Just One Look.

Dangerzone.

Hey there! I am so sorry I needed that long for an update! I was totally focused on Architecture of Attraction, but now I finally managed to edit the new chap :) It is a very long one, so I split it into to, expect a slight cliffhanger, but I promise to update again soon! Thank you all so, so much for all the reads, I'm so stunned :*

---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------

It's cold and windy at the bus station and Slash's hands are almost numb around his paper wrapped bottle of stolen Brandy.

Maybe it's because it's raining again and they've been outside for almost the whole day straight, but somehow it's much colder than usual.

"What the fuck...?", Axl murmurs as he wraps his jeans jacket tighter around himself and has the last bite of his cheeseburger with a shiver, "How the fuck can it be that cold again? We're in California, are we?"

"I seriously dunno'..."

"Where we are?", Axl grins, "Oh I actually believe that..."

"Fuck you!"

They are sitting on the curb stone beside the bus sign, Axl's head placed to Slash's shoulder as they are waiting, pleasantly buzzed and fingers greasy from fast food. It's all still unreal somehow- no Judy, not too much awkwardness and Axl willently leaning against him, but Slash really is the last one who would complain of how things have worked out.

"Why couldn't you borrow your mom's car again? I fuckin' hate busses."

"Cause' I don't even have a license?"

"But you can drive."

"Yeah...barely...why ya' hating busses?"

"Dunno'...weird, annoying people, waiting and damn it's slow..."

Slash absently brushes a loose hair strand from Axl's face with a cold finger, before standing up with the bus coming in sight, offering Axl a hand. "Don't ya' think we're the weird, annoying people..."

"Duh...yeah...maybe...so everybody else hates us too, we should just walk. Oh- ya' having a pen?"

"Uhm...maybe why?"

They're getting in, fumbling some money out for their tickets, then sit down in the almost empty bus, inhaling that always consistent smell of plastic, exhaust and old sweat that always reminds Slash of his childhood.

"Ya' know what? I hate busses as well...smells like school...gives me shivers, ugh..."

"You hated school that much?"

"Sure...waste of time..."

"Well, now you don't have to go anymore, right? What about that pen?"

"Oh, right...wait...", and he hands him a halfway broken ball pen from the inside pocket of his leather jacket; the one he keeps with him for drawings if he's in the mood for something.

"Gimme' your arm", Axl murmurs absently as he already grabs for it to shove the sleeve up and starts to scribble something, breathing against the pen's tip from time to time to keep it on working. Slash just watches.

"What is that?"

"Shut up...before I forget it..."

When he finishes he leans back with a grin, looking all pleased with himself. Slash turns his arm, trying to read it. "What's this?"

"Dunno', just an idea I may use."

"Why...you...- what?"

"It'sWhy do you look at me when you hate me? Why should I look at you when you make me hate you too."