A/N
The end :)
- munky
~
"You never give me credit, Rose!!!" Izzy Stradlin screamed. "I am the backbone of this fucking band! You're nothing without me!"
"Fuckin' watch me!" Axl spat.
"There's an obvious drug problem with you fuckers. You kicked Stevie out for shooting up heroin, yet you bitches snort lines every night!"
"Since when the fuck have you care about drugs?!"
"Since I realized how fucked up in makes you!" Izzy snapped, standing inches away from Axl.
Izzy, Slash, Duff, and Axl had finished a show in down town LA. It was like any other show, it went smooth, Slash took a shower, Duff cleaned his bass, and Axl did lines in the bathroom of the tour bus.
And Izzy snapped.
Slash had a feeling deep in his gut that this would be their last show together.
"I've had it!" The black haired man huffed and through his hands in the air out of distress. "I'm trying to get my life together and you're making it real damn hard, Axl."
"Oh, so it's my fuckin' fault?" Axl mocked. "Oh, yeah, blame it on the singer, always his fuckin' fault, yeppp!"
"Guys can we just-" Duff tried to speak up from his sitting spot on the leather couch in the bus, but Axl cut him off.
"CAN IT, DUFF!"
McKagan flinched, but quickly brushed it off. All the band members were used to Axl's sour attitude. It should phase them more, but habits tend to not do that.
"This-!" Izzy motioned to Axl's sweaty and tired post-concert body, "- is what I'm sick of! You're an asshole, Ax! You wonder why I dont give you respect, it's because you never respected us in the first place."
Axl tried to defend himself, but Izzy shoved him. The singer stumbled, but caught himself on the plastic walls of the tour bus. Izzy flipped Axl off.
"You see this?? Shove it up your ass, William. I'm quitting!"
Axl looked shocked, then furious.
"Don't you dare use that name on me, Jeffery!"
The red head lunged at Izzy, fire in his green cat-like eyes. He tackled his bandmate to the ground and tried to pin the man down, but his scrawny frame kept him from holding down his opponent for very long.
Izzy shoved Axl off and stood up to regain his balance. He fixed his tasseled hair, smoothed his shirt, then pointed a finger at his old bandmate.
"I'm done."
And he stormed out of the tour bus.
"H-He cant just do that!" Axl shrieked. "He cant leave!"
Slash has seen this before. Axl will get in this 'control' mode where he needs to control everything in the situation. If something doesnt go as plan, he flips out. Slash learned it's best to keep his trap shut and let Axl rage.
"I...." Duff sighed. His eyebrows furrowed together as he contemplated what to say. "I-I....I'm going with him."
Axl blinked, but said nothing as he watched the bass player get up from sitting. Duff shot his hands up in defense, afraid Axl would attack him.
"N-Nothing personal, dude. I'm just done... with your attitude, man. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Duff trailed off. He sincerely looked upset, but turned around and left Slash and Axl.
They both stood in utter silence. What could they say? In a few minutes, everything fell apart.
"Go." Axl said. His teeth were clenched along with his fists, his whole body was tensed and his eyes were focused on the ugly ass carpet of the tour bus.
"W-what-?" Slash choked out. His throat was dry.
"You fucking HEARD ME!" Axl screamed. He wasnt looking at Slash, but closed his eyes and faced away from him. "Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No..."
"Then go. Leave. Follow them. G-GO!"
"But-"
"FUCK, SLASH!!" Axl screamed, whipping around to face his shocked, now ex-guitatist. "Y-youre making t-this difficult."
Slash's eyes were glazed over as he stared into the green pools of Axl's teary eyes. The man's face was flushed pink.
Axl whipped his runny nose and eyes with the sleeve of his leather jacket.
"Leave." He said, "before I make you."
Slash nodded, tried to say something, but nothing came out. He walked out of the tour bus, but before he could get away from the sad sight, Axl spoke.
"You know." The singer leaned against the frame of the bus door, staring out at Slash. "I thought this was gonna work..."
Slash nodded.
"But I guess not."
And that was the last Slash had seen of Axl.
-
Years passed. No contact. Not a word.
Slash occasionally called Duff, keeping small talk. Most of them moved on. Steven was in rehab. Izzy started a new band and so did Duff. Slash had thought about doing a solo album, but whenever he picked him his guitar, a certain red head would pop into his head.
One particular night, Slash was driving at night, lights blurring past him as he drove, no particular place in mind.
November Rain came on the radio.
Slash almost pulled the steering wheel too far to the left when turning as he heard the beginning of that fateful song.
His head began to race as he thought of his family. The people who once were his family. His band. His friends. His whole world.
Like a call from heaven, Slash's phone rang. He almost didnt hear it his mind was so full, but he did at the 3rd ring, pulled to the side of the road, and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Slasher."
His heart stopped as he heard the familiar voice.
"Axl."
"That's me." Axl chuckled. "I was listening to the radio.
"Me too. I heard-"
"- November Rain." Slash could almost hear the smile in Axl's voice as he finishes Slash's sentence.
"We were listening to the same station I guess." Slash chuckled, turning off his car and walking out to sit on the hood.
Where he parked was overlooking the entire city. It was breathtaking, but not as much as Axl.
"I was wondering about you." Axl spoke. "Every so often. The littlest things, too. Like a snake at the pet store or curly hair."
Slash snickered.
"I wanted to let you know, I'm okay."
The guitarist sighed in relief.
"I'm assuming you've been worried." Axl's voice got softer, quieter.
"I have. A lot. I didn't want to bother you though." Slash confessed. "I dont think I knew what to even say. It's been years-"
"- I know." Axl cut him off and let out a drawn out breath. "I should've called sooner. It was my fault. Just like the band breaking u-"
"Ax." Slash interrupted. They had a habit of cutting each other off or talking over one another.
"I know. I know. Everyone tells me it isnt my fault but I've come to realize..." Axl paused. "It might've been. And, I'm sorry."
"Axl Rose saying sorry?" Slash laughed.
"Hey, knock it off, asshole." Axl joined in with a light laugh, "I might just take it back."
"Empty promises, Rose."
"You always know it."
They were both silent. It wasnt a bad silence, but both were sitting, acknowledging that the other was there, was well.
Slash had stayed up so many nights, worried that Axl would do something stupid. He knew the man was impulsive.
"Are you..." Slash hesitated, wondering if he should even enter this territory. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes." The man replied after a moment of silence. "I've stopped drinking. Trying to get my life together."
"You dont understand how glad I am to hear that."
A dog barked in the distance. A car honked. Slash smiled.
"Maybe in a different lifetime, this all would've worked out." The curly haired man sighed.
Axl snorted on the other side of the phone.
"Not in this lifetime."
"You never know..."
Axl was silent, but Slash knew the man was smiling.
"Thank you for checking in with me."
"It should've been sooner, I know."
"Call me again sometime." Slash didnt want to sound too desperate, but he added "please."
"I will."
"See you around, Ax."
"I'm everywhere.
"Bye."
"Bye."
And Axl hung up. Slash flipped his phone shut, and shoved it into his leather pocket of his Harley Davidson jacket.
This was the end. But not forever.
-
Munky