Let Me In

1

Open the door, just get inside...ow, ow...that hurts. Shit...just get upstairs, into the bathroom and clean up quick, then you can go to bed and fucking sleep this off...

He dropped his dirty leather jacket onto the filthier couch and attempted to walk upstairs. His bones ached and throbbed, like he'd been hit by a freight train. There was a heavy, pounding pain in his right side, and his left ankle was having trouble carrying his weight. Every step was more painful than the last. He glanced at his fingers. Six of them were bleeding. Gingerly, he pried the rings off of them and tossed them aside onto the carpet. Fuck it, who cared. They were cheap and stolen anyway.

Limp, limp, limp up the stairs, down the hall...into the bathroom. Light goes on--

It stung his eyes, already burning dully. Squinting in the light, he looked at himself in the mirror. What a fucking sight...his red hair was blending in with bloody scratches on his face. His right eye is slowly turning purple, and blood dripped from his nose. Piece of shit punk motherfucker...

Wincing, he slid his dirty shirt off and let it fall to the floor. His ankle was shaking...Fuck the shower, he wouldn't be able to stand much longer on it. Fine, he'd clean himself up at the sink, shoot up and go the fuck to sleep. Hopefully feel better tomorrow...He filled the sink with hot water and carefully slid his hands in. The heat soothed his aching muscles, while stinging his open cuts. The water turned a pale red, and he closed his eyes, his whole body screaming in pain.

The door opened, but he kept his eyes shut, a flicker of annoyance passing through the pain. Who the fucking fuck had the nerve to disturb him?

A familiar voice. "Oh, shit...what happened?"

He breathed in sharply, but didn't open his eyes.

"Not now, Izz. Just...go back to sleep. Please." He hissed at a sharp bolt of pain that went through his right side. Footsteps approached. A shadow fell on his sore face. A touch lighter than air on his cheek...it made his heart skip...

"Does it hurt?" He made no sign. But Izzy already knew the answer. "You don't need to push me out...Let me in, Axl. I want to help." A small kiss on the top of his aching head. Axl could feel his body wilt under the touch. He was so hard to resist...

"Some punk motherfucker tried to start shit...so I rearranged his bodily organs." He flexed his fingers. Blood seeped out of the stinging cracks and into the water.

"Hope you didn't kill him...I would hate to have to hide a body." Izzy said, gently running his fingers through Axl's stringy, dirty hair. He shivered. Axl smiled, but stopped quickly because it hurt.

"Nah...just knocked his damn lights out."

"Good." Axl felt Izzy pull his hands out of the water. The sound of the tub faucet running. Izzy stood him up. "But that sink is not gonna clean you up. And neither are you, by yourself. Let me help you, baby. Let me take care of you." He felt gentle hands tugging at his ripped jeans, twisting the button until they came open and slid them off, his underwear too. Izzy's eyes widened in concern at the sight of the rest of his body. Tenderly, he kissed each bruise, careful not to cause him any more pain. Axl's face burned. Izzy...

He helped Axl into the slide into the hot bath. God, the water felt so good...he breathed in relief. It didn't completely take the pain away, but it helped a lot. Izzy's fingers traveled all over his body, gently washing away the blood, passing the soapy washcloth over every inch of him. The water in the tub turned pale pink with blood and soap. The scent of lavender, the steam and Izzy's touch...it was so relaxing...Axl forgot about the pain for a little and let Izzy move over him carefully. He massaged his scalp, working the vanilla shampoo through his long tresses. It felt so good...

Izzy lifted him out of the tub and sat him on the edge, bundling him up in one of their towels. He surveyed him. "Much better. How do you feel, baby?"

"Better...thank you..." He kissed Izzy's cheek warmly, his wet strands brushing it lightly. His heart was fluttering. Izzy stroked his hair out of his face, wrapping it up in a towel.

"Good." He breathed in Axl's ear, nibbling his love fleetingly. "Let me patch you up, ok?" Axl nodded, limping over to the toilet and sitting down on the closed lid. Izzy helped him slip on his boxers, gently brushing his length through the fabric. Axl shuddered, face flushing.

"Oh, fuck, Izz..." But he winced. Pain still pounded beneath the layer of relaxation and calmness, in time to his skipping heartbeat.

"Shhh...it's ok, baby. I'm gonna patch you up, ok?" Izzy gathered some tissues, bandages, gauze and tape from under the sink. He looked over his hands. "These don't look very deep. They should heal up fine if we cover them." He spread cream on the cuts on his fingers and bandaged them. He stuck Band-Aids on the tiny cuts, and massaged soothing cream onto the bruises splotched across his stomach and ribs. "Nothing broken here...good. But your ankle is pretty puffy and bruised...probably sprained." He kissed it softly and started to wrap it with an ACE bandage. He gently touched his eye and Axl flinched. "I wish I could help your eye."

Axl smashed his lips into Izzy's, almost knocking I'm backward onto the tile floor. Sweet and warm, they tasted of tobacco and Jack. Spicy and exotic. Hands snaked up and around his shoulders, careful to mind any hurts or wounds. Axl could feel the heat from Izzy's body hitting him in steady waves, comforting and soothing. His body felt so heavy and leaden.

They were nose to nose, Izzy meeting Axl's green eyes with his own hazel ones.

"Let's get you to bed, darlin. And something to help take the hurt away." Izzy breathed. Axl nodded, feeling his breath hit his face. Izzy helped Axl limp into the bedroom and laid him down tenderly. Small aches still sprung up and down his body. Ow...

A leather strap, the smooth plastic of a syringe being slid into his waiting hands, the sharp but comforting sting of a needle and the overwhelming rush of sweet, numbing relief...Oh GOD...

Axl slid into Izzy's arms, feeling them clasp around his waist under the old but soft sheets. The silken touch was so relaxing, like being back in the hot bath. He laid his head against Izzy's bare chest, bathing in his warmth and letting it wash over him. His scent was intoxicating, and he felt so sleepy. It was perfect.

"Get some sleep, baby. It'll help you feel better. I love you, Axl." Izzy whispered, stroking his slightly damp hair.

"Love you too, Izz." Axl breathed. And he lost himself in the gentle sound of Izzy's soft breathing and the warmth of his arms around him.