#i guess that was the joke too? like 'oh steven things having an alias is clever' IDK

[the--blackdahlia]

Dr. Feelgood Companion Piece

So, the amazing @smokeandmirrorz inspired me to write this, and convinced me to post it. It kinda goes along with their’s, but not exactly. Also, it’s got Steven x Duff because I’m trash.

Setting: Dr. Feelgood’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane

Summary: The Rose gang was doomed the minute Axl got caught. They scattered, Slash and Izzy going one way, Duff and Steven going another. Until Duff is caught.

Nikki had just left Dr. Stanley’s office when he heard the hushed rumors from some of the more coherent people. A new resident of the asylum. Nikki smirked to himself as he found a seat next to Vince, who was trying to sunbathe through a dirty window.

“You hear?” Nikki asked, nudging the blond.

“I hear a lot of things. You have to be more specific,” Vince didn’t even have his eyes open as he relaxed.

“We got a newcomer,” Nikki said. “Wanna take bets on what got them jailed up like us?” Vince opened one eye.

“What are we betting?” Vince asked.

“You can have my dessert for a week if you get the closest,” Nikki told him. “And you know with Mick cooking, it’s good.” Vince sat there for a moment, contemplating, before he nodded in agreement. “Okay, what’s your guess?”

“Why do I have to go first?” Vince asked. He sighed and looked out over the yard, where he could see Tommy bouncing around. “Well, I don’t hear any laughter, so it’s not another Tommy. Maybe he murdered his whole family?”

“Ouch,” Nikki laughed. “Okay, I guess he’s a war vet like Mickey. Too many explosions too close to the ear?”

“Can’t wait to meet him,” Vince laughed. “I heard Mick is making chocolate cake next week.”

****

Michael McKagan sat in his room, a look of pure anger on his face. He hated people calling him Michael, his name was Duff. He hated people poking and prodding him like he was a fucking cow. And, worse off, he hated that they took him away from Steven. When the police showed up to get him, he told Steven to run, thankful that he had. And they kept asking him where he was. Duff wasn’t going to tell them.

“Michael,” The doctor in the corner spoke up.

“My name. Is Duff,” He growled. The doctor sighed.

“Right, right. Duff, do you know why you’re here?” Dr. Frehley asked.

“Because this country hates scum like me,” Duff gave him a small smirk.

“You were hanging out with the wrong crowd and you got caught,” Dr. Frehley told him. “With some rehabilitation, we can get you back to being a fine, upstanding citizen…”

“I don’t need rehabilitation!” Duff snapped, jumping up. The only other person Dr. Frehley had seen with such a short fuse was Vince Wharton.

“Duff, you were hanging out with a gang of bank robbers. You almost killed three police officers. The only reason you aren’t in a jail cell right now is…”

“I know, I know,” Duff crossed his arms over his chest.

“Now, are you going to tell us where the other members of the gang are? Saul Hudson? Jeffrey Isbell? Michael Coletti?” He noticed the way Duff’s hands balled into a fist at the mention of the last name.

“He doesn’t go by that name,” Duff hissed. “That name was given to him by an evil man. Don’t you ever call him that name ever again.”

“You know that William Rose is already here. And it’s believed that we have Mr. Hudson and Mr. Isbell on the way. We’re just waiting on Mr. Coletti…”

“Don’t call him that!” Duff screamed. Before he could launch himself at the doctor, one of his aids was through the door, holding Duff down. “Get off me!”

“You need to calm down Mr. McKagan,” Dr. Frehley told him. “This will help you.” Duff felt the prick of a needle in his arm and his body started to relax. “When you wake up, maybe you’ll be more willing to talk.” The aid rolled Duff onto his side, so he was looking at the brick wall.

****

Tommy’s laugh could be heard across the common room as Mick, Vince, and Nikki were allowed in the next day. He was sitting by a redhead who was staring up at the ceiling. The three made their way over.

“Fuck, it’s Rose,” Vince grumbled as he saw who Tommy was hanging out with. “I hate him.”

