Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. The author does not own any of the following names or personalities. The author does not imply that the people mentioned within would act or have acted in the ways depicted. No money has been made from this.

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Axl heard the click of the latch on his door even though he had covered his entire body with several layers of blankets. Then there were footsteps. A bump against the mattress. Someone sitting down. "Leave me the fuck alone!" Axl commanded from beneath the bedding.

The weight on the edge of the bed shifted, but didn't leave.

Axl growled "I said, go away." He finally peeked out from under the covers to see who was there. Slash. He pulled the blanket down tight again and felt another shifting on the mattress.

"Want a smoke?" Slash asked. Axl heard the scrape and click of a lighter.

Axl kept still. Maybe Slash would get bored and leave. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture about the way he'd been acting lately. He showed up for rehearsals and gigs. The rest of his life wasn't anyone's business. If nobody else wanted to put the effort into Guns N' Roses anymore, why should he? If the rest of the guys wanted to spend all their time drunk or strung out on heroin, why should he care anymore? If Slash wanted to spend every spare minute getting blown by any slut who showed her tits, why should he care?

Axl clenched his fists underneath the blanket. Who did Slash think he was? Not giving a shit about Axl until Axl's mood inconvenienced him. What kind of friend was that? Axl felt himself flush, and threw off the blankets. He sat up and snatched the cigarette pack from the bedspread. He reached for the lighter, too, but Slash got to it first and flicked the flame underneath Axl's cigarette. Axl glared at him as he let the cigarette ignite.

Suck the cigarette. Blow out the smoke. Suck. Blow. Suck. Blow. Axl relished the awkward silence. Stared at Slash staring down at his own boots. Then suddenly, Slash's head jerked up.

"Axl, what is the matter?"

Axl sneered. Tried to form the words. 'You little bitch,' Axl tried to say. 'Since when the fuck do you care what's going on with my life?'

Axl took a breath, calmed himself. Looked at the long ash on the cigarette he held. "I need an ashtray." He snatched one off the night stand.

Slash smoked silently, waiting. What he wanted was some screaming, anything to get Axl to open up. He slid his arm around Axl's shoulders.

Axl sighed. He was suddenly too tired to put up his usual front anymore-- too tired to be angry and untouchable. He leaned over against Slash and rested his head on Slash's shoulder.

Slash almost jumped with surprise. Axl must feel really out of it, he decided. He hugged Axl tighter against him. After some time Axl spoke.

"Slash?" He pulled away to look up at his friend. Slash looked down at Axl's tear-stained face, at his glistening eyes, his trembling lips.

Axl's twined his hand through Slash's hair, pulling his head down, tentatively pressing his lips against Slash's. Slash returned the kiss firmly, and then Axl pulled away. He looked at Slash wide-eyed, fearful, a whimper rising in his throat. Slash wrapped his arms around Axl protectively.

"I don't know what's the matter with me, Slash."

"It's okay."

"I don't belong here. And I sure as hell don't belong in fucking Indiana either. What the fuck are we doing, Slash? There are hundreds of bands like us out there...who the fuck are we?"

Slash swallowed hard at the desperation in Axl's voice. What could he possibly say to that? It was true. The odds were stacked against them. Axl gazed at Slash forlornly as another wave of tears threatened to overwhelm him.

"We're Guns and fucking Roses, Axl. And you're badass motherfuckin' Axl Rose." Slash reached for Axl's face again and held his chin as he fluttered light kisses against Axl's lips and cheeks. He moved down to Axl's jaw and kissed him there, and Axl could feel Slash's steamy breath against his neck. Slash rubbed his nose against Axl's earlobe and then kissed it. He felt Axl shudder in his arms, and he moved his mouth back to Axl's lips. They kissed again, passionately, deeply, each entering the warmth of the other's mouth and tasting it. Slash pushed the blankets off of Axl's shoulders and let his hand roam across Axl's smooth, pale chest. His rough fingertips circled Axl's nipples and then traced a line down to his navel. He met with no resistance as he pushed Axl back on the bed and covered Axl's body with his own. They continued with the kiss, letting it grow deeper and sloppier as they caressed each other's bodies. Axl slid his hands up Slash's shirt and fondled Slash's nipples blindly, feeling his own arousal grow at the way Slash shivered on top of him and plunged his tongue deeper into Axl's mouth. Soon Axl pulled the shirt completely off and moaned when he finally felt Slash's warm skin resting against his own. The moan became louder as Slash's nipples rubbed against his.

