Guns Fic
Title: Freedom Part The Fifth.
Author: Screamer06.
Pairing: Slash/Axl/Duff
Warning/Summery: mansecks :o
Notes: For Sleeper3, thanks chick mwah!
Disclaimer: Don’t own, don’t sue, I is poor L
Axl rolled out of bed and looked at himself in the full length mirror on the inside of the wardrobe. He ran his hands over the muscles as they moved with his breathing, his lips were dry but that was because he was breathing through his mouth, wasn’t it? He walked over to the balcony and looked over the city. It was smoggy and smelled of petrol but retained some sense of beauty about it.
Images from his dream replayed and slowly began to fade as dreams do. They shattered with a knock at his door. He opened it to see his smiling housekeeper;
“Beta!” he greeted her with a fierce hug while she chuckled and patted his bare back.
“Oh you smell all asleep did I wake you?”
“No, no I’d just got up, shall I order some tea or something?”
“I’ll do it.” She said bustling into the room and picking up the phone.
“Beta I’ve missed you.” Axl said still smiling at her. He treated her like his mother, like the mother he wished he had growing up.
“I was only away from you for four days Axl!” she pretended to be exasperated.
“You know I can’t look after myself, I’m a spoiled rock-star.” He crossed his arms and pouted like a two year old. Beta picked up the game,
“You’ll get what you’re given but not before you’ve had a shower, now get.” She pointed at the bathroom and swatted Axl’s legs as he stomped past her. She heard the shower spray hit porcelain and took out the “to do” list for today. There was lots today before the show and Axl would want a detailed walk round the stage.
X X X
Slash was on the phone to Duff, telling him he saw Axl. Duffs only response was his usual “I told you so” or words to that effect, which Slash didn’t appreciate much. He was torn between staying and finishing the last two days of his holiday or going home. Duff suggested he send Axl a card or note or something just to show no hard feelings. There weren’t any hard feelings really, there were feelings Slash just didn’t know what they were. Once the phone was down and the humming traffic permeated the room Slash sighed and tried to work his way through the complexities of his brain.
The humming traffic had an odd soothing effect. He soon found himself lightly dozing on the chair and decided a nap would be a good idea. Not that he ever napped but just now he was so tired it was all he could do to drag his tired body into the bed. The sun warmed his face and he fell asleep.
Falling, falling, he looked down into darkness then up into a light. Was he dying? No, he’s died before and this felt very different. He hit the floor and shut his eyes to the impact. He was winded but unhurt.
There was a thumping by his head, regular like a drum beat...no, it was footsteps. He dared to open his eyes and found he was staring at lighting rigs. To his left there was an empty stadium to his right there were people. He stood after running a metal check. Nothing broken. Of course not you can’t break yourself in a dream can you Slash? No, now if you could just wake up. He turned then to see Axl tapping the mic and turning to talk. He laughed with the other man and accepted a cup of something from his house keeper.
Slash waved to Beta but she didn’t respond which he thought odd.
“Hey Beta.” He said, waving again. She ignored him and walked to the back of the stage and rummaged through a cloth bag. Dreaming Slash, duh.
Axl tapped the mic again and sang a few notes with echoed round the dome...Tokyo Dome! That's where he was. Odd being back here again and he took a moment to look about.
“Phil!” he heard Axl yell, “It's fuzzy in my ear I can’t hear myself...Phil!” a short stocky man huffed and puffed his way on to the stage and took Axls ear-piece out and plugged a new one in. Axl sang again and gave Phil the thumbs up. Slash stepped in front of Axl. It was then Axl looked up. By the look on his face Slash knew Axl could see him.
“Can you see me Axl? Huh?” Axl looked wildly from left to right, “Only you can see me it seems, I’m dreaming you see.” Slash said by way of explanation. Beta returned to hear Axl hiss “Go away” quietly. Beta became full of concern, she had seen this before. Axl arguing with thin air, the sudden temper snapping with no warning, odd behaviour and rituals.
“What's wrong?” She asked gently wanting to startle him as little as possible.
The scene became blurred and watery and Slash woke with a gasp as the internal defibrillator kicked him in the chest. Okay that's it, that’s done now, Slash booked the next flight home and bundled his clothes back into the suit case.
X X X
Axl was breathing heavily though his nose holding on to the mic stand as if it was his life, his hands white and tingly he turned to Beta.
