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rock-n-roll-queen · 10 hours ago

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Duhhhh girl amazing! I loved both this whole story. The way things develop and all and damn maddie stealing my man!!!

Bad Charlotte - A GnR AU, Starring Duff Mckagan (Part One Of Two)

What happens when you decide to write about somebody, other than the person you've usually been writing about? A 40-ish page story gets created, apparently! I know a couple of you are aware of this fic, and am so glad to know you're excited. Hope it doesn't disappoint!

Because the story is so large, I will be separating it into two posts but don't worry, they will be shared one after the other. There will also be a link to part two added at the end of this post, once it's up. Enjoy!

Oh by the way, the title is a play on the band name Good Charlotte...

Part One - How It Started

June 1985, Los Angeles CA

Another day in paradise, or at least the closest we can get to, in this city. It’s overcast and not too hot, which I generally prefer. You’d think I’d be used to the heat, seeing as I’m a local but no. Since I still live at home, I’ve been lucky enough to be living with the comfort of central air, ever since forever. I may be 21 now, but I’m not ashamed to admit I still live with my parents. I mean, if you get along with them, then what’s the sense of moving out? Helps with trying to keep and save money, too! Mom and Dad are awesome, which I wish everyone could say the same thing about their own. Maybe in a perfect world! I have been in possession of this record store for almost a year now, thanks to the previous owners being longtime friends of my parents.

They gave me the shop, as a birthday gift. I know, right? For the longest time it was called Hollywood Records but five years ago, the couple decided it was time for a change. Not only did they rename it Grooves, but also basically the whole damn place got a makeover. The store is very eclectic, mixing almost all of the current genres of music into the decor, but there is also still hints of the bygone days. Personally? I think it looks fantastic! I’m not the only one running this joint though, no fucking way and have had a few friends and even a couple of cousins helping out, at times.

We are located two blocks away from the iconic Sunset Strip and because of that, the store has never had to worry about going under, even before the ownership changed names. Sometimes it can almost be like a zoo in here, which for the most part can be great especially for business, but I actually like the calmer times as well. Today for example? Perhaps it’s because of the weather but the store seems quieter than usual, which is good since that is when we can catch up on things. There’s a couple of large cork-boards attached to the wall near the door, and that is where my best friend Maddie was located. Those damn things can get so covered, that it has to be looked through and cleaned up on a weekly basis.

“See anything good, this time?” It was currently Thursday, so there should have been loads of flyers for upcoming weekend gigs at all the various venues. Sometimes the stuff is pretty much garbage and isn’t hardly worth looking at, but people can surprise you! She looked over at me from across the store, I was hanging out around the back wall where the counter was located, the office and storage room on either side. She flashed me a grin, which usually meant there was something that had caught her attention, but wouldn’t tell me what it was. “Maybe. Why don’t you come over here and see for yourself, boss-babe?”

Eyes rolling, I abandoned my post to join her at the side wall. Both boards were almost completely covered, but at least that week folks were trying their best not to cover up stuff, that wasn’t their own. We don’t always get that lucky, though! Among the show info there can also be a crazy combination of various things for sale, random services being offered and we’ve even had to take down more than a few personal ads, which weren’t something all ages should see. I’m sure you know what I mean. Scanning the papers, there was a mix of shows, comedy sets and jam sessions. Some I’d heard of, others not so much. My eyes stopped on a particular flyer, due to automatically liking the name of the band. Guns N Roses sounded badass! I had only managed to see where they was playing and when (The Troubadour and that very night), before a whole group of people coming through the door, made me look away.

When I think back, I’m really fucking glad I had become so distracted and was unable to look at the entire flyer. Once the store regained some form of peace and quiet again, I had told Maddie there was one concert notice that had caught my eye, due to their name and asked if she’d like to perhaps check the band out with me. She had asked me which one it had been and when I said the name, I almost didn’t catch the slight smirk that crossed her face. I decided not to question it, since I’d see for myself in a few hours.

Closing up at 8 the two of us found ourselves at my place, with just over an hour to get ready before the show was to kick off at 10. I finally had settled on a black t-shirt with The Kinks written across it in silver, tying and secured into a knot on the left side so it would sit just above my navel. Black denim shorts which were long enough to be decent, and black distressed tights made up what covered the bottom half. My favourite pair of Doc Martens, which were also black with purple laces nearly completed the look, but not quite. Purple and black are my two favourite colours, which is why my hair was a blend of both. With Maddie’s help, we added ringlets within my locks which at the time stopped just below my shoulder-blades, and then secured it partially up in a purple skull and cross-bone hair clip.

What I mean is instead of covering up all her work and pulling it into a bun, the ends would hang down. For accessories I decided on a large link silver chain necklace which was only a couple inches longer than choker length, and closed with a padlock at the front, which was also silver. That was paired with a couple of longer chains in various lengths, the longest stopping just below my tits. Both of those had guitar picks hanging from them, one being silver while the other was purple. A pair of black leather cuffs covered my wrists.