Slash resumed kissing Axl, this time only leaving a light kiss on Axl's lips and then trailing down Axl's neck with his tongue, finally reaching Axl's nipple. He took it into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it, enjoying the way Axl's body shuddered at the touch. Finally, after he was done teasing both sensitive buds, Slash moved his hands down to the fly of Axl's jeans and opened them. He looked for any hint of discomfort on Axl's part, but he found none. Slash removed the jeans deftly and covered Axl's body again. Slash held Axl firmly and rolled over so Axl was on top. He lightly brushed his fingertips over Axl's back and buttocks, then rubbed Axl's legs firmly down to the backs of his knees. He slid his hands back up and whispered into Axl's ear: "Tell me what you need."

Axl purred in response and pressed his erection against the bulge in Slash's jeans. "I want you to be naked with me."

Two pairs of hands fumbled to remove Slash's jeans. With the garment finally discarded, Axl pushed his body firmly against Slash and clung to him, hungrily sucking at Slash's neck. Slash caressed Axl's buttocks again, massaging them in little circles. Axl moaned again against Slash's neck and slid his hands down the sides of Slash's body. He shifted slightly so he could reach Slash's cock. He touched it gingerly at its base and watched it twitch as he slid a finger lightly down its length. He reached the tip and covered his fingertip in the wetness he found there. He traced the veins on Slash's cock with that wet fingertip, amazed at the feel of another man's-- his friend's-- erection under his fingers. Axl watched as Slash in turn reached for Axl's cock and wrapped his hand around it, pumping it firmly a couple of times and spreading Axl's sticky fluid along his shaft. Axl moaned loudly as his body shuddered convulsively. He quickly made a fist around Slash's cock and returned the favor.

The two lay against each other, each pleasuring the other with his hands and swallowing moans in hot kisses. After a time Slash stilled Axl's hand on his cock and whispered, "Do you need more?"

Axl's eyes roved over his new lover's body and finally came to rest on Slash's full, luscious lips. "Suck me, Slash, please..."

Slash couldn't have been happier to oblige. He gently pushed Axl onto his back and licked a trail down Axl's body to his throbbing dick. He circled his tongue around the base and then ventured underneath to Axl's balls. He lapped his tongue against them gently as Axl whimpered with pleasure. Then he pressed his lips against Axl's shaft, creating a smooth, wet suction as he made his way up to the tip, engulfing Axl's cockhead in one swift motion and wiggling his tongue against the opening. This one action alone nearly sent Axl over the edge. He arched his back and groaned loudly, thrusting his cock deeper into Slash's mouth. Slash took Axl in as deeply as he could, working his throat muscles around Axl's thick penis, letting his fingers wander underneath Axl's balls and swirl around the opening of his ass.

"Ohhhh, fuck me Slash..."

Slash slickened his finger and worked it into the opening.

"Oh, fuck me..."

He slid his finger in deeper and probed gently.

"Oh!" Axl grunted and thrust harder inside Slash's mouth.

Slash could feel the climax building in Axl as he pushed his finger in as deep as it would go, then pulled it out almost completely before sliding it in again.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Axl panted.

Slash bobbed his head more rapidly and increased the suction on Axl's dick, sliding Axl once again all the way down his throat.

"Ohhhhhh...oh fuck me!" Axl screamed as his orgasm coursed through him.

Slash milked the last drops from Axl's cock and let the softened member slide out of his mouth. Slash wiggled his finger out of Axl's ass once the muscles had relaxed, eliciting another moan from Axl. Slash's cock still throbbed almost painfully as he slid back up eye to eye with Axl. He put his arm around Axl and with the other hand reached down to finish himself off. He gazed at the look of pure bliss on Axl's face as he began to frantically jerk himself off. Axl's eyes fluttered open and he rolled over on his side. He looked down between Slash's legs at Slash's furiously pumping fist. Axl's hand soon joined it as he pushed closer to Slash and kissed him. He rubbed his thumb over the head of Slash's cock and stifled Slash's moans with his mouth. Slash bit down on Axl's lip as his climax rushed through his body and covered Axl's hand in creamy warmth. He let go of Axl's lip to nip and purr against his neck. Axl's curiosity got the best of him then-- he wanted to know what Slash tasted like. He licked the stickiness from his fingers-- just a little at first, but then thoroughly licking his hand clean as Slash nibbled roughly at his neck. He wrapped his arms around Slash again, enjoying the warmth and the safety he felt while his body was pressed against Slash's.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yeah," Axl responded.

Slash hugged him tight. "You know you're special, right?"

"Mmmm," Axl responded, returning the embrace.

"You know I believe in you. And I believe in this band too. I know we're going to make it."

"Mmm, how can you be so sure?" A hint of insecurity had crept back into Axl's voice.

"Well, mainly because we have the sexiest, most talented lead singer of any band out there."

Axl smiled. "Our lead guitarist is pretty good too."

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