you guys are leaving again?" Duff asked, downing another shot of his vodka.
Slash scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable with lying but Axl just stretched his neck and shrugged nonchalantly, "I told you already, I've got writer's block."
Izzy eyed at him suspiciously, "Really. Axl Rose, is outta lyrics?"
Axl shrugged, "I mean, I got some, but nothin good."
Slash nodded in agreement, "Yeah, a change of scenery I think would help, and I'm comin to help jam out a tune." They kind of nodded, seeing as that seemed logical.
Steven tilted his head to the side, "Do you want us to come too? We could add to it, make it sound sweet, maybe it would help?"
Slash shook his head, "I don't think so Stevie. Besides, once we got lead guitar and the vocals down then we'll come back and you guys can perfect it. But I think it'll need to get the basics down first, then you guys can work off the final product."
Steven frowned, "I still don't see why we can't at least come along..."
Duff ruffled Steven's fluffy blonde hair, "Aw c'mon Stevie, you know less people around always helps clear heads y'know? They'll get more work done without us in the way."
Steven sighed, "Okay.. But I hope you losers know we're gonna throw the best rager ever and you are so gonna miss out."
Slash smiled and snickered sarcastically, "Oh I'm sure we will."
Axl interrupted him, "JUST DON'T GO IN MY ROOM!" he hissed, looking at Izzy, "YOU'VE GOT SOME COMPETENCE, STRADLIN, DON'T LET THESE FUCKHEADS IN MY ROOM."
Izzy saluted him military style, "Aye aye cap'n."
Slash turned to Axl, "Alright, if you guys are done with that, you got all your stuff?"
Axl nodded, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and picking up a second smaller bag in his arm, "You all set? Need a hand baby?" he asked as Slash slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and picked up his heavy guitar case in one hand.
"Uh, no but can somebody drag my amp out to the car for me?" Duff nodded, standing up and lugging up the amplifier.
Axl said goodbye to Izzy and Steven and turned to follow them out the door when Michelle stopped him, "Hey you gonna forget me?" she demanded.
Axl turned around to face her, "Oh shit sorry honey," he kissed her forehead, "Bye Michelle," he crouched down and kissed the bump of her belly, "Bye William."
She smiled as Axl rose to his feet again, "Alright now move it outta here," she lowered her voice, "Before Erin rushes over and loses her mind like a panicky hen."
Axl nodded briskly, "Shit that'll be a mess."
Michelle rolled her eyes, "Oh shut up you're not the one whose gonna be here when she pops in, just go and sometime today call her, okay? Before she strangles us for letting her baby boy leave."
Axl shuddered, "Will do." He kissed the top of her head again, "See ya sweetheart."
Slash was driving and they'd been on the road for a while now. Slash had to drive because Axl had awful road rage and Slash needed somebody to be in charge of the map. I mean, he had awful regular rage but it was really bad on the road. And granted, Axl really hated that fucking map and he almost tore it in half earlier, but at least he wasn't trying to shred a map while in charge of the steering wheel going eighty miles an hour. They played car games, Axl slept, Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin came on and Axl sang his lungs out, Axl slept again, it was a long day.
Axl's stomach growled. "Slash can we stop somewhere to eat, I'm huuuuuunnnngrrrryyyyy," he whined.
Slash smirked, "What, are you a hungry child or something?"
Axl shook his head, "No I'm your little bitch," he replied, in reference to his jingly collar that he insisted on bringing and there was no changing his mind.
He wore his fucking tight leather pants and his sleeveless crop top and his collar, Slash wondered if leather pants and a collar were really what Axl would want to be comfortable in for sitting in a car all day, but again, there was no changing his mind. Slash didn't care at all though, the outfit sure was working for him. And Slash was still practically giddy that he could actually say that that was his boyfriend. He felt all giggly and fuzzy inside every time his brain reminded him of it, he felt like a preteen girl with a crush.
Boyfriend, the word repeated in Slash's head. Axl Rose is my boyfriend. 'Oh Slash whose your boyfriend?' Axl Rose that's who. He's my boyfriend. He's all mine bitches. Slash almost giggled out loud, and Slash could see Axl side-eyeing him now and then with a dude-what-the-fuck-are-you-giggling-about look.
