FicWad

Most rock musicians, whether famous or not, have different stances when it comes to relationships. Some date only models, some commit to only one person, choosing to share all of their successes and downfalls with that person. Others prefer the party lifestyle. Sleeping with a different person every night, committing to no-one. Most fall into one of these categories. If you're the first then you're like Slash, if you're like the second, Steven, the third? Axl. However if you're a 25 year old rhythm guitarist, sitting in a hospital waiting room, not knowing if your boyfriend is alive or dead, than you're a lot like Izzy at this moment in the saga.

In the hospital waiting room, Duff and Slash sat down, watching Axl pacing back and forth impatiently. Izzy sat in between Duff and Slash. It had been an hour and Izzy still hadn't said a word. He sat staring straight ahead, barely blinking. Slash sighed, he knew it was wrong, but he was slightly resentful that he had to spend what should have been his first date with Susan, in a hospital. Susan appeared beside him and sat down.
"I'm sorry baby," Slash sighed, slipping an arm around her.
"Don't be," she answered, reaching into her handbag. She produced some crisps, nuts and a bottle of vodka.
"If you can't go to a party, the party can come to you," she giggled, offering Slash the bottle of Vodka.
Axl glared at her.
"You are aware that we're in a hospital right?" he asked.
"Dude, chill out," Duff said through a mouthful of nuts.
"Chill?" Axl snapped, "Chill out? Our friend is in the next room, possibly dead and you want me to chill?"
Izzy looked at Axl in horror. He got up and left the room.
"Well done Axl," Slash said, applauding sarcastically, "You had to bring up that bit about death,"
"Well he might be," Axl said defensively, "I'm gonna go find Izzy,"

Izzy left the hospital and leaned against the wall outside. With shaking hands, he rolled a joint and took a long drag, closing his eyes. He knew that Steven's death was a possibility but it was one that Izzy didn't want to entertain.
"You ok?"
Izzy opened his eyes and saw Axl standing before him. He closed his eyes and took another drag of his joint.
"Izz..." Axl stopped, at a loss for words. This uneasy silence was far worse than anything that Izzy could say to him.
"Izzy, I'm sorry man," he tried again,"For anything I...this is all my fault. I should never have gotten involved with those guys. Hell, I should never have pressured you to become involved with me in the first place. I...."
"This isn't your fault," Izzy interrupted.
He felt somewhat clearer thanks to the joint.
"If I hadn't given him that fucking cheque..."
Izzy trailed off, looking pained. Axl pulled him close and held him tightly.
"You weren't to know it would bounce," Axl told him, "You were trying to protect me and..."
"I told him to go to hell," Izzy cut in, "Before I went after you Steven tried to talk to me. I told him to go to hell. He might die and that was the last thing I said to him. The last thing he heard was me proclaiming my love for you,"
"Izzy..." Axl couldn't continue, he didn't know how.
"He risked his life for us and look what we're doing to him," Izzy continued, "It should be me in there."
Izzy tried to pull away, but Axl held him tight. Feeling a wave of guilt and sadness take over him, Izzy put his head on Axl's shoulder and allowed his tears to fall.
"Uh...guys?"
Axl looked up to see Duff standing uncomfortably behind him.
"The doctors are finished with Steven,"
Slash and Susan appeared behind Duff, arms around each other.
"We're gonna take this party elsewhere," Duff continued, "Give you time alone with Steve,"
"Yeah you're right," Axl sighed reluctantly, "I should probably take off too,"
"Don't go," Izzy pleaded, "I can't face Steven on my own,"
"Oh there's a surprise," Slash remarked sarcastically.
"Don't fuckin' start," Axl warned.
"Steven is upstairs, critically ill and..."
"Slash you are a pain in my fuckin' ass," Axl roared.
Steven put a hand on his arm.
"Just leave it," he said firmly, leaving for Steven's room.
Axl glared at Slash for a moment before following Izzy.

In the hospital room, a deathly pale Steven lay surrounded by various machinery and wires. The nurse who was tending to Steven looked up.
"You must be Jeff," she said
Izzy nodded, unable to speak. He stared at Steven.
"How bad is it?" Axl asked,
"Won't be able to tell until he wakes up," the nurse replied, "Well...he's gonna live...right?" Axl looked at her questioningly.
The nurse sighed.
"We won't know until he wakes up. I'm sorry," she made to leave, but turned back, "You should try talking to him. He's probably able to hear you,"
When she left, Izzy moved towards the bed.
"Steve....dude, I'm so sorry," he began, "This is all my fault, if I hadn't.written that stupid fuckin' cheque..."
Izzy trailed off and looked at Axl, his eyes wide and scared.
Axl pulled him close and kissed him.
"It'll be ok, man," he whispered.
"No it won't," Izzy pulled away with tears in his eyes, "Steven nearly died trying to save us we can't do this to him,"
"We can't help it," Axl argued back, "You can't deny your feelings for one person because of this,"
"I love Steven," Izzy insisted.
He turned his back to Axl and focused on Steven, his shoulders shaking.
"You should go Axl," he said quietly.