Multiple silver rings adorned my fingers and I had painted my nails in dark purple the night before, thankful during work they hadn’t become fucked up in any way. You just never know! For makeup I tried to go subtle with royal purple eye-shadow, black eyeliner and clear lip-gloss that tasted like wild berries. Thanks to the store, I don’t get to go out on the town much as I’d like, so I was excited for tonight. Sure I know what can look good, but in no way am I full of myself. Hell, it took me forever to finally realize that maybe I’m not a total ugly duckling. Believe me, I felt it thanks to growing up. Kids are assholes, plain and simple! I have a few piercings, but nothing too dramatic; both ears, ring through the right side of my nose, tongue stud and navel.

I may or may not have a couple others, but those don’t really need to be mentioned. Perhaps they will make an appearance, someday? Stay tuned! Maddie has similar taste in fashion, but she likes to throw in more feminine elements. I on the other hand dress like Joan Jett most days, just without the leather pants. Not that I don’t own a pair, but they aren’t for work! We’re now at The Troubadour, hanging out at a table near the back of the venue. I was pleased find out the place wasn’t too packed, which is a far cry from how it could really be in here. There have been riots!

Maddie said it was most likely because this was the very first Guns show, which I failed to see written on the flyer. If they are good enough though, I’m sure they’ll be bringing in folks left and right! We were both nursing soft drinks for the time being, not really looking to get wasted. I for one have never been a fan of getting that drunk, but it happens. She’ll most likely end up tipsy or more than, because when she’s having fun, she doesn’t always keep track. If the band is worth it, we’ll make our way to the stage. Most of the time though we can be found making our way across the floor, while mingling with people we’ve met, both at the store and here. This isn’t the only venue we frequent I mean, this is the Sunset Strip so there’s a wide selection of hot spots.

Guns started out with a couple more mellow songs, but finally started playing something good. It definitely sounded heavier and seemed to bring their front-man out of his shell. Maddie and I decided it was time to start moving closer, if anything just to stop feeling so curious. Neither one of us like being mixed in with the action, because it can get pretty fucking wild. Rather not end up in hospital after the fact, thanks! It was mostly vacant off to the side, which is where we ended up. The band totally had the right look, thankfully they weren’t a Crüe copycat.

Now don’t get me wrong, I myself am a fan of them, but sadly this town isn’t always the most original. Groups try to be unique, but end up looking like some band or another. The Guns lineup consisted of a ginger singer, a blond drummer, two guitarists; one with such a full head of dark curls, that you couldn’t see his face while the other was brunette with a moody gypsy look to him. The way Maddie kept her eyes on the second guy, made me think she found him attractive. Of course they also had a bassist and when my gaze finally focused on him, I had forgotten what it meant to breathe. If I had to use one word to describe him, it would be beautiful. He was blond like the drummer, but had a feeling it was dyed because you could see darker parts mixed in, super tall (if how he looked next to his band-mates said anything) and the body-frame of a model.

He was wearing a dark denim vest unbuttoned, a black sleeveless mesh shirt and black jeans. He had accessorized with a pair of black leather fingerless gloves and a couple of necklaces (one being a black and white beaded choker, fucking hell), but what stood out the most was the hat he was wearing. It was similar to that of a sea captain, but a bit taller and charcoal in colour with red piping. It looked awesome!

I couldn’t remember the last time I saw somebody wear something like that, if ever! I loved that it made him standout, which is what this city needs, more originality! The eyeliner and black nail polish made him that much more attractive (he also had a nose ring like mine, just on the opposite side) plus I had a feeling he was originally from the punk scene. Sometimes you can just tell, you know? He was a total badass, through and through not to mention he played fucking amazingly! I was dying to know how long he’d been playing the bass, because you don’t just become that good overnight. He also had some kind of dangle earrings, but his hair just looked so soft and perfect, that I was dying to touch it.

Yeah right, like that will ever happen. Keep on dreaming, Charlie! I highly doubt he’d be interested, let alone look at me twice. Gotta love having low self esteem! I couldn’t take my eyes off the guy, trying and failing to figure out how he was even real, because nobody ever before looked that gorgeous. I only looked away, when I heard Maddie in my ear. “Took you long enough, to spot him!” I blinked and turned towards her, hoping I didn’t look nearly as dazed like I felt. “What do you mean?” She shook her head with an amused smile, reaching for something when some promoters went walking through the crowd. “You didn’t get a full look at the flyer, I’m guessing. Had a feeling!”

She then held out what she had just grabbed, wanting me to take it. In doing so, I saw it was a copy of the exact same piece of paper, that graced the board in the shop. Not wanting to look away from the beautiful creature in front of us for very long, I instead kept sneaking glances at it, whenever he moved to the other side of the stage. Oh, well holy fuck! What I had failed to notice earlier in the day, was the picture of the group printed there. It was in black and white, like almost every other flyer and it was of them sitting at a booth, in a restaurant. Sure enough there he was, sitting on the far left of the shot and fucking hell, did he look good enough to eat! Still wearing the same hat as tonight, but instead he had swapped denim for leather, wearing both a jacket and pants made of the same material.

It wasn’t just the outfit which made my heart feel like it had dropped into my stomach, no it was the way he was looking into the camera. His gaze was a perfect combination of moody and smouldering, that I had trouble swallowing. Jesus fucking Christ, where had this guy been hiding until now?? I hoped that for the remainder of the set, I could muster up the courage to approach him after...because I fucking needed to meet him. Soon as I laid my eyes upon him, everything I had known up until that point changed.