Axl begged in a whiny sexual voice, "Daddy I'm hungry can I have something to eat." He brushed the side of his face against his shoulder and rolled his neck like he was horny, "Oh Daddy please." Slash grinned and shoved him away with his hand. "FEED ME RIGHT NOW YOU FUCKING BITCH OR I'M GONNA EAT YOUR CUM."
Slash bit his lip, "Mm you should, I could go for a blowjob right now."
That's how most of the day was, Axl would be talking to Slash about something or he'd be begging for food until he wore him down and they stopped at a gas station to grab something to eat. That's how their relationship worked.
It was good for Axl to have Slash, he was a good friend but now that he was his boyfriend it just fit better, not like if he were to be with a girl. Slash could handle him when he got worked up, and Axl knew exactly how he could get anything he wants out of him. Slash would try and tell him no, but Axl just had a way of wearing him down. He'd distract him or irritate him or threaten him, whatever it was, it worked.
Sometimes he was a real pain in the ass to Slash, and Slash could see how people would easily be bothered by him, but in the end, he really did just enjoy him. He was like, well for sake of comprehension, a cat.
He was that cat you have that's a real pain in the ass, waking you up in the night, scratching your legs when they're bored, fighting or humping the alley cats or your leg, clawing the furniture, he's that cat. But the cat will sometimes sleep on your stomach and purr, or brush up against your leg, and in the end, no matter how much you want to throw that damn cat out the window, you still just love your cat.
They'd been driving all day, it was actually pretty dark now. They'd been living solely off of one bottle of water they shared, too many cups of coffee to count, and gas station snacks all day. They were on the freeway, a few other cars whizzed by, their bright lights shining and reflecting off the road, but they weren't as frequent as it had been during the day. Slash looked at his watch on his wrist, 11:03. Was it really 11? Jeez.
Axl leaned his chair back, stretching out his legs a little. He pulled his bandana over his eyes. "We stopping anywhere for the night baby?"
"We probably should soon, then we can hit the road again in the morning. I think some night we'll drive through the night though," he yawned, "But not tonight. I'm exhausted."
Axl nodded, "Alright." he sighed, picking up his walkman. He picked his bandana up slightly so he could see and he popped in Queen's Jazz cassette and pressed play, putting his headphones over his ears. He covered his eyes again, resting his hands behind his head, and Slash could see his foot tapping and he quietly hummed Leaving Home Ain't Easy. He hummed for a few more minutes, then he was out.
Slash looked for a good exit where he might find some place to park and they could just sleep in the car. Slash glanced at Axl, so peaceful.
He pulled off onto an exit and he parked in a 24 hour parking lot. He turned the keys, the engine rumbled before shutting off. Axl shifted, lifting his head, "Wha? Huh? Where are we?" He asked confusedly, rubbing his eyes and only moving one ear of his headphones.
"We're just staying in this parking lot for the night. That okay?" Axl nodded and rolled back over to go back to sleep. Axl kicked his boots off and unzipped his backpack before snatching out a blanket. That was a smart thing to bring that Slash unfortunately hadn't thought of.
Axl's walkman clicked at the end of the tape as he was making himself comfortable, "Fuck," he muttered under his breath, taking out the tape and rummaging in his bag for a new one. He pulled out Elton's John's Greatest Hits and Slash stopped him. "What?"
"Do you want to hook it up to the car?"
Axl blinked, "Do you really want to listen to Elton John? I usually fall asleep to it."
Slash shrugged, "I don't mind," he played with his hair as Axl popped it into the car's cassette player. Axl squirmed under his blanket, situating himself as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road played. Slash smiled, "Can I get under there too?" Axl pulled the blanket back to invite him in.
Slash scooted closer to Axl and pressed his body against his back. He then slowly and gently wrapped his arm over his side so Axl's arms were tucked in underneath his as Axl pulled the blanket over them. Slash nestled his face into his red hair. He always smelled nice, like leather, kind of a masculine scent, and a softer edge to it, like roses, and Slash knew that he most certainly did not use the same body wash, shampoo or conditioner that the other guys did. Whatever it was it was lovely.
Slash kissed the back of his neck, "'Night Axl."
Axl smiled, nestling into a little ball, "Night sweetheart."