“You hate everyone who looks better than you,” Nikki smirked. Vince swung to hit him, but he had already expected that and moved. 

“Did you hear we have a new guy?” Tommy asked. “Axl said he might know him.”

“Did he now?” Nikki asked, siding up to the redhead. “Wanna help me win a bet?” Axl was about to open his mouth when a new face, dressed in the patient garb, made his way into the common room with two aids at his side. “That him?”

“Duff?” Axl asked. He jumped up and made his way towards the blond. “Duff!”

“Axl!” Duff pulled away from the aids. They watched from the sidelines as the two met.

“They got you?” Axl asked. “Where are the others?”

“I don’t know,” Duff admitted. “Izzy and Slash left. Steven was sick so we hid and the cops came and I told him to run…”

“Shit,” Axl sighed. “This is not how I had this planned Duff.”

“I know,” Duff nodded. “The doctor who’s been interrogating me, he said they’ve got Izzy and Slash…”

“I haven’t seen them yet, but we’ll keep our eyes open,” Axl motioned for Duff to follow him. “This is Mick, Tommy, Nikki...and Vince.” Axl rolled his eyes slightly. “This is Duff. One of my gang.”

“You weren’t lying about robbing that bank then?” Vince asked. Axl shook his head. “Damn.”

“Let’s hope they’re wrong,” Axl told Duff. “This place ain’t someplace for them.”

****

A few days later, Jeffrey Isbell, AKA Izzy Stradlin, was brought in. He had a shit eating grin when they led him out of the ambulance and into the asylum. And a few days after that, Saul Hudson, AKA Slash, joined them with a mass amount of curly hair shielding him from the rest of the world. Nikki, Vince, Tommy, Mick, Axl, and Duff greeted them.

“Izzy here is a master lock picker,” Axl explained. “Duff’s the muscle. Slash is great at a knife and well, other weapons.”

“No wonder you ended up in here,” Nikki nodded.

“What about Steven?” Mick asked. “You don’t talk about him much.”

“Steven was usually the face we sent in to get the money,” Duff explained. “And he was really good as explosives.”

“Oh, I like that,” Tommy laughed.

“That must make you the mastermind,” Vince looked at Axl. “My apologies to your gang.” Slash chuckled, causing the redhead to glare at him.

“I can’t wait to get out of here,” Axl sighed. “I hate you guys.”

****

It had been several weeks since Duff had been brought in, and every day, they asked him and the others for Steven’s location. And every time, Duff would laugh right in their faces.

That was until the night that an unconscious man was brought into the asylum. Mick saw it through the window as they brought him in on a stretcher. He could hear their whispered voices as they deposited him in a room, talking about how Dr. Criss or Dr. Carr would be by the next morning to assess him.

“Got a name?” One aid asked.

“Uh, Michael Coletti,” the other one responded as they got the file ready. “Alias, Steven Adler.”

“I see,” The first one replied. Mick stared at the door. He couldn’t wait to see Duff in the morning.

****

Duff shuffled along for breakfast. He had kept his temper in check, so the meds weren’t a requirement. He looked up at Mick, who was making the eggs.

“Anything new?” Duff asked. Mick gave him a smirk and leaned over to give him his eggs.

“Someone new was brought in last night,” Mick told him. “Completely in the dark. He was unconscious too.”

“Why does this matter to me?” Duff asked.

“They said his name was Steven Adler.”

Duff nearly dropped his plate when he heard the name. He ran out of the line, out of the cafeteria, with the aids following him. He rushed down one hall, trying to find what empty room they would’ve put him in.

“Steven!” Duff yelled. “Steven!” The few patients that had to eat in their rooms looked out the small windows in their doors, including Vince, who had gotten into a fight with a man named Sebastian the day before.

“Duff!” Vince called out. “Three doors down on the left.”