I tucked the flyer safely into the back pocket of my shorts, taking care to fold it just so that the picture wouldn’t get damaged. “He is totally your type. I for one am really liking the way that one guitar player looks!” I smirked, still barely able to look away from the bassist, feeling nothing more than the moth to his flame. “Yeah, I had a feeling. Maybe you should try and speak to him after?” She looked at me wide-eyed, which told me her poor brain had been acting the same if not similar to mine. “Shit, you think so? Fuck, what would I say? Last thing I wanna do, is make myself look like an idiot!” I laughed while wrapping an arm around her waist, giving her a loving side hug.

“I know what you mean. I feel like I need to try and talk to mister tall, blond and beautiful, but I don’t want to make a fool out of myself!” We looked at one another, both feeling anxious as hell and not realizing yet just how much both of our lives would change, going forward. Neither one of us were dating anyone, never really feeling like it was necessary and both loved being single, but well...maybe change can be a good thing? Something tells me the gypsy guitar player immediately might be interested in Maddie, just like almost everyone else has been, for long as we’ve known each other. Everybody loves my friend, because she’s fantastic!

Guns N Roses ended up sounding pretty damn awesome, and I hoped word would get out about this show, because they deserve to be recognized. I quickly made a beeline to the bar, suddenly feeling terrified and in real need of something with some kick. I chickened out, deciding at the last minute that he’d never care and wouldn’t find me interesting enough, to waste time on. I would just have to grin and bear it, adding him to my short list of people I found ridiculously attractive, but I’d never have a chance in Hell with.

The place cleared out rather quickly, leaving behind maybe fifty people, if that. I saw Maddie had gotten lucky and was chatting up her eye candy, at a nearby table. I wish I had her confidence, but even most of the time she’s like me and has strong cowardly tendencies. I guess at one of us deserves to live the dream, even if we both couldn’t!

Chapter Two - Non Fatal Attraction

I was sitting at the bar, lost in my thoughts while nursing a bottled cooler, when a voice came out of nowhere behind me. “Hey, is this seat taken?” I looked over to find the source of the sound, nearly falling off the raised chair I had been occupying. Holy fuck, it was him!! Mentally applauding myself for being able to always think quickly, I tried my best to seem calm and collected. Fingers crossed I’m a good enough actor, tonight! “It isn’t, but you could have your pick of basically anywhere else, in this place. What made you decide to join me?” Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him park his ass, sadly unable to get another look at it. Should be illegal for a guy to have a better looking butt, than most women! “There’s a couple of reasons, actually. One, I’m in need of a drink and two, I saw you over here all alone and knew I had to change that. Are you okay with me sitting here? If not, I can leave.”

I blinked a couple of times, then tilted my head. He’s just pretending to be blond, right? Like I would ever tell him to take a hike! “Course I don’t mind! You were fucking amazing up there, by the way. Where did you learn to play, like that?” If I thought his voice sounded good, when he laughed I really had to control the shiver that traveled along my spine. Oh boy. “That’s really nice of you to say, thanks! I’ve been playing for almost ten years now, and was part of a couple bands in Seattle, before moving down here last year.”

I smiled, then looked at my drink. “Ah, not from around here huh? That’s cool. Let me guess, you were part of the punk scene?” He laughed again which made me have to take a drink, because that was the second time he’d caused my throat to nearly close up. Does he threaten the health of everyone he meets, or what? Damn. “Nope, I moved here last Fall. How the hell did you guess my previous musical genre, because you’re one hundred percent right!” I shrugged, looking over to where Maddie was still sitting with the gypsy, wondering if she noticed who had since joined me. “You’ve just got this look about you, plus it’s in the way you move sometimes. I mean really, you could be a poster-child for punk rock.”

He flashed me a grin, then placed an arm on the bar top so he could lean against his hand. “I can tell you’ve got some background in the punk world too. Not only do you dress the part, which by the way you look really good, but also it would take a true fan of the genre to notice something like that!” I couldn’t help but snort in laughter, over what he said. “Yeah right. I’m nothing, compared to you. You’re an absolute vision and if anyone saw us together, they’d wonder if you had suffered a head injury.” The sudden feel and squeeze of his hand upon my forearm made me jump, immediately hating that I’d let slip what I thought about the way he looked. Fucking idiot!

“Don’t say such things about yourself! You wanna know what I think? I almost fucked up a couple times during the set, because of you. I looked your way and my brain froze, trying to figure out why the Hell such a gorgeous girl was at our show. I was almost afraid to approach you!” I turned sideways in my seat, so I could look at him directly. Did he really say that? I must have drank loads more than I thought, because this can’t be real! “Wait, what? I almost made you mess up? I mean sure, I know how not to dress like roadkill, but I’m nothing to look at!” He narrowed his eyes at me, fearing I’d suddenly pissed him off. Way to go, dumbass! “What’s your name, sweetheart?” My mind blanked for a second, when he called me that. What the hell is happening?

