"Hey, so Duff was gone awhile when he was showing you where the restroom was last night." Axl nudges my arm with a smirk as we walk towards our next destination, walking at a comfortable pace in front of our group of misfits.
"Yeah." I say, my cheeks heating, my brows furrowing in confusion, a frown crossing my face as I replay what happened in my head, he looked so afraid and angry, whether if was at me or himself was unclear.
"So what did you guys talk about?" He insists.
"Nothing." I blurt quickly.
Axl looks me in the eyes and pulls me to a stop on the pavement beside a brick building, the others walk around Axl and I, continuing the journey ahead of us, each guy giving either a curious glance or a sympathetic smile.
"What happened. Duff came back in a shitty mood and hasn't spoke much since. You've been quieter than usual too." He observed me carefully.
"I don't want to talk about it Ax" I say softly, not meeting his brotherly eyes.
"Okay, don't talk to me about it, but maybe Izzy? Slash? Hell! Even Steven!" I can tell he's getting more and more frustrated, so I decide to just agree with him.
"Okay"
"Woah, this place is a dump!" Steven whispers unsubtly into Izzy's ear, the moment we stepped into a fairly empty club, the stench of sex, smoke and cheap alcohol staining the air.
"Guns N Roses?" A Weasley middle-aged man with a bald scalp and ripped t-shirt makes his way over to us gradually from the dusty looking bar and extending a greasy hand to Slash, who shyly yet smoothly steps backwards and behind the group. Axl accepts the hand and gives it a firm shake.
"That's us, when do you want us on."
"8. Set up whenever. The backroom is yours until 7 in the morning tomorrow when we open up." He states blandly and points a slim thumb to a door marked "Staff Only".
"Awesome man." Axl replies in a business like tone before leading our group to the backroom, rubbing the hand used for the shake on his jean clad thigh the whole time.
"Terror! Going for a smoke, want one?" Izzy asks across the room, earning a glare from Axl.
"No thanks Iz!" I call back. Waiting until he leaves through the Fire exit to grab his worn guitar case and sit myself out of view from the men.
Slipping out Izzy's sleek and beautiful guitar from the case, I begin strumming the first song he ever taught me. Cheap Trick 'Flame'.
Soon enough I'm in a world of musical bliss, unaware of the song gaining a basic drum beat and bass lines, looking up mid song, Steven sits on the floor to my left beating his sticks to the ground and Duff sits to my right clutching his treasured bass on his lap.
Smiling gleefully, I decide to do another Cheap Trick song with a faster tempo, 'She's Tight'.
Clapping sounds throughout the room when we finish the song. Looking up I see Axl and Slash looking amused and Izzy looking between proud and Giving me the brotherly 'Don't Touch My Stuff" look.
"You play guitar Alex?" Steven asks curiously, his signature grin on his face.
"Rhythm, lead, bass, drums, violin and piano." I state casually. Axl and Izzy fist pumping without looking at each other casually and the rest of the guys jaws dropping to the floor.
"Marry me." This time I get the proposal from Steven and I laugh at his adorable puppy dog eyes.
"Sure" I laugh as Steven takes a chunky skull ring from his pinky finger and slides it with ease onto my right hand ring finger, the whole time keeping his childish grin.
"Now you're one of us forever. Married to the group!" He states with authority, looking round the group and earning smirks and agreeing nods.