“Thanks Vince!” Duff rushed down the hall to Steven’s room. Looking in the window, he saw him on the bed, asleep, with Dr. Carr standing over him. “Steven!” Dr. Carr turned to look at Duff as the aids grabbed him. “Let me go! Steven!”

Duff was dragged back to his room, two away from Steven’s, where he was sedated and thrown on the bed.

****

Later that afternoon, Duff was released and he immediately went to Steven’s room. But looking through the window, he didn’t see him anywhere. The aids urged him along, sending him outside for some air with everyone else. The whole time, Duff kept his eyes peeled. He spied the group he hung out with standing together, talking to someone. Slash looked over and smiled, motioning him over.

“Duff, look who’s here,” Slash told him. Tommy was laughing and joking around with whoever it was, and as Duff got closer, he felt his heart stop. There was a black eye and split lip, but he knew who it was.

“Steven,” Duff breathed. The other blond smiled at him.

“Hey Duff,” Steven replied. Before anyone could do anything, Duff was pushing his way past them and wrapping his arms around Steven. He kissed him deeply before burying his face in his hair.

“Oh, that’s...okay.” Vince laughed a bit. Axl wanted to hit him, but he didn’t want to take a nap yet.

“You’re okay,” Duff whispered, holding onto Steven.

“I’m okay,” Steven nodded. Duff pulled back to look at the black eye. “Went down with a fight. You would’ve been proud of me.”

“Always am,” Duff smiled. He looked over at Axl. “So, got a plan?”

“A plan?”

“We got our explosions expert. And Mick works in the kitchen, and I know that Tommy is in the infirmary enough that he has the nurses wrapped around his finger,” Duff explained. “I think that we could bust out of here.”

[c-atm]

Meeting

You feel the anxiety in your throat as you stand in front of the door. The light of the evening sunset, making it look more mystical than any office door should be. You take a nerve easing breath before grabbing the copper knob, giving it a twist, pulling your right arm and opening the door to a medium size office.

You're greeted to four near bare burgundy walls.  The only decoration being a couple of diploma on the eastern wall and on the west, a sword...A very cartoonish, very sharp sword. Not many real swords have a star as their guard. On the far back wall was a bookshelf filled with books, but it also held disks (can't really tell what the disk were), and a small amount of photos.

 In front of that there is a mahogany desk with a swivel chair. On the desk there's a green rectangular table mat the size of two book covers, a small lamp, unopened folders ... And at the corner of the mat, closest to the chair; a picture in a biscuit brown and strawberry red frame stood out. 

You walk up to the desk and reach out to grab the picture before taking a seat in front of the desk in the  cushion seated chair. The picture, it's of the boss with her beau. 

A large man of very slight tan skin, with black curly locks and a slight chubby face, smiling bright. Can't tell what they were wearing as it was a selfie, but it was taken in the evening..and  by the love laced smile she was giving the man, she was very happy then, enough to pay no attention to the camera in his hand, all eyes on him.

Hard to believe such a couple was involved in such a lifestyle. Hard to believe such a woman leads a 'family'...Hard to be so familiar with, talk and laugh with the face of someone you will never meet..of a dead man.

"You are as curious as Nora and Dai said."

A strong, velvety voice speaks from behind causing you to place the picture back down in a hurry, careful not to mess up the neat desk as you stand up in attention. You turn to the source and feel both your cheeks heat up as something else..Something cooler, creeps gently around  your heart.

 Skin of chestnut with hair a wood, cut to a flowing shoulder length. A roundish face adorned with a prominent nose, a small mouth and thick eyebrows, her eyes were hidden behind a pair of cobalt goggle lensed shades. Dressed in a white three-piece suit with black silk button up and a deep violet tie in a windsor knot, a pair of black bit loafers and brown calf length socks. 

She is adorable and could easily be mistaken for a young boy with how her clothes fit over her frame, instead of a woman seven years your senior. That is, if you ignored the fullness and gentle bounce of her modest breast, the slight sway of her hips when she walked, and the silken tone of voice. A sidf

The smell of chai and vanilla reverberates within your nose as she walks by and takes her seat behind her desk. Removing her glasses and revealing a very pretty pair of blak pearls for eyes, before giving you a sweet smirk.