“You can call me Charlie. How about you?” He swallowed, then looked away for a moment. “My name is Duff. Now listen to me Charlie, okay? You are absolutely stunning! I can’t remember the last time I saw somebody so attractive. I even told Slash, before working up the courage to come over here!” I started freaking out a little, not knowing if he was an asshole in disguise and had picked me, to be his target for cruelty that night. “First of all, who the hell is Slash? But you can’t be serious, right? There is no way somebody so gorgeous like yourself, would ever be interested in me. Shit like that just doesn’t happen!”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You really don’t see it, huh? Also, Slash is our lead guitarist and my best friend. It’s not easy believing the things you’re saying about me. I’m just some punk-ass kid trying to make a name for myself, that’s all!” It was my turn to shake my head, in amusement. “Sure, a punk-ass kid who could break hearts and shatter the minds of people worldwide, without even trying...” He laughed so loud, that I felt more than one pair of eyes on us. If Maddie hadn’t noticed before, I’m certain she couldn’t have ignored us, now. “Holy fuck, that’s funny. You really think I’m that attractive? It’s not everyday that I get so many compliments. You just made my night, doll.”

I looked in my friend’s direction, with her looking like a deer in the headlights. That’s right girlfriend, you aren’t the only one who’s living the dream! “Duff honey...soon as I laid eyes on you tonight, I couldn’t breathe. I’m gonna have to thank the customers that came in earlier, the next time I see them for making me look away from your flyer, before I managed to see the picture attached!” He raised an eyebrow at me and I hated him for a moment, because if he wasn’t trying to look sexy, then he was doing a terrible job at pretending otherwise. “What customers?” I smiled, before taking another drink.

“I’m the owner of a record store, not too far from here. It’s called Grooves, heard of it?” He let out a gasp, which made me look his way once more. “Are you serious? I fucking love that place. It’s awesome!” I tilted my head again, then saw him eyeing my bottle. “Try it, if you want.” I took a moment to collect my thoughts, before continuing. “How the hell haven’t I seen you in there? Believe me handsome, I wouldn’t have forgotten!” He picked up my drink and looked at the label, before raising it to his lips. You bet your ass I shamelessly watched him swallow, and suddenly wanted to know what that gorgeous column of skin tasted like, among other things. “That’s stuff pretty damn good! It says black cherry, but I’m also tasting berries? Is it some sort of mystery flavour? But maybe you had stepped out or were off the couple of times I stopped in?”

I blushed, looking away for a moment. “Oh uh, the berry flavour is from my lip-gloss. Sorry about that!” My heart skipped a beat, when he then looked down at my lips. I quickly turned away, downing the rest of the bottle and yes, I could feel him shamelessly watching as I drank. Isn’t it nice, when the thirst is mutual? It seems that he had started to suffer from a case of how to speak, so I instead nodded towards where Maddie was.

“So, who’s that over there with my friend? All I know is he’s one of yours.” He looked over and then grinned. “Oh, that’s Izzy. He’s usually pretty quiet and keeps to himself, but he must have seen something he really liked the look of, too!” I glanced their way, with a smile. “Hope she isn’t freaking out too bad. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of him.” I looked back over at mister handsome, to see he was looking at me. “Sounds familiar! You wanna come outside with me, for a bit? It’s kinda stuffy in here and I could use a smoke.” I nodded, sliding off the chair just as he got off of his. Like hell I’d say no! Now that I knew I wouldn’t make an ass out of myself, since he seemed just as interested, I couldn’t help but start feeling flirty.

I was walking just behind him, nearly running into when he stopped suddenly after I whistled. He turned to look at me, adorable confusion showing loud and clear among his angelic features. “What?” I shrugged innocently, starting to smirk. “Oh, nothing. There should just be a law against you having such a nice looking ass, is all.” He snorted in laughter, then placed an arm around me as we continued to walk. He’s nearly a foot taller than me, but at least it didn’t seem too awkward for us! “I could say the same thing about yours, babe.”

When we made it outside which was the back of the place where the parking lot was located, we both decided to lean against the wall, not to far from one another. “Do you smoke? If so, want one?” I was locked onto every move he made next, from taking a cig from the pack, to where he placed it between his lips before lighting up. It shouldn’t be, but he can even make smoking look incredibly sexy. It’s ridiculous! “Sometimes I do, but why waste two...” Without missing a beat I plucked the cancer stick from between his fingers and took a puff, holding it in for a couple seconds, blowing the smoke skywards before turning to look at him again. “When we can share?” I held the cigarette out to him, which he now also seemed to have forgotten how to blink, because he was staring intently at me.

He took it back, finishing and disposing of the butt before saying anything more. “So uh, are you seeing anyone?” I smirked, resting a shoulder against the wall and took a moment to slowly run my eyes along him. Damn, Seattle must be doing something right! “Nope, never really found somebody who was worth it. You?” He shook his head, looking off to the side for a moment. “Nah not really, been too busy trying to make sure this band doesn’t suck.” We both laughed at that, meeting each other’s gaze at the same time. “It’s nice to know that you’re single, because then I don’t have any reason to feel guilty, for doing this...”

