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Izzy opened his eyes and scrunched them shut again. Perhaps he could steal a few more minutes sleep before it was time to leave and meet Steven. But Axl had other plans. He leaned in over IZzy and kissed him on the lips.
"Come on," he said softly,"I know you're awake,"
Izzy opened his eyes reluctantly and wrapped his arms around Axl's neck.
"Hey lover," he grinned.
Axl bent in and the two kissed. Izzy hooked a leg around Axl's naked butt, pulling the singer closer.
The past four weeks had been eventful. Steven had finally confronted Izzy about his broodiness and then Steven, not Izzy, Steven, suggested that their relationship was moving too fast. Perhaps they should live apart. He wanted the relationship to be more casual, so Izzy moved into a bedsit and this suited them both.
Axl and Izzy had since, spent every spare minute together. Steven enjoyed spending his days getting wasted with Slash and Duff and this freed Izzy up to spend time with Axl. Their relationship was for the most part, physical. They'd agreed to keep it non-exclusive. That way, Izzy could stay with Steven and Axl was free to mix with his groupies, and his various women and hangers-on.
After a half an hour of sex, Izzy pulled himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. He lit a cigarette and looked around blearily for his clothes.
"Where ya goin?" Axl asked, propping himself up on one elbow.
"Round to the hell house," Izzy answered picking up his trousers, "See Steven, work on some music. Wanna come?"
Axl made a face.
"And watch you two faggots make out? No thank you,"
Izzy turned, buttoning his trousers and looked at Axl
"Dude are you sure you're ok with all of this?" he asked, "I mean with me and Steven?"
Axl sighed and lay back down, staring at the ceiling.
"Izz, this is like the billionth time you asked me," he told him, sounding slightly annoyed, "And for the billionth time. Yes, I'm fine. I told you, I don't do relationships."
"Uh-huh," Izzy laid out some coke and looked around for something to chop it up with, "Is that really it? Or are you just addicted to sex?"
Axl sat up, ready to explode and rip Izzy a new asshole. But he saw the playfulness in the guitarist's eyes as he snorted up the coke. Axl lay back down.
"Fuckin' watch it, Isbell," he warned as Izzy picked up his guitar.
"So should I fuck off?" Axl asked, "Are you two lovers coming back here?"
Izzy had given Axl a key to the bedsit. It was something they'd done ever since Axl had first come to LA. They both had keys to the other one's apartment. It was their only security measure. In case one was in trouble, or simply too drunk to answer the door.
Izzy thought for a moment.
"Nah," he decided, "Take your time. Just be there for the gig,"
He winked at Axl and left.

Axl lay back down in the bed and sighed, running oer the events of the past few weeks in his head. He wished he could confide in Izzy but he hated admitting failure. His latest money making scheme, buying drugs and selling them on didn't work out as planned. Axl was beginning to discover that things rarely did work out as planned. He now owed $500.50. His life savings amounted to a grand total of $2.08, two guitar picks, that possibly belonged to Duff at one point and a stone and a condom. He had to have the money this afternoon or they'd get him. Axl cursed himself for being foolish enough to get mugged. If he hadn't been mugged then he'd have the money. He was also furious that his band mates hadn't made more of an effort to find out about his recent bruises. Izzy had been concerned, but they all figured he'd gotten into another fight. Axl was too proud to correct them. He sighed, deeply. It was time to bite the bullet and ask for help.

