Paradise City...chapter Six, part one
Title: Paradise City Chapter Six
Author: Screamer06
Pairing: Axl Rose/Izzy Stradlin/OC
Warnings: Suggestions of prostitution, but nothing too heavy.
Notes: I like Axcelise, he lives in my head, if I could draw him I would but I can’t draw. Also to understand the history of this I suggest you read Paradise City from the start which is in my journal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own, or know the characters, aside from Axcelise who is my muse and all mine, however am willing to lease him, no monies made from this. It is for entrainment only.
Axcelise Rose Valentine sat curled up on a window seat and watched the snow dance down from the sky giving the morning light an unhealthy yellow aura. A blanket was drawn up to his waist; one of his rats was snoozing on his lap, screwed up in a tiny ball. It had been a late night last night and Axcelise still felt un-rested. But today was Sunday and he could smell the breakfast cooking as the custom on a Sunday morning. A bell was rung and he placed the blanket down, with the rat still snoozing and headed for the table, flopping downstairs in pyjama bottoms and his fluffy dressing gown hung off one shoulder.
He sat opposite Axl Rose, who regarded his son over the coffee he was nursing. Axcelise ignored him and began to eat the vegetarian breakfast Beta placed before him before joining them at the table. Axl cleared his throat;
“Did you sleep okay?” he asked Axcelise,
“Yeah I think so.”
“Are you coming to Church today?”
“No, I have to work later.”
“I don’t know why you bother with that job Sporn I really don’t.”
“So what you pay for everything?”
“Yeah, why not, I am your father after all.”
“Don’t be stupid, I’m not coming to you going “Dad I need this, or that” I really prefer to work.”
“Well you best get a shower then.” Axl said by way of dismissal. His son left the table in somewhat of a strop. Beta turned to Axl and raised an eyebrow. He merely closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Beta, I think Sporn has gone emo.” Axl said with dramatic sigh.
“No, he’s just tired that's all. It's been a tough couple of months for him...and you also...I hear him scream at night too and last night I’m sure I heard him walking about.”
“Yeah he was, I took him back to bed, and I wonder how long it’s going to be like this.”
“We still don’t know the extent of injury, they are only Doctors Axl not Miracle workers.”
“Yeah, we’ll be late for Church let’s go.”
It had been almost two years since Axl Rose had made an appearance at the local Church. He was greeted with polite handshakes and nods of acknowledgement before taking a seat near the back should he feel the need to bolt at any point. He liked the sense of space and the feeling of reverence that permeated the walls. It made him want to talk quietly and walk lightly. Five minutes of peace, just for him to be alone in a room full of people.
X X X
“But it’s my hair!” Axcelise whined as his cousin, Ian, dragged him to the hair dressers.
“The band is not going to work unless we look like them.” Ian reasoned stopping to turn but not taking his grip from Axlcelise’s arm.
“But I am Axls sporn, child of his loins, son of my father!”
“Eww, his loins.”
“Yeah that was a bit much I admit, but I can’t get my hair cut.” Axcelise gripped his waist long braid protectively.
“Ok, how about this...we only get a little trim just to tidy it up a bit.”
“You can talk.” Axcelise gestured at Ian’s shaggy brown hair which fell in messy layers, Izzy circa ’86. Ian rolled his eyes and dragged Axcelise down the cold, sunny street.
Axcelise sat in the chair of the hair dressers, his eyes covered by his hands. Ian tried to pull them away as the flamboyant hair dresser snipped and snapped with his shiny scissors. One of the manicurists came over and eased one of Axcelises hands away. She would have been pretty had she not had so much make-up on but she smiled with her eyes and it made Axcelise smile back at her.
“Do your nails?”
Shocked, Axcelise answered “Ugh, okay.” She took his hand, identical to his fathers and rubbed them with some moisturiser before gently pushing back his cuticles. She engaged him in conversation as she pushed and filed and polished and talked to him. Before the hair dresser finally announced he was all done as he ran gloss though the freshly cut locks to make the hair shine. Axcelise could see Ian standing behind him in the mirror, looking proud with himself,
“I think it looks very cool on you dude!”
“COOL!”
“Yeah, cool, dude.”
“How can you be so damn calm? What the hell did you do? In what world is this okay?” Axcelise pointed, with his freshly manicured nails to his new hair. Glossy layers shimmered as he moved and a fringe hung at his forehead which he repeatedly blew out his eyes or brushed up with his hand. It sat just under his shoulders and the ends were spiked, they had been flicked out with hair straighters. The layers were thinned aiding the movement. He gathered it up into a bun and tied it with the hair elastic that was always round his wrist. He did notice that it was easier to put up and it did feel lighter and healthier but there was no way he was going to admit this as he huffed his way out of the salon and headed for work. Ian paid and left the salon with an apology and a mental note to get the money from Axcelise later.