Before my brain could catch up with what was happening, he placed an arm around my waist and pulled me towards him, then leaned forward to bring our mouths together. Holy fuck, is Duff really kissing me?? Hell yeah! It was only a chaste kiss, more or less testing the waters, before moving away. No way I was gonna let him get out of this so easily! Staring into each other’s eyes for a moment, I placed my hand on the back of his neck, before pulling him down again. Goosebumps formed across my skin, when I heard him moan in his throat, which just fueled the fire that had already been smouldering for an hour. I was the one to deepen the kiss, nibbling his bottom lip gently in order for him to open his mouth, slipping my tongue in right after.

His back hit the wall, thankfully we hadn’t ventured too far away from it, as we began mapping out each other’s mouths. He tasted like smoke, cherry thanks to my drink and deeply hidden desire. Breaking for air, he started panting quietly against my shoulder, as my mouth decided to explore. Leaving kisses along both sides of his neck, I couldn’t help but grin at the whimper that he released, after I slowly licked along the length of his throat. God, he was even more delicious than I imagined! “Fuck Charlie...”

I connected our mouths once more, pleasantly surprised that he wasn’t trying to control the kiss. So, he likes when somebody else takes over? That was fucking hot! “You like that, Duff? Enjoy the way I taste and kiss?” He pulled back slightly and nodded without blinking. If he thought I couldn’t feel just how much he was loving this, then he’s stupid. “Shit yes. So much that I never want to stop! Please keep going.” I was getting bolder with each passing minute so after sliding my hands along his arms a few times, which made him shiver, I slid them inwards to his chest. His back arched while crying out in shock, when I located and pinched his nipples gently. I gave him a quick kiss, smirking against his mouth after. “Oh, did you like that? It’s almost like you were asking to be touched there, thanks to your choice of shirt. I love the way you’re dressed by the way, pretty boy.”

He whimpered again, after I called him that. He likes being called pet names too? Nice. It was my turn to make noise then, having a yelp brought forth from me when after his hands found their way to my ass, he proceeded to pull me closer until we were flush against each other. “Can you feel that, babe? You’re making me so fucking hard, I can barely stand it!” I kissed him again, sucking on his tongue and reached around for his hands which were still located on my butt, taking his wrists in mine so I could pin them to the wall.

“Shall we do something about that, then?” He let out a groan as if in pain, then pressed his forehead to mine. How he hadn’t lost the hat after all this time, I’ll never know. Maybe he’s got some pins hidden someplace? “I’d fucking love nothing more, but we don’t need to do everything tonight. I wanna get to know you first!” I pulled back, smiling and feeling so damn proud of him. He could very well be the first guy I’ve known, who wants to wait. Let’s just say that this is a very slutty town but then again, he’s not from here! “Bit of a romantic are we, Duffy? I’m more than okay with waiting, just surprised you’d want to, is all.”

He bit his bottom lip and it took all my self control to not just dive back in and finish what we started. “Nobody’s called me that before and I’m so glad you’re the first. But to answer your question yes, I guess you could say that. I’ve hooked up with a few women, but I haven’t really found one I wanted to truly connect with. Something tells me, you could be that special one. If we wait I’ll treat you better than you probably ever have been, and if I end up being a liar, you can tell the guys in my band to kick my ass on your behalf!”

His words made me feel giddy because damn, they for fuck sure don’t make them like that, here in LA! “Damn baby, could you be anymore perfect? Looks, talent and heart? I fucking love it!” He grinned, then looked down at his feet as if suddenly gone shy. Sure, like he needs to become even more adorable! “It’s true though. I may not look it, but I’m actually a very caring and sensitive person. I can’t wait to show you that.” I smiled, kissing his nose. “A punk with a heart of gold? Love it!” We kissed for a few minutes longer, but nothing too heavy because I didn’t want the pretty boy to get over-excited. Something tells me he could be the type that when things get intense, it wouldn’t take very much to push him over the edge.

Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, just makes me want to explore him more and see what all he’s capable of! Taking a couple moments to calm down, he grins as if he just had a brilliant idea come to mind. “Hey, you still got that show flyer of ours? I’ve got a pen, let me give you my number and you can give me yours, if you’re okay with tearing a little of the bottom off from it, of course!” I smiled while pulling the piece of paper out of my pocket, taking a moment to look at the picture again. “I can’t get over how fucking sexy you look, there. If I didn’t have any self control, I would have most likely climbed right on to your lap!”

He grinned, then laughed which I swear never sounded cuter. “Really? Hell, I probably would have lost my mind, but I think I would of loved that. The guys, being the freaks they are capable of being, would probably wanna watch though!” I shook my head, watching him write under the picture, after placing the flyer against the wall. “Uh, how about no? I’m going to take you apart in complete privacy, thank you!” He paused while writing, taking a slow deep breath. “You can’t just say things like that to me Charlie, because it’s gonna make waiting all that much harder! But yes I agree, I don’t want anybody else to see you that way. You deserve more than that.” I tore a good part of the paper away, after telling him I planned on cutting the picture out, for safe keeping.

“Perhaps you should think about wearing something leather, the next time we meet. Then again if you do, I may not be able to control myself!” After the remaining part of the paper was back in my pocket, and my number was safely in his, I found myself against the wall. My next breath was stolen by him, by means of a passionate yet controlled kiss. He is so fucking good at that! When he pulled away, he was panting again. Might start thinking of him as a punk rock puppy, if he keeps that up. “Think I could do that, sure. You got anything leather? If so, maybe consider wearing it too.” I grinned, then gave his biceps a squeeze.

