Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
Izzy's best friend was not the simple best friend but more like his blood brother. The bandmates considered their reserved rhythm guitarist was a guardian of their eccentric vocalist. Yet he less understood Axl than his bandmates' expectation, these two had bonded together. Bonded in some strange way that none of them were capable of understanding. 
                          
He would act like Axl's parent as needed. On the other hand, he'd disappointed Axl many times in many ways, being Axl's problem, and Axl had been there for him. Their friendship was a bit complicated since both of them were not an open book or an easy-going person, nevertheless the trust underlied them. The friends should be equal, they had been equal so far and they would always be in the future. Anyway, Axl became Izzy's problem. For sure he had the right to be the one. Izzy couldn't get what on earth was going on in Axl's head but he would accept this stray sheep. That was the way they had survived in this huge concrete city in some way or other. 
                          
Izzy was eagerly going along with the rock musician's tradition, which was basically 'why the fuck am I active in the morning?', so it had been a while since he had seen the morning sun when he woke up from a light sleep the following day. He hid his face in his arms trying to go back to sleep. Once he knew he couldn't, he waited a moment to prepare for a strong ray of light before opening his eyes, slowly rubbed his eyes until he could easily open them, then he sat in bed and stretched the upper half of his body. 
                          
Axl slept like a bear as opposed to him. Actually it was pretty unfair. Many disoriented thoughts ran through Izzy's brain while dreaming. The worst dream was that of two friends gently kissing the other a few times and cooed some words of love into each other's ears. Goddamn words of love. 
                          
And Izzy trembled with joy! 
                          
"Ugh!" He felt shiver crawl up his spine when he remembered the tremendously horrible dream, and roughly scrubbed goosebumps on his arms exactly the same as Axl did last night. His brain was screwed up, indeed. He blamed it for keeping a vivid nightmare. He detested the sky too. If it didn't fucking rain at that fucking moment, Axl didn't see fucking Sean or what's his name at the fucking grocery store, therefore he couldn't have that fucking stupid idea. And, the fucking sky didn't need to give them a fucking rain because it scarcely rained in fucking summer in Los Angeles. 
                          
However, hopefully, Axl could change his mind. A sound sleep might make his friend sane. Besides, he had a few personality traits inside, it could be possible. 
                          
Soon Izzy found out this optimistic thought was stupidly shallow. 
                          
Axl didn't hesitate to show his curiosity in front of the other three, even when he threw his arm around Erin's shoulders. He looked straight at Izzy. Their eyes didn't meet. A small or pretty common sense of his held him back to say it loud, yet it let him show his enthusiasm by peering at Izzy's lips. 
                          
Axl was a prodigiously honest man who never thought circumstances may justify a lie. Izzy basically trusted him that Axl wouldn't kiss him until he let Axl, which he believed never happened, his own lips being stared at by the best friend exhausted his energy. 
                          
Besides the problem, Axl was as insane as normal. He took his anger out on his bandmates which only God knows why in a highly unpredictable timing, then the one who was yelled focused his eye on Izzy. The look of great significance strongly said Izzy should calm Axl down immediately. Izzy usually fetched a deep sigh before he soothed Axl, but he welcomed upset Axl this time. All his friend could think about was the things in front of him, in practice he forgot his enthusiasm in the moment. 
                          
No gaze. 
                          
Izzy felt at peace. He usually let his friend lean against his back until he felt safe completely because the mess frequently proceeded from believing that his world was totally insecure. This time, Izzy gave several sage nods while his friend gradually regained his composure, and cleared away right after Axl's complaints finished. He didn't want Axl to bring up the cryptic request any further. 
                          
Even Izzy tried to stay away from the request, his friend chased him to be alone in Hell House. Again, no matter if Erin was around them. 
                          
"Did you change your mind?" The redhead stood close to him and whispered in the kitchen. Their arms touched each other and a lock of orangish silky hair gently stroke Izzy's shoulder. 
                          
Izzy took a step backward with a wineglass of white wine in his hand, thinking that Axl was supposed to know the concept of personal space before. He briefly whispered back. "I think the conversation's done." He cast a side glance at loving Erin sitting on a couch, smiled at them with no idea of what these Lafayette boys discussed. 
                          
"Izz, you gotta help me." Axl stood close to Izzy again, their arms touched once more. 
                          
Izzy frowned as he saw that Erin was still smiling happily as if she was looking at the adorable baby twins. Troublingly, this conversation could be considered as an affair. The osculation didn't take on love but two men were whispering because they were paying careful attention to keep it from her. It was complete teachery as long as the issue was physically about an osculation, even though there were no feelings. He didn't give a shit whether this couple broke up or not, simply he didn't like to be caught up in their quarrel or to incur her displeasure like the cry of 'Are you going to take him from me?' God, nothing doing. 
                          
He abruptly finished off his wine. "I'm helping you a lot! You're a crazy stray sheep and I'm here to set you on the right path. Don't hold your breath, don't betray her." He hissed in a fierce whisper in one breath, putting the wineglass roughly on a counter and escaping to their bedroom. 
                          
The situation was the most creepy one Axl ever created. Fortunately their bandmates were not suspicious what the Indiana boys had behind the curtain. If they had been, Izzy would be too overwhelmed and he wouldn't have any confidence in himself to deal with them.