Through The Eyes Of

What Friends Are For

Slash

"Just please give it back to me," he pleads with us. "I can't do this shit right now! Just give it to me Duff; you don't even have to let me stay here, just give it to me and I'll go ok? I don't want anything else, just please, please give me the stuff!"

He stops fighting and sags in my arms; the tears finally spilling down his cheeks. His knees give out and suddenly my arms are the only thing holding him up. I stumble and almost drop him and fall down on top of him but I catch myself and lower him to the floor. I look up at Duff wondering what he'll say; will he give him the shit and let him go? Really? He wouldn't do that to Izzy...

My faith in him is well placed; he's way too sweet and like I figured he cares about Izzy way too much to kick him out. He squats down in front of him and puts his hand on his shoulder and says "Izzy, we don't want you to leave, you're our friend, we are about you, why would you think we would kick you out when shit gets bad for you?"

Izzy doesn't answer for a minute; he just kind of shakes and sucks in these huge, heaving breaths like he can't breathe except that I know he's fine. My guess is he's trying to stop crying. "Fuck Duff, that's what people do to me lately; didn't you know I'm just a lying piece of shit junkie? How'd you miss the memo on that? Apparently all I'm worth is being shoved down and punched in the fucking face because I won't feel it anyway; smacked out junkies don't feel anything, didn't you know that?"

"Is that what he fucking said?" I ask incredulously and sit down on the floor beside Izzy, "Axl actually said that shit to you?"

"Yeah he said it; right before he punched me again only that didn't knock me out; it just busted the living fuck out of my lip out so he had to punch me right fucking here," Izzy sighs, gesturing to the huge bruise on the side of his face running up into his hair at his temple. I woke up this morning and my head was throbbing and my eye was swollen and my mouth was full of blood and it was dried all down my chin and my neck." His hand rubs the back of his neck and then around to the front where there's still blood dried onto this skin. "It still is apparently," he comments when he feels some of it flaking off.

"Well none of that's true Izzy and you know it. He shouldn't have fucking hit you no matter what; you didn't hit him!" Duff exclaims. Where does he get off with saying that kind of shit anyway? He was outside two hours ago when he dropped you off sniffling and crying about how he loves you and he said that to you?"

"Duff, you know he has a weird, twisted, sense of love sometimes, like he has to push the limits as far as he can. I don't usually take his shit either but there's just been so much of it lately and I was too fucking drunk to argue with him after he said all of that. Besides it fucking hurt too much to say anything," Izzy tells us and then pulls his knees up into his chest and lays his forehead on them; hiding his face because he's crying.

"Hey Izz, it's gonna be ok; it won't hurt like this forever, I promise. He'll figure out what he's missing, don't worry," I soothe him and rub my hand up and down and his back and then put my arm around him and pull him towards me. He leans into my shoulder looking for comfort and I hold him close to me for a minute until he sighs and sits up; raising his eyes to meet Duff's.

Duff knows exactly what he wants; he wants his smack. "Here's the deal Iz," he says softly but with a firmness in his voice that says he won't be messed with, "I'll give you one of these syringes now; is that enough?" Izzy nods and I can see him practically salivating for it. Then I'll give you another one tonight ok?"

"That's fine," Izzy agrees. Duff hands one of the needles over and helps Izzy stand up. "Can I take a shower and have something to eat?" he asks.

"Izzy, you don't have to ask; just live here and do what you want; it's your house too for as long as you want it to be. I'll get you some clothes and then we'll go over to your apartment and get your guitar and some more stuff for you to wear ok? Just relax, make yourself at home," Duff tells him.
Izzy looks over at me, "That ok with you?" he asks quietly.