“Yeah, you like your women in leather?” He laughed, but not before closing his eyes while biting his lip after the touch. Damn, he’s pretty. “Maybe, but I like you and finding out you’ve got even sexier clothes in your closet than what you’ve got on now, well that would just be the icing on the most awesomest cake ever!” I chuckled, pulling him in for another kiss. “I think I could make that happen, gorgeous.” Not long after, we headed back inside. I was happy to see that Maddie was still there, and hadn’t bailed. She’s kind of my ride, after all! I smiled when I saw Izzy with her too, glad that he had thought to keep her company. When we decided to part ways, Duff gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which ended in time to see Izzy also kiss Maddie pretty much in the same spot.

As we started making our way to the door, I could help but start laughing, after hearing what was being said behind us. “Did you nab some fruity bottle of booze from behind the bar, or something before going outside, man? All I can smell is berries!” On the way home I told Maddie parts of what had happened, of course sharing that Duff and I had ended up making out, but not that we had exchanged numbers. If he and I end up becoming friends and start calling each other regularly, then I will. Swear I’ve never seen my best friend so happy, in which she too had some things to share.

She found out Izzy was the type to have an old soul, which she has always liked and he had wanted to know just as much about her, as she had from him. If they too had shared numbers, she didn’t mention it. That’s okay, we’re allowed to keep some things to ourselves! She did say however that he noticed us together right away, saying something like “Nice to see the kid finally happy!”. I was wondering what Izzy had meant by that but didn’t ask, hoping someday soon I’d maybe find out from the man himself...

Chapter Three - Telephone Tag

Two days later in the afternoon (store is closed on weekends), I got a call on my private line. Thankfully I was making enough money at Grooves, to be able to maintain a separate phone number, which can actually be pretty handy because I’ve shared it to a few customers. What I wasn’t expecting however, was to hear Duff on the other side. “Hey Charlie! Is this a bad time? Sorry for calling so soon, I have been chomping at the bit to get you on the phone. I thought about getting in touch yesterday, but I didn’t want to seem that eager!” Well didn’t hearing all of that just make my heart feel ten times bigger, and I was wondering if I had suffered a brain injury the night of the show, because all of this didn’t seem real.

I gave my skin a good pinch, just to be sure. Okay, I definitely felt that! Well shit. “Hello Duff, it’s great to hear your voice! You aren’t interrupting anything, I’ve just been catching up on things. That’s really sweet of you to say and also funny, because I was thinking the exact same thing, but didn’t want to come off like some nutter.” We made small talk for awhile, then he asked if there was anything I wanted to ask him, so we could get to know each other better.

I told him that I’d love to hear just about anything he was willing to share, and for hours after that, I started learning pretty much everything about Michael Andrew McKagan. That’s Duff’s real name, by the way. He told me about his family, when and how he learned how to play the bass, about Seattle and why he left, his previous bands and also that he suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, which could sometimes end up being pretty severe. Thankfully he had seen somebody about it during his teens, and starting going to a psychiatrist, after his parents took him to the hospital following his very first attack. He admitted that he drinks both currently and also throughout the years as a way to self-medicate, also not being a stranger to drugs; having used pot, lsd and even cocaine to try and help when shit got rough.

Finding out about all of this, made me start falling for him even more and wished that he lived closer, because what I wanted to do the most was just hold him. He then told me about Hell House, where he and his band-mates had been living for the past few months. Before he got to elaborate, I said that I’d love to come and hang out with the guys. That idea got shot down pretty quickly, with what he said next coming out in basically one breath. “Absolutely not, Char. I wouldn’t let you come within ten feet of the place!”

When I asked why, it took at least a half an hour before he was done explaining. The place was a closed down variety store, which had all of the shelving and counters, including the register removed. It was picked, only because there was literally no place else that hadn’t already been claimed, or was missing some if not all the windows. He was the only one with a steady job, making him the bread-winner so to speak and because of that, there was no way the band could afford to live anyplace else. The store was located in one of, if not the worst areas downtown and you couldn’t go a single night, without the alley right outside being filled. He said they see all types there; drug dealers and addicts, sex workers and any other sort of people that couldn’t get their shit together.

There was a party almost nightly at Hell House, which more times than not usually ended with a fight or few. Anything you could think of that was within the lines of excess and debauchery, was most likely happening and had been the cause of many recent panic attacks. He also admitted that all of them were guilty of lifting things, from others. When one guy was hooking up with a chick, they others would be going through her bag. There was hardly any furniture, mostly just a fuckton of mattresses which they had found around the area, and maybe a couch or two.

He then told me something that unless Maddie found out on her own, I had to take to the grave. Izzy not only was a heroin user, he also sold it and had been doing so, before the band got together. He’s almost always carrying a gun too, because of that. A couple of times, he’s had to scare people out of Hell House, by means of a gunshot. He told me not to worry about the two of them really, unless he had decided to invite her around. If Maddie was ever to mention something like that, then I would have to make sure she got the idea out of her head. He had hoped Izzy would be smarter than that, but also he stays within his own world a lot, and doesn’t share half of what he’s thinking. Duff said he hated it there, but didn’t feel comfortable staying with his brother, who had helped him find his current job at a restaurant, because he felt like he didn’t truly understand.