Over at the Hell House, rehearsal was under way, but the tension could be cut with a knife. Steven was mad at Izzy, but rather than tell him why, Steven opted to sulk instead, refusing to acknowledge Izzy's presence. Duff, who was also in a mood, flung down his bass and turned to the drummer.
"Hey Adler, you think you could quit staring at Izzy's ass for a sec and play in time?"
Steven threw a drumstick at him.
"Fuck off, Michael," he snapped.
Duff made towards Steven.
"Do not call me Michael," he shouted, "My name is Duff,"
Before Steven could retort, Izzy jumped in between the two of them.
"What the fuck is going on?" Izzy demanded.
"I'll tell you whats going on," Duff told him, "You were supposed to meet him, you didn't. He got high, puked on my best shirt and passed out,"
"Shit," Izzy cursed, "Dude, I'm sorry. I...."
"Where the hell were you?" Steven demanded
Izzy opened his mouth wondering what to say.
"I forgot," he answered truthfully.
"How the hell could you forget?" Steven asked, "I waited for, like, an hour,"
"Dude...I...I'm sorry," Izzy ran a hand through his hair, "I got high and passed out. What can I do to make this better?"
"You could come upstairs ," Steven slipped a hand around Izzy's waist.
"Sounds good," Izzy murmured.
"Uh guys?" Slash reminded them, "We're in the middle of a rehearsal,"
Steven pretended to pout, but Axl burst in.
"Right here's the deal," he said, getting straight to the point, "I need to borrow money,"
"How much?" Slash asked, lighting a cigarette.
"$498.48," Axl answered.
Slash's mouth fell open and his cigarette fell to the floor.
"That's a very specific amount," Izzy said suspiciously.
"Yeah well I have very specific needs," Axl snapped.
"Yeah, but..." Duff ran a hand through his hair, "That's a hell of a lot of money,"
"Look," Axl fought to stay calm, "I made a mistake and I need to fix it. But in order to fix it, I'm gonna need $500,"
"What sort of mistake?" Steven asked
"Mind your own fuckin' business," Axl retorted furiously
Izzy looked at his lover. He was worried. Axl had a lot of unexplained bruises.
"Look," he sighed, "Do any of you have any money?"
They looked at one another. Duff rooted in his pockets.
"I have a dollar,"
"Oh well that's a relief," Axl answered sarcastically, "For a moment I thought I might be fucked. This isn't helping. I need money and fast, otherwise I'm dead,"
Axl grabbed his coat and left. Izzy watched him leave, his brow furrowed in worry.
"I have to go after him," he decided.
"You don't have to," Steven said, "He can look after himself. Just fuckin' leave him. You're always running after him,"
"This is serious," Izzy snapped, "You haven't seen the bruises, just...I have to go."

Axl walked down the alleyway. At the back, there was five men. All had dark hair and wife beater vests on. The tallest stepped forward
"You got my money bitch?" he asked.
"Andre...Axl began.
Another man punched him to the ground. Andre kicked him in the stomach.
"You don't have it, do you?"
"Dude, I'll get it. Just give me more time," Axl begged.
Andre kicked him again.
"I warned you what would happen, didn't I? Get him."
Andre stood back and watched as his men beat and kicked Axl into unconsciousness. If he died, it'd be an added bonus, but the faggot needed to learn a lesson. You don't fuck with Andre

Axl opened his eyes. His head hurt. In fact his whole body hurt. He tried to sit up, but someone gently pushed him back down.
"Shhh," Izzy appeared over him, "Try not to move,"
"What happened?" he asked, weakly.
"Some dudes were beating and kicking you. I followed you, and got rid of them,"
Izzy bit his lip, leaving out the part where Andre had vowed to make Izzy pay for cutting Axl's punishment short.
"Dude..." Axl trailed off.
"Shhh," Izzy put a hand on his lip, "Sleep,"
"I love you," Axl said, "You're always saving me. I need to get that money. They'll only keep doing this,"
"Stop worrying," Izzy said, "We'll figure it out. We always do. You know, Steven fixed up your wounds?"
Axl raised an eyebrow.
"Wow," he said.
"Yeah," Izzy paused, "I hate lying to him,"
"Me too," Axl answered, "But we're in too deep. I can't walk away from you."
"I love you," Izzy whispered, kissing Axl gently on the lips.
"Will you hold me?" Axl asked.
Izzy nodded, climbing into the bed beside Axl and holding him in his arms. As Axl laid his head on Izzy's shoulder and fell asleep, Izzy stayed awake. He couldn't let Axl know his worries. Axl had enough on his plate. He thought about what had happened. He'd found Andre's gang beating Axl. He'd interfered, pulled a knife, after stabbing one in the leg, he'd gotten Axl out of there. But he'd heard Andre shouting after him. He'd promised to "get" him. In fact he'd called him a "dead man walking". Axl's debt still mattered and Izzy was now as much responsible as Axl.