“Calm down Axl and tell me, are they back?”
“No, no its worse than that.” Axl gasped close to tears as his heart fluttered in his chest. He swallowed nausea as his stomach cramped.
“Axl, Axl I need you to look at me now.” She turned his face towards her with one hand and signalled to the medic with the other. Axl started to wave through hot and cold and he was sure his heart was going to explode. His eyes rolled back in his head and the medics arrived just in time to catch him and lay him on the stage. The rest of the band hovered nervously looking worried. Beta took Axls pulse and noted his breathing, not letting the medics near him.
“Panic attack,” she stated simply, as she felt his pulse slow back to normal and his breathing eased. She smiled at everybody, “He’ll be fine, but I need to get him backstage so he can sleep it off.”
Axls panic attacks were regular and often seemed to have no trigger so Beta was used to dealing with them. Keep him warm and stay with him, he was often drowsy and slept after an episode.
He came around while being loaded on to a stretcher. He was pale and clammy but Beta immediately took his hand to comfort him. It was dark and warm backstage and oddly quite.
“I did do it again?” he asked though his mouth felt sticky. Beta gave him some water to sip from.
“Yes, wonder what bought that on hum?” she asked with a tense smile.
“Slash.” Axl said simply.
“Slash?”
“Yeah, he make’ed it...standing all over.” Axl gestured clumsily with numb limbs mumbling nonsense.
“Okay we’ll sort it out later, sleep it off now.” Beta said as Axl’s dull eyes slipped shut and he rolled on to his side. She pulled a fleece blanket over him and settled herself with some papers to work though.
X X X
Slash paced the room and sat and stood again. He decided to keep himself busy. He cleaned the bathroom, then the kitchen. He took one of the snakes out then decided the tank needed a clean. It didn’t in fact. None of these things needed doing that's what he employed a cleaner for. Slash was never the most homely guy but right now he just needed a distraction. There was a knock at the door making Slash jump.
He told himself off for being so damn silly and answered. He physically took a step back before correcting himself. There was a delivery man at the door his hair was long and red, kept back by a cap. He smiled and handed the clip board over for Slash to sign. If he had blinked he would have thought it was Axl standing there. He offered a shaky smile as he gave back the clip board.
God it’s quite in the house. Slash hummed to himself before putting the stereo on. He laughed at himself. Axl really had him by the balls now huh? An old Hendrix song came on and Slash grinned before turning it up. He walked into the kitchen feeling more himself with music, like old friends he took refuge in their company. He made himself a sandwich.
The song ended leaving Slash a little lost before the DJ kicked in to banish the silence:
“Well there’s a blast from the past, next up we have a song for Carol* whose a big Guns N Roses fan! If you have a request just give a call, email or text and you could be up next!” the radio screamed with the opening cords of Paradise City, one of their more radio friendly hits. The cords Slash knew by heart and had gone over and over. The growled before switching off the radio with a harsh swear word. He decided to text Duff.
Duff answered the text, short and to the point. Moments later Slash came wondering in still chewing what was left of his lunch. “Hey dude, you’re back early.” Duff stated knowing damn well something was up. Slash did not leave his ‘chill-time’ for anybody.
“Yeah I know, do you need the bathroom because I have a lot to say.”
With a sigh and a roll of his eyes Duff led the way into the front room where he made himself comfy. Slash liked Duffs front room. It always made him smile. There were bean-bags and bobble chairs. Various things dangled from the ceiling and there were lava lamps and incense burning, it was like a trip back to the sixties.
An orange lava lamp globbed and Slash remembered picking it out with Axl one birthday.
“See it’s that, that right there!” he said pointing accusingly at it.
“What's did my lamp ever do to you!”
“Nothing! Axl gave it to you remember?” Slash all but shouted.
“There’s no need to get shit about it, I still like it and it was a gift!” Duff raised his voice.
“He’s everywhere, I missed him by moments then I saw him in the lobby. Turns out we were staying in the same hotel, the same hotel Duff.”
“I heard you the first time.” Duff answered calmly. Realising that it wasn’t the lava lamp Slash was cross at. “Do you think, you want to see him?”
Slash paused for a moment; “Now what, in fuckery, is that supposed to mean?”
“Look dude, I went over there and it was tense but he didn’t set the dogs on me or shot me in fact he offered me breakfast.”