I told him if he ever wanted to get out of there for a bit, he’d be welcome to stay at my place, but he turned the invite down. Not only did he not have access to a car currently, because my parents and I live twenty minutes outside the city, but he didn’t want to be a burden. I told him that even though my parents weren’t really aware of him yet (I’d just said that I had met a guy the other night), they surely wouldn’t mind. I dropped the idea though, when he changed subjects.

I told him he should drop by the store again sometime though, preferably when I’m there, that is. He asked how often I wasn’t around, which I said rarely and hated how I had missed him the times he had stopped in before. “It’s okay sweetheart, we just weren’t meant to meet until a couple days ago, that’s all. What matters is that we know each other now, and is what counts.” Okay buddy, you can stop trying to make me fall for you even more, anytime now! He called again a couple days later, during the evening though because I had told him when Grooves closes up, and when I should be back home.

Chapter Four - The Maybe Date

The little shit didn’t tell me he had planned on coming into the store the very next day, though and completely caught me off guard! Even with trying to disguise himself while wearing black aviators, there was no denying who he was. Dressed in a leather jacket (it was a rather chilly day, even for LA) and a grey Sex Pistols shirt, black jeans that I swear had to have been exclusively made for him and a pair of grey Converse, he looked almost as good as the night we met. Soon as he came in and pushed the glasses up onto his head, which I saw he wasn’t wearing any makeup? Well, whatever I had been thinking about previously went out the fucking window. Even fresh faced, he was gorgeous. It’s like he didn’t even have to try.

Bastard! Maddie, being the usual calm and collected one, was first to break the ice. “Well hey there, Blondie! Was wondering when you’d be dropping by. Have a feeling you’re here to see the boss though, right?” I shot her a look that could have seriously maimed if it were possible, not being able to keep from blushing. “Ignore her. How’s it going?” He walked right across the store to the counter, not even looking anywhere but straight at me (like that was helping the heat to dissipate from my face!), and placed his hands on its surface.

“Getting the chance to finally see your beautiful face, again? I’d say that my day went from just okay to absolutely fantastic. How about you?” Maddie laughed louder than seemed acceptable, and if I had something to throw, it would have gone in her direction. I turned to her with a tight smile, not daring to look over at Duff. “Maddie dear? Would you be a lamb and lose yourself in the storage room, for awhile? Thanks.” I only looked back at the gorgeous being before me, when I heard him chuckle, but not saying anything until she had made herself scarce. “Sorry about that, she has no filter sometimes.” He shrugged and then smiled, making my heart melt. Stop it, baby! “It’s all good! Actually, I was wondering if maybe I could steal you away from here, for a little bit? We could grab dinner, perhaps?”

I took a seat on the stool we have located, behind the counter and crossed my arms, raising my eyebrow in amusement. “You win the lottery, or something? Last time I checked, you and the band aren’t exactly made of money.” He raised an eyebrow of his own, until both of us couldn’t help but start laughing. He’s such a dork, I love it! “Here’s a little secret. I’m the one usually in charge of the money, within the group. You know, since I’ve got an actual job and all. Sometimes I keep a little bit more for myself, and have decided that I want to treat you. I mean after all we’ve talked about, I’d say you deserve it, wouldn’t you agree?”

I looked off to the side for a moment, waiting for my heart to stop beating like a drum, then met his beautiful eyes once more. “Would this be considered dinner with a friend, or something more?” I had decided to stand again and nearly toppled backwards, when he suddenly leaned forward, close enough to be within whispering distance. Well, fuck. “What about a combination of the two?” It took all my willpower to not kiss him right then and there, surely I can control myself better than that? “You’ve got a deal, mister! I’ll let the loser in the back know and we can head out. Ever been to the Black Cat Diner, across the street? Best food in the city, trust me and not only do they have breakfast all day long, they’re also open twenty-four hours.”

Once we decided on the place, I grabbed my jean jacket and headed to the storage room, opening it to find Maddie actually keeping busy. Here I thought she’d be just standing at the door, while trying to listen to whatever was being said. I love little surprises like that! “You’re in charge of the place, until I get back. See ya!” Before she could respond, let alone make her way out of the room, Duff and I were already out the door. Soon as we got into the gorgeous cool air, I felt him place his hand on my arm.

“Don’t hate me for this Charlie, but I just gotta do this...” A moment later, his mouth was on mine and I found my arms wrapped around him, as if doing so was the only way I could remain living. I kind of loved it a lot, that he didn’t want the kiss to end, if him trying to follow as I pulled away had anything to say about it. “Why the hell would you ever think I’d hate you for that, Duffy? I’ve only been dreaming of kissing you again, since a few days ago!” His grin after was so damn cute, that I almost pulled him down for more, but surely I could control myself. What he doesn’t need to know however, is that I may or may not have been thinking of many other things we could be doing together, that didn’t just involve making out.

