Key to my lock

Unlocked

-1979 Lafayette, Indiana

The lone walk to the back exit isn't new, he's been using it to escape this hell hole they call 'school' for years,

but he doesn't go home, because home is, far, far worse. Axl doesn't want to think of home right now,

so he heads to the only place of comfort he's ever found.

It gets chilly in November, and his sweater doesn't do much to help, he shoves his hands into his Jean pockets, the left digging for his cigarettes he copped from some sucker in the locker room.

Lighting it he puffs the smoke ahead for it to flow back into his face due to the wind. The ground is crunchy from fallen leaves and cracked pavement.

Turning a corner he hops the fence of a neighbour and makes his way to Izzy's front door, he doesn't bother knocking. But oh, fuck it's locked, so he does knock.. no answer. He knocks harder. Still no answer. Banging on the door and still no reply. He gives up and heads his way to the tree that stretches to Izzy's window,

he climbs with no struggle, but it is a bit icy, the latter from his childhood treehouse helps. He stumbles inside and lands on his ass getting dirt and snow on Izzy's already dirty floor. Izzy has headphones on so it's not like he heard a damn thing,

after Getting back up and snatching Izzys connected headphones-"fucking eh man why'd you lock the door?" Axl preaches and gives Izzy a non threatening shove,

throwing the headphones into Izzy's lap he takes a seat by the foot of the bed and offers a cigarette to Izzy, he takes it.

Any normal person by now would have bitched and moaned by having someone nearly break their front doors and stumbling in unannounced by their window but this shit is old news for the two, "because I wanted to see you kill yourself tryna climb that tree"

earning a unimpressed look from Axl; "woulda been a dream come true huh?" He ended with a smile.

It's been hours since his arrival and time was thin on when he had to be home.

He wanted to stay the night, here, at Izzy's , under His warm sheets and somewhat clean bedspread. But he paid the price for staying over at a friends without permission, and Axl does not want to live through that fucking punishment again.

"...I'll be back". Axl said getting up to head downstairs where the phone was. Dialling his home number with shaky hands the phone rings and is soon picked up by who he assumes is his stepfather.

" Bailey..sir. Is it okay if I spend the night at Izzy's..?" Axl hesitatingly asked his stepfather. "Whose this?" "It's William." "Fuck if I care where you go. Just keep your mouth shut and I'll have no problem."

This is such bullshit, Axl thought. He had beat the ever living fuck out of him for not checking in first, and now he acts as though he doesn't care. This man is such a curveball.

But he can't complain and risk his chance of staying. "Okay." He ends with. "Yeah.." his stepfather said before hanging up.

He stood there a moment longer phone still held to his ear. A big smile slowly formed on his face, "fuck yes!" Axl said throwing the phone back onto the stand.

Booking it back upstairs to give Izzy the good news. "Dude, I can stay!" He said out of breath from running like speed back to Izzy's room. " Hell yeah dude! Sit back down I got this riff I want you ya to hear".

He hops onto the bed beside Izzy all giddy with the good news. "Play away"; he gestures his hand for him to proceed.

2:23am. "Izzy I'm boooored." As he lolled his head to the side. "Hey I saw on the way here they didn't lock up zumiez, wanna snag some shit?"

Izzy looked up from his thrasher magazine "steal from zumiez? But why? We could get in some deep shit for that." He said, the fake sincere look on his face almost fooling him. "I'm just busting your balls man, let's go"

he said rolling his eyes and getting up to grab his large hoody and beanie, Axl cracked a relieved grin as he got up to do the same.

In the corner of Izzy's eye he watched Axl tug on the ripped old thin sweater. Nah, not on his watch, Izzy thought to himself. He grabbed his other hoodie and threw it at Axl, Axl's ninja reflexes just caught it. Axl looked at the sweater in appreciates and throws his sweater to the ground and pull on Izzy's nice big warm one.

Pulling up the hood he opens Izzy's window and starts to climb out as Izzy follows not far behind, hard grip onto the trees prickly woody body he slides down using the ladder.

Walking down the ally sharing a blunt is probably the best time they should be planning out what happens once they get to the place, but naw, not these two, they are the definition of fuck around and find out.

Axl is very internally grateful right now for the hoodie as the wind is way worse then it was when he was walking to Izzy's hours earlier. There by the back door by now and open it with leisure as Axl had been right on it still open.

The shuffle of there boots are somewhat loud on the smooth paved floor as they make their way in to scan the place.

"Oh hell yeah they restocked" Izzy whisper yelled. "Yeah? Anything specific you're lookin for?" "Yes actually, I need new bearings for my board, Tyler was being a dick as always and busted them on purpose when he stole my board."

Izzy had a frustrated look on his face that Axl couldn't help find a little funny. Call him sadistic, but he loves when Izzy is upset or mad. Because it gives him all the reason to spend time with him and cheer him up and make him feel better. And it always works too. It's like Axl's the bandaid to Izzy's cut. "Want me to kick his ass for you?" Axl says lazily as he snoops the shelves for something he might actually want.

"Nahh, whole school hates him anyway, someone else is bound to soon for us anyway."

Izzy ends his sentence with a little victory 'yes' lookin back at Izzy, he holds up the goods which are the bearings he needs. "Nice dude" Ax says. "Whad'ya think of this jacket?" He turns his back to izzys so he could see the thrasher logo and name on the back of it.

"Awesome, suits your hair" izzy says as he does a little point to Axl's light ginger locks then jacket.

Axl nods "we should dip, someone might catch us if we stay any longer." "Agreed".

They made a swift exit and a fast walk home, the frosty night air prickled at their skins.

Stumbling one over the other they fall back in through Izzy's window. Skateboard parts and jacket in hand Izzy closes the window and they both take off the extras layers.

"Tell me I'm wrong, but that was so un-fun, no one even caught us." Izzy stated with a pout. "Couldn't agree more dude. There was zero danger in any part of that, no fun. But hey, we copped some pretty good shit. Should've been weed, but hey I'm not complaining." Axl said with a shrug.

Izzy smirked at his response, he made a dramatic ass fall onto his bed and lazily pulled the blanket half over him. "I'm gonna head to bed, join me when you feel like it" he yawned.

Axl plopped belly first right on top of Izzy, and wouldn't budge. "G'night" he said as he shuffled to make himself comfortable. Izzy stretched his arm to turn off the weak lamp he had on his desk. Not even complaining of the weight of his best friend on top of him.

See this is why he loved Izzy's place. And Izzy. It was so warm and full of comfort. He could be himself when with Izzy, and Izzy could be himself with Axl. Even though Izzy was always.. well, izzy.

No more words were exchanged as they both drifted into a comfortable silence.. and soon sleep. Izzy's light snores soothed  Axl as he took a tad longer to reach sleep. But eventually at about 4:07am he two boys were out cold, in the embrace and comfort of each other.

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This is chapter one of hopefully a 5+ chapter story of these two growing into their love for music and eachother. This story's also pre guns n roses, they're both 17 in this.
Also zumiez first opened 1978, so heyyy something actually accurate in this fic.
Anyway stay tuuuned.