Is That a Noose or a Wedding Band
                       ~Author Unknown but most likely Mikka

“Ax,” starts the guitarist, approaching the singer slowly. “I have something to tell you.”

“What is it, Slash?” Axl asks, noticing the unsure tone to the other man's voice and the sad look in his chocolate eyes.

“Um, well...” he stammers. Maybe he shouldn't say anything. Maybe the whole situation had been a bad idea. No, he's got to tell Axl. He can't very well hide it, after all.

“Slash?” Axl says. “Are you okay? What's going on?”

“Axl, I... I proposed to Renée. She said yes.”

The whole thing seems wrong. Slash should be happy to be sharing this news, but instead there is a feeling of impending dread.

An unreadable expression forms on Axl's face.

“You're getting married...?” he asks slowly, as though he hasn't totally processed the information yet.

Slash nods slightly.

“Yeah,” he says quietly; so quietly that the words are hardly even spoken.

“What the hell, Slash?!” Axl suddenly shouts. Slash cringes. He had known the singer would react badly. He braces himself for the physical abuse that is sure to follow.

But nothing happens. Slash looks up at Axl, and the look on the redhead's face breaks Slash's heart. He looks completely, absolutely, devastated. And Slash knows it's because of him.

“Ax, please...” Slash says. “Don't take this personally. You know that I love you.”

“Then why?” he asks. “Why are you marrying her?”

Slash stumbles over his words. He doesn't have an answer.

“Why did you marry Erin?” he counters, and instantly regrets it. Of all the things to say, that had been the wrong thing. As if Axl needed any more reason to be angry, and now here Slash is starting an argument.

Nobody says anything for a moment.

“I didn't say anything when you married Erin,” Slash finally continues. “So why can't I be happy? Why can't I marry Renée?”

Axl's eyes fill with tears.

“So... you aren't happy with me, then?” he asks, his voice shaky. “Am I not good enough? I'm sorry, Slash, that our relationship is complicated. I'm sorry that we have to keep it a secret from the public. I'm sorry that I'm emotional and totally fucked up. More than anything, I'm sorry I'm not what you need. I'm fucking sorry...!” he adds, tears falling silently down his cheeks.

Slash tries to hug the singer, but Axl pushes him away.

“I wasn't angry at you for proposing to her.” Axl whispers, his eyes focused on the floor. “I was just taken by surprise. I thought we'd agreed to talk about it before we did anything like that. I don't care if you get married. You know that I don't.”

“Aw shit, I'm sorry, Ax! I totally forgot we'd agreed to that...”

“I'm sorry that I don't make you happy, Slash. I really thought I did. I'm sorry for tying you down like that for so long. You should have said something sooner.” Axl looks up at Slash, and manages a smile. “I... I hope that she makes you happy. You deserve to be.”

“Axl,” Slash exclaims. “I didn't mean you <em>don't </em>make me happy!” But by then Axl has left the room. Slash sits down, putting his head in his hands. “Fuck,” he exclaims. “Why the hell do I always mess shit up?”