“So are you suggesting I go over there and say “Hey Ax, its been a while I know sorry about all the suing you and shit but I think we let bygones be bygones and get back together, hell even get the old crew going again...”
“Slash, your just being....”
“You know a big come back tour, Ill phone Steven and see if he’s off the smack shall I...”
“Slash I think...” but Slash was on a rant, it wasn’t often this happened but when I did one could be surprised how much Axl and Slash were like each other.
“We could get back together, so if you would kindly get on your front and present me with your arse and I’ll get the lube”. How does that sound to you Duffy, hum, there is no damn way that he will have me in his house and I won’t have him in mine!” Slash stormed out with a final “Some help you’ve been.” Duff found himself on his own. He watched the lava lamp blob and remembered when he was given it. Slash and Axl had paid half each as they had very little money but knew Duff would like it.
He missed that, the “brotherhood” as they had dubbed it, it being the strange bond they’d found within each other. One for all and all for one, and “don’t worry dude we’ll bail you out.” When had it gone from that the suing each other and snapping and avoiding.
An evil plan flooded his brain as the lava lamp globbed. He’d heard along the grape vine that Axl was back off and preparing for the launch here. He picked up the phone and began to dial Axl’s number he had written on a piece of paper, but hung up half way through and instead rang a friend of his who was a freelance limousine driver, if drivers can be freelance. He ordered the limo and ran upstairs where is changed into a white shirt and black suit. He straightened the tie in the mirror, chuckling at his own cleverness.
The ringing at the door told him that Gino had arrived with the limo and Duff bounded down the stairs to answer.
“Gino, wow you’re early!” Duff said feigning shock, he looked at his wrist where he’d forgotten to put a watch on.
“Sorry Mr. McKagan I can come back later.” Gino said with his hat in his hand
“No, no silly, come in and warm up, it’s getting cold out.” Duff ushered the driver in, “ can I offer you a drink?”
“No thank you Mr McKagan.”
“Now since when have I let you get away with Mr Mckagan? Its Duff and this is the last time I’m going to tell you.” He said in mock anger, “Just a coffee at least, we gots time.” He looked again at the wrist with no watch on.
“Ok I suppose a coffee would be okay.”
“Good.” Duff gave his biggest most cheerful smile and put the kettle on.
“You going anywhere nice this evening?” Gino asked, “A date perhaps?” he nudged earning a laugh from Duff;
“Oh these old rags, I always doss about in these, actually I’m off to see a friend.”
“So it is a date.”
“I wish, am far too busy to have a sex life, I can only just manage a social life. Oh coffee’s done.”
Duff bought the coffee in, “Gino, what you got planned for the rest of the evening, only I may need you later.”
“Well after you I gots to pick up another client, but I can’t tell ya nothing Duff.” Duff smiled,
“I know I know client confidentiality.”
Gino used the bathroom while Duff took the opportunity to look through the bookings in a small black diary Gino kept in his jacket. Duff thanked all the Gods that had ever been when he saw that Axl still booked with the same limo company, his name and address written in Gino’s spidery hand. This meant Duff didn’t have to take Axl by force, Axl never did take well to being hit on the head.
Several coffees laced with alcohol and sleeping tablets Gino lolled on the sofa. Duff whispered his apologies to the unconscious Gino as he alighted the driver of his hat and keys he wasn’t really stealing the car, more borrowing it without permission. He started towards Axls house. Which was never that hard to find, a big star lit identified it for miles around. It was Axl’s way of directing his friends for parties. “At the top of the hill, the one with the star.” Were his general directions.
Duff phoned Slash, “Hey Slash, are you okay now?”
He heard a sigh, “Yeah, ‘m just at the studio.”
“Ah okay, mind if I come down a bit later, just to jam with you is all.”
“Yeah sure, it’d be good just us.”
“Yeah see you soon.” Once he hung up he pulled the hat lower and pushed the sunglasses higher up his nose. Luckily the L.A. lights almost made the sunglasses a necessity so it wouldn’t look odd. He pressed the buzzer and the gates hissed open. He pulled up and did a slightly shaky U-turn before a rushed looking Axl appeared at the door, followed by one of the dogs which he had to shoo back inside. He flopped back into the seats with a huff and Duff pulled away, grinning to himself.