Maybe I’ll tell him about that someday, depending on what ends up happening between us! “I’ve been only too eager for the chance to see you again and well, you just looked so cute that I couldn’t help but kiss you!” After rolling my eyes I brought him back to face level, loving the near-squeak in surprise sound that doing so had caused, and lined our mouths up once more. I broke the lip-lock just as I felt the tip of his tongue make contact with my bottom lip, knowing if we didn’t stop right then and there, we’d be standing on the sidewalk kissing like a couple of idiots all night.

“Keep talking like that handsome and you’ll never get rid of me.” He stepped back a bit then, looking confused as hell. How can he even make that, seem adorable? “Get rid of you? Charlie, you’re one of the best things that’s come into my life, in I don’t know how long! Believe me honey, I don’t want you going anywhere.” I took his hand, hearing the slight gasp after and gave it a squeeze, before guiding him across the road to the diner. “You say that now, but wait until Guns gets really popular, you’ll have people all over you. Who says you won’t find somebody better looking, than me? I mean...” He took a hold of my upper arms and let out an almost annoyed sounding sigh. Whoops?

“Stop right there, Char. No more putting yourself down around me, okay? I don’t care how popular my band may or may end up becoming, I want you with me!” He didn’t say anything else, until we were inside and seated. “Do you really think I would be spending all those hours on the phone with you, if I wasn’t serious about having you in my life? Talking to you is really the only thing, that keeps me from going completely insane, sometimes. I mean hell, hearing you on the other end of the line is better than any music I’ve had the pleasure of listening to, and that’s the god’s honest truth.” I couldn’t help laughing at that, because yeah right.

“You expect me to believe that you like the sound of my voice, more than music? Last time I checked, all you’ve wanted to do in life, was play an instrument and be in a band. Surely I’m not better than your true passion!” He shrugged, then looked out the window. “Not really sure how else to explain it to you, babe. You can choose to believe me or not, but what I’ve said isn’t a lie.” We ended up ordering Dr. Pepper for me and root beer for him, and sat in silence for awhile just enjoying each other’s company. It’s nice, having somebody to do that with! “Hey, how are you able to call me so much anyways? Is there a payphone near where you’re staying?” He smirked, then took a drink in which I still didn’t look away, watching as he swallowed. He’s so pretty, it’s stupid!

“Funny story but we kind of hit the jackpot, finding Hell Hole.” He then proceeded to tell me that for whatever reason, whoever ran the variety store just boarded it up, but had forgotten to cut off not only the electricity, but also the water and phone line. Because of that, they’ve got a still perfectly functional telephone, in what used to be the managers office. He said that only it and the tiny bathroom are the only spots that have doors, so he’s been hanging out in there for hours while we talk, in which apparently one of the best couches made it’s way into that room. He can’t be sure how much longer they’ll be able to enjoy their secret luxuries, because surely the previous owner would start getting usage bills!

We kept talking about random topics as we ate, in which I ordered a turkey and bacon club sandwich, while he got a burger and onion rings. The saying time flies while you’re having fun, is really true because I didn’t realize that we’d been hanging out in the diner for a couple hours, until I just happened to see the clock that was attached to a far wall. Well shit, guess I’ll be owing Maddie for this! We parted ways in front of the diner, with Grooves still having an hour left until closing, so it’s not like I was holding my friend up. Soon as I walked back in, she was on me like bees to flowers. “So, when’s the wedding?” I blinked a few times, confused.

“I’m sorry, what?” She laughed, while walking towards the counter. “Come on now, you think I didn’t see you two sucking face? Not only just outside but probably across the street too, even though I couldn’t fully tell. I wouldn’t be surprised, though!” I shook my head, in amusement. “It’s nothing like that, we’re just friends who kiss...that’s all.” She turned to look at me, giving me the most convincing ‘yeah right’ expression that I’ve probably ever seen, before then. “You can’t tell me, that you aren’t wishing for more. Even I think he’s cute, but Izzy is definitely my favourite.”

I sighed while walking over to the Punk section, not fully realizing that was where I had stopped, until I began pretending to sort the albums which didn’t need fixing. Huh. “Of course I want more Maddie, so does he but I for one am not about to try and take things to the next level, what if I do and he freaks out? That’s the last thing I’d need happening!” She suddenly looked at me with a grin, and I knew there was a good chance nothing but something sly would be said next. “Hang on, you said friends who kiss? Did you two exchange numbers, last week?!” I sighed again, nodding as I felt my face heat up, for the second time that night. “You bitch! I can’t believe you hadn’t told me, until now! How many times have you two actually talked, just once or multiple calls?”

It had been a really quiet day, so I just said fuck it and decided to close up early, in which the two of us made a beeline for the office. I told her everything or well at least the things I didn’t think needed to stay private, but there was no way, that I would be sharing some of Duff’s more private conversations! She then confessed to me that her and Izzy had shared numbers too, but said they hadn’t talked nearly as much. With what Duff has told me so far, I’m not surprised since he described him as more of the strong but silent type.

It made me laugh when she admitted that usually whenever Izzy has called, it’s when Duff has been busy working on band stuff, which made me wonder if that could be said in regards to he and I as well. Each of them waiting until the other is off doing something, to use the phone? Adorable. Duff kept coming into the store, usually two or three times a week and called almost as frequent, but little did we know that a few weeks later things would take an unexpected turn.

Continue Onto Part Two!

#fic recommendations #duff mckagan fanfic

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