Only Axcelise didn’t go to the restaurant where he had worked since coming to America. He walked past it and headed to a small hotel. He loitered in the lobby for a while before he was called. He walked up the stairs behind the man who had beckoned him. He entered the room; it was his usual room and smelled of his perfume as he had freshened up before coming to claim him.
“My little English rose,” he cooed at him, “Why are you late?”
“I got caught up.”
“Doing what?” he was smiling at him, his eyes crinkling at the edges.
“Would you believe getting my hair cut?”
“Are you going to take it down so I can see it?”
Axcelise reached up and took the band out. He noticed how he felt naked without his hair falling about him; he couldn’t feel it brushing his arms or the weight of it on his back. He smiled his lopsided smile and ruffled it with one hand. The man approached him and ran both his hands through it. He kissed his cheek and smelled his skin. This was how the ritual started; soon he was running his hands up and down Axcelises nude back watching the delicate hair rise and fall. He would marvel at how pale his skin was, how soft he felt, how clean and good and clever he was. All of this made Axcelise feel special. But he wasn’t naive enough to not know that what he was doing was illegal and dirty...strangely that only added to the thrill as he entered. He would make the man beneath writhe and moan, and then he would be treated to lunch or dinner before accepting cash with a knowing smile. It wasn’t the man who had the power.
He lay in the man’s arms after as was the custom. The man liked to cuddle before he announced that he was to leave tomorrow morning. The man brushed his unruly hair back and reached under the pillow where he had hidden a gift. Truly Axcelise was flattered at the gesture. It made him feel a little sad the man was going. He liked his company, he was nice and cared for him as long he behaved himself. The gift was a pair of tiny diamond earrings. They dined in the hotel’s restaurant that evening; Axcelise ordered his favourite food, mules with warm crust rolls. After that they said goodbye and Axcelise took the long way home to enjoy the night air.
Izzy Stradlin was enjoying the same walk on the other side of the street when he saw Axcelise leave. Something in the young man’s body language made Izzy keep his greeting to himself. He had noticed Axcelise being secretive lately. This only served to arouse his suspicions further.
Unsurprisingly Axl was busy when Axcelise got home. As usual he was locked away in the study tapping away on his computer and twanging guitars with the same vocal loop playing over and over. Axcelise listened at the door for a while. Whatever was irking his father regarding said vocals Axcelise couldn’t hear so he merely shrugged and headed to the garden for a sneaky cigarette. In his pocket sat the small box containing his earrings. When he’d finished his cigarette he stood in the hall way and put his earrings in. He admired himself for a moment before the buzzer made him jump. He went to the security monitors and saw Izzys car. Smiling he pressed the button that opening the gate and saw the car crawl up the drive way. He unlocked and opened the front door eager to see his friend again. He liked Izzy. Izzy made him comfortable with his easy going attitude and way of looking at things. His father tended to be irrational and quick to panic whereas Izzy Stradlin was sure everything was going to be fine, he didn’t know how and rarely had a plan but somehow it always was okay.
“Izzy! How are you?” Axcelise greeted with a cuddle.
“I’m fine I was just driving by and I thought I’d drop by. Not seen you for a while.”
“Oh your here to see me, not dad?”
“Just for you, hey nice earrings.” Izzy commented as he took his shoes off so as not to mess up Axl’s floor. Axl Rose was very particular about the housekeeping.
Izzy followed Axcelise through the front room and into the kitchen, where Axcelise put the kettle on and fussed the dogs while chatting a million miles an hour to Izzy. It wasn’t long before they both heard footsteps on the stairs and Axl appeared looking vaguely like a pineapple with the braids up on top of his head. He scowled when Izzy pointed his out and took the band out when he thought nobody was looking.
“Hey that's what you were doing today.” Axl commented smiling at his son taking note of his new hair style.
“It looks good, it’s a little you of the ’80’s.” Izzy said as Axl fussed Axcelises hair, pushing it back and seeing the layers move.
“Jeeze I hope not, I did some pretty shameful things during the 80’s.” Axl turned to Izzy smiling before looking back at Axcelise. “Give me a cuddle I haven’t seen you all day.” Axcelise give the requested cuddle while Izzy took a moment to once again congratulate himself on forcing the two together.
“Where did you get those earrings?”
“What earrings?” Axcelise bought himself time and pulled away from the embrace.
“Those ones silly.”
“Oh these,” Axcelise touched his ears self consciously, “I’ve had these for ages,”
“I had some just like them I’m sure.”
“You have a lot of jewellery Axl.” Izzy cut in stirring his coffee.
“I’m sure I was given them once as a gift.” Axl frowned as he tried to recall his hazy past.
“Okay I sense a “Do you remember when” moment.” Axcelise said by way of excusing himself. He left the kitchen and went to the cool quite of his room. He booted up his expensive laptop, a gift from his father, and checked his emails.