In a club near the hospital, Duff watched as Sash and Susan made out in a corner. Susan threw her head back, laughing at something Slash had said and Duff felt his stomach do a little turn. He was drunk, but not nearly drunk enough. Susan put her arms around Slash and embraced him. Over his shoulder, she spotted Duff and waved at him. Duff raised his glass to her and turned his attention elsewhere. NEarby, there was a drunken girl smiling at him. Duff looked at her and back at Susan. Smiling politely at the drunk chick, he left.
Outside, he rolled a joint and inhaled deeply. What the fuck was wrong with him? Susan was his best friend's girlfriend. This went against every rule of friendship.
"Hey, can I bum a cigarette?"
Duff opened his eyes and saw Susan standing in front of him. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Duff took out a cigarette and gave it to her. She leaned forward to light it off his joint. She smelled sweet. Really sexy.
"God, I needed this," she confided, closing her eyes and taking a long drag.
Duff watched her. She really was beautiful. Stunning. Duff had never been this attracted to anyone ever. It figured, he thought. Love at first sight and it was with his best friend's chick.
"What?" Susan had opened her eyes and saw Duff staring at her.
"Huh? No...I uh..." Duff stumbled for an explanation, but Slash appeared.
"What's up?" he asked, I turned around and you were gone,"
"I really needed air," she apologized, laughing, "It's like a sauna in there,"
"What's wrong with you?" Slash asked, frowning at Duff.
"Just, you know, wasted," Duff lied.
Slash nodded, accepting this answer. He leaned over, giving Susan a drunken kiss.
"What do you think of her?" he asked Duff.
"She's uh...really something," Duff flushed.
"Yeah," Slash kissed her again.
"Is that Axl?" Duff asked
He squinted at a figure stumbling towards them. It was Axl, albeit a very drunken Axl.
"I thought you'd be with Izzy," Slash remarked stonily.
Axl glared at him drunkenly.
"Izzy doesn't....he wants...," Axl trailed off, staring at Susan.
"Hey, now I remember you," he beamed, "You used to fuck Izzy. And West,"
"Uhm...yeah," Susan smiled nervously, glancing at Slash.
"Remember that time we had sex and Izzy walked in?" Axl asked, "Man he wasn't even pissed. He joined us."
Axl kissed her cheek and continued on his way. Slash stared at Susan.
"Is that true?" he asked, "Any of it?"
"It's all true," she answered, lowering her gaze. She'd been hoping that Slash wouldn't find out about any of that. She'd put those days behind her.
"Why...why didn't you tell me?" Slash asked, scratching his head.
"I didn't think it mattered," she answered.
"Of course it matters," Slash retorted, "I had no idea you were that type of chick,"
"What type of chick?" she demanded, her eyes glittering.
"The type of chick who'd date three different men. Dude, you fucked my best friends and you weren't going to tell me?"
"Slash we weren't even together at the time," she protested.
"I thought you were better than that. I didn't think you were a..."
"A what?" she snapped, furiously, "A slut?"
Slash didn't answer. Instead, he lit a cigarette. Susan bit back tears.
"Fuck you," she whispered, turning on her heel and walking away.
"Nicely handled my man," Duff told him, "Real good job you did there,"
"What was I supposed to do?" Slash snapped at him.
"Uh...forgive her?" Duff suggested, "Put behind you?"
"She lied to me," Slash said
"She never lied," Duff pointed out, "She just didn't tell you,"
"That's the same thing," Slash grunted, pushing past Duff to get back inside, "I need a fuckin' drink."
Shrugging, Duff followed him inside.

Axl sat alone in the hell house, chain smoking and pacing the room furiously. How dare Izzy do that? How could he just throw Axl away? After everything they'd been through, you'd think it would make them stronger. Fucking Izzy and his fucking morals.Axl reached for a nearby bottle of vodka. There was only a mouthful left. Brilliant, fucking brilliant. Axl threw it against a wall, watching as it smashed into millions of pieces. Fuck Izzy, fuck Steven, fuck the lot of them. Axl heard the front door opening and closing again. Great. Just what he needed, his drunken band mates and their equally drunken girlfriends. He turned his back as the kitchen door opened.
"Fuck off," he shouted, making sure to keep his back to whoever it was. He didn't want them seeing his tears.
The kitchen door closed softly. Axl leaned forward, resting his forehead against the wall. He felt hands slip around his waist, they slowly turned him around.
"I fucking said..." Axl trailed off, as he came face to face with Izzy.
"Shh," Izzy soothed, kissing away Axl's tears, "I'm sorry. I was angry and scared, and..."
"I thought you didn't wanna hurt Adler," Axl muttered, pulling away and turning his back to Izzy.
"I don't," Izzy rested his head against Axl's back, "But I don't wanna end what we have. I know we haven't had it long, but it's..."
"Like nothing you ever had before?" Axl finished for him.
"Uh-huh," Izzy sighed, closing his eyes, "I didn't know this intensity was possible. I...I love you,"
Axl's eyes widened. No-body had ever told him they loved him.
"I love you too,"
He turned around and kissed Izzy.
"I'm scared," Izzy whispered, "I keep pushing you away because the intensity of my feelings scare me. I've never felt this way before,"
Axl kissed him again.
"Don't be scared, dude," he whispered, "I'm here with you. It's going to be okay,"
"Promise?" Izzy looked at him through wide, anxious eyes.
"I promise," Axl nodded, "Steven will recover, and everything will go back to normal with you two. And for us it will only get better,"
Content with this answer, Izzy rested his head on Axl's shoulder. Deep down he knew that there was no guarantee that things would be okay, but for tonight, he was prepared to believe Axl.