Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Axl Rose)

5: She's a Hippie

I've been here a little over a week now, and I kind of miss feeling my wings drag behind me. Sometimes, I rubbed the spots on my back where they used to be just to feel something there.

Recently, I came very close to confessing to Duff that I was an angel. I had to get him off my back, for he was asking too many questions. Everyone had gotten curious about where I'd come from, including Axl, but Duff was by far the worst. He started making guesses, each more ridiculous and irritated than the last. It was frustrating him that I couldn't just tell him the answer.

I don't blame him, it was a little frustrating for me too. I couldn't tell another lie, and I couldn't just tell everyone that I was really heaven-sent. Even though I'd decided it was only to be used as a last resort in absolute emergencies, I magically made his mind stop worrying about me. The scariest part was how easy it came over both of us. I just thought it and touched my hand to his temple, and he stopped asking.

Duff hasn't asked since.

I was laying on that old mattress again. I'd acquired a few items, or rather, gifts, to make the room I was staying in a little more charming. Slash bought me a can of paint, and the two of us spent the day painting the walls golden. That was actually surprisingly fun. After that, I saw some string lights in a store window. I'd asked Axl, who I was with at the time, what they were, and he explained it to me. I asked him if I could have some for my room, and he told me no. Something about taking all of the manliness out of the place.

When I returned to my room that night, I found some nails and string lights. Next to them was a note that said, 'Whatever, you can have them if you really want. -Axl' I gladly pushed the nails into the soft wall, hammering them halfway in with a book. I draped the string lights over the mattress, and then I plugged them into the room's only outlet.

Izzy came in one day with a bag in his hands. "It doesn't really get cold here, but I figured you might want this," he handed me a bag. Inside, was a soft, green blanket with little blue lines in swirling patterns all over it.

"Thank you," I told him. I gladly put it in the mattress, making it feel immediately more like a bed. I did sleep much better after that.

Steven decided that my walls were a little lacking, and took me out to this really cheap store to buy some posters. I didn't like many of the ones that were there, but ended up buying some rather colorful ones. The guy at the counter said something about them looking 'psychedelic.' When I asked Steven what that meant on the way back, he had a long talk with me about LSD.

I hoped I would never run into anyone willing to try anything that crazy.

But the room is really starting to come together. It felt more homey with each passing day. Sure, it might not be Heaven, but it was the closest thing that these unwealthy and starving rock stars could buy me.

There was a knock on my door, and it opened before I could welcome the other person in. Axl stepped in, looking around my room before looking at me. "You've made it all hippie in here," He complained.

"What's wrong with peace?" I asked, thinking about all of the anti-war imagery I'd seen associated with that word.

Axl looked down as he chuckled. "You really are too good for Hollywood. I've got a question for you though."

I sat up. "What is it?"

"You never answered when I asked you if you wanted to go on a date. What would you say?" His question was, for a fleeting moment, very sweet. This was by far the nicest I'd ever seen him. Maybe I really was doing something right...

"Where would you take me?"

"I dunno. Maybe just out for dinner somewhere." He pointed towards my window. The curtains covering it were moth-eaten and barely kept the light out anymore. Axl's impatience got the best of him. "Well is it a yes or a no?" He asked, edge in his tone.