A/N: asked for by the lovely Lalicious, critiqued by sgSixx! Enjoy!
"I'm cold." Axl said bitterly, rubbing his arms. It was peaceful outside; people walking dogs, the occasional car driving by. It was paradise. We were sitting on the battered bench on the front porch. From inside, loud laughter drifted through the ripped screen door. I opened my eyes slowly and looked over; it was so peaceful I was almost falling asleep.
"Axl, it's 65 degrees. It's not cold." I said, settling back again. Axl liked to complain just to complain. He was like a kid. This was L.A., not Antarctica.
"Yeah, but there's no sun. And there's a breeze." Axl protested. I didn't even have to open my eyes to picture the gesture he was making at the cloudy sky. I rolled my eyes behind closed eyelids.
"Yes, there's no sun, I'll give you that. But you're also wearing a tank top. Go back inside if you're cold."
"As if. The house fucking stinks. It smells like mold and sweaty cookies. Fucking nasty. Plus no one bathes ever." Axl folded his arms. Touché on that one. We weren't the most hygienic people. Then again, we also didn't have AC or electricity a few days out of the month. And that's if we hadn't been evicted before the month was up.
"Point taken on that one. So go put on a sweatshirt and come back out." I shrugged, reaching in my pocket for a roach.
"I don't have any clean clothes. I haven't for weeks. The washer broke, remember?" And he was right on that one too.
"Ok, so...go grab the blanket off your bed and bring it out."
"It isn't that warm."
I sighed. He had an answer for everything.
"Then go grab mine." I waited for an answer. But it never came. I opened my eyes and looked over.
"Ok." He said simply and walked into the house. I almost dropped my joint into my lap. Wow. That was easy. Inside the house, I heard the smashing of glass. I sighed. Probably Duff and Del breaking vodka bottles again. I hope they clean that shit up. I stepped on a shard of glass and cut my foot last week because of them.
Axl emerged from the house with my best green blanket from my bed. It looked like it had survived a nuclear war, but that sucker was warm. He sat back on the bench next to me. I made to take a corner and pull it over us, but he wrapped himself up in a cocoon before I could. I raised my eyebrows.
"So...you grab the blanket off my bed with my blessing, then instead of sharing you just wrap yourself up like a red-headed burrito." I said, stubbing out my joint and folding my arms.
"You gave me your blessing." Axl piped up, burying himself in my blanket. And once again he got me there. I shook my head and lit a cigarette.
"Uh huh. Whatever you say. Axl." Axl looked over. I could feel his eyes on me. I turned to look at him. "What?"
"Why are you always so patient and calm?" He demanded. I blinked.
"Uh, I dunno. Why are you so obnoxious and impatient?" I shrugged. I saw a fire start in his eyes and he glared at me.
"Fuck you too."
"Oh, come on, Axl, I was just kidding." He continued to give me daggers. "I was! You know I was. Come on." I swung my arm around his waist and pulled him closer. I ran my hand up his side. He bucked a little, his face the color of his hair.
"That your way of apologizing?" Axl stammered, nervously brushing his hair behind his ears. I pulled his hand away and did it myself.
"Might be. Why, you nervous?" I asked around my cigarette. I started playing with hair and I saw him almost melt. Axl's hair was his weak spot. Plus he had pretty hair. I started to braid it. He leaned back. "Sit forward a little, I can't see what I'm doing."
