It hurt.Badly.
Maybe it was the booze softening him up or maybe it was how the words he said nestled themselves deep in his heart and tore it to fucking pieces.
And damn his vulnerability, because he he cried. He cried right in front of that asshole redhead. He showed Axl that side of him and he couldn't believe he let himself break.
He stared at the wall, a far look in his eyes. It was uncomfortably quiet in the studio. Everyone was disturbed by Slash's off behavior and the tension between him and Axl.
But Axl, being the asshole he is, was completely unperturbed.
Steven was biting his nails, a disgusting habit he only picked up more when he got nervous, Duff's leg was bouncing, and Izzy sat in the corner, smoking with his nose in a magazine.
"Duff, get in the booth." Axl smoothly demanded, keeping his eyes on the soundboard as he and their producer, Mike Clink messed around with something.
Slash wasn't here. At least his mind and eternal being wasn't, but his physical body was. He hadn't realized he was still on earth until Axl thumped his forehead.
His eyebrows lowered and his eyes flashed with hate as he glowered up at Axl. "I need you to record your parts." "You need a lot of shit, don't you?" Slash growled as he stood, bumping past Axl to grab his guitar and trudge into the booth.
He could feel eyes on him but he said nothing and kept his head down as he hooked his guitar up to the amp and immediately began playing with more ferocity than he'd ever played with.
When he was done, he exited the booth, sat his guitar on its stand and left.
He just...left. Grabbed his coat, his car keys and left.
"Someone's pissed." Izzy murmured around his cigarette.
"Axl, what the fuck happened last night? We leave you here with him and you turn him into....you." Duff scoffed.
"Not now." Axl rudely dismissed him. Duff crossed his arms. Albeit there was tension, today was going calmly and smoothly and he didn't feel like getting into a fight with Axl. But he did, however, want to know why his usually enthusiastic-without-having-to-do-a-thing best friend was so pissy lately.
"Axl, we need to know—" "Then talk to him, alright?! Get the fuck offa my back about it! It's his problem, not mine!" The redhead snapped at Izzy, who was clearly unfazed, but said nothing else.
"You need to calm down, Axl." Duff scowled. "Duff...," Izzy ran a palm down his face. "Well, he obviously seems to be angry at you. What did you do to him?!" Duff jumped to his feet. "Duff." Steven jumped up after him.
"I didn't do shit to the faggot! He made a move and I got pissed!"
"Don't call him that." Duff growled. "Or what?" The redhead hissed through clenched teeth. "Guys, stop." Izzy intervened, climbing to his feet.
"What is he mad about Axl?" Izzy crosses his arms.
Axl rolled his eyes. "Fuck off." He grabbed his jacket and car keys, storming out and slamming the door, making sure to accentuate his anger.