‘I retract my young boy statement. How in the hell is this charming thing an arms dealer?’ She was a hard contrast to what a gunrunner was...Though Dia and Nora wasn’t exactly the standard either.  

“Please sit down, no need to be nervous.” Her voice is a twinkling bell to the ear, very relaxing and trusting. Still, there’s something peremptory about her request, forcing you to sit almost instinctively. 

“So..what’s your name?”

“R-Reader.”  ‘The hell...Why am I so nervous?’

“Interesting, is it a nickname? An alias of some type?”

“I..I suppose. It’s what I’ve always been called.” ‘That tone..it’s so sweet and kind...So why?’

“No parents? Or family?”

“Not- not that I know of.”  ‘Why?!’ 

“Oh wow, kind of explain why you're so gritty. No home training.”

You can feel your cheeks glow at her giggle, it’s melodic, motherly even. Something to protect. Despite that, the chill you felt hasn't disappeared...Haven’t diminished for a moment.

Warm and cool.

Nora and Dia described the boss...This person as such..

A perfect clarification.

“You’re on guard.”

Wide eyes greet her at her easy statement. She’s reading you.  “I..” 

“Not exactly what you thought, huh? A sweet little girl like me being in the Arms trafficking game. It’s ok. You can be honest.”

"Don't know."  What's there to be said, that will stop this strangulation in the air, this icy cool and gentle heat. A pleasurable suffocation.

She hummed gently. "Then..how about you tell what you do know?"

An arched eyebrow was the response, reflex.

"Why'd you help my people a month ago?"

You feel your mouth open in realization, before settling in a small smirk, recalling the night you met those two, Nora and Dai. It was a simple night, hardly any stars out but there was a half moon.

You remember the crunching of the gravel beneath your feet as you walked that coastal city road, looking for something to eat...something to steal, so you could eat. You remember searching your hip and ass pockets to see if you had anything that could frighten a tourist. You remember looking up at hearing Nora yell to 'clothesline them'.

You still don't know why you did it, lift your arm up and throw it to some 'rat bastard' neck, as Nora elegantly called the thief. Why held the por guy down until Dai and Nora came up and took him away, maybe to rough him up...Maybe worse. You didn’t think much about the guy when Dai offered you dinner at a high class restaurant, nor when Nora came back with a new shirt, saying her other one got.. Messy. Wasn’t your business at the moment...You still don’t think about them.

You remember drinking liquor you never tasted, food you never ate and actually enjoying a bit of a life you never thought you could have. You remember having a comradire with a pair of twins missing their triplet, toasting in his name as they kicked back his favorite drink and ate his favorite food. Dai tearing up as Nora patted his back wiping her own tears; two years, you remember they telling you. It was the second year anniversary of his… Their brother, Steven's passing..  

The talks of his bright eyed daughter, their niece; who's as precocious, as she's gentle. Smart and cunning as her mother, charming and empathetic as her father, with a smile that encapsulated both her parents, perfectly. They half joked that she would take over the world at the age of 21, with all that going for her. 

The talk of his wife, their sister-in-law and their boss; The woman across from you. How their tone always seems to waver from reverence to outright fear, but always full of love..Was it familial or unrequited romance. Seems to waver depending on the story...Though, it seemed when their brother died he took her wanting for that type of companionship as well.

 There was some scuffle in there too with some local gang boss, whining about how the boss is a snobbish bitch because she wouldn’t trade their drugs for her weapons and her late husband probably killed himself to escape her. You don’t remember much of what they said after that.

You do recall getting a scolding metal tea kettle and beating the asshole skull with it, repeatedly. Everything after was a flash of white and red fury. Don’t even remember when they got you into the swanky hotel room you woke up at, better than the hobble you called home. 

“From there they just started to take me with them on runs, kept me fed and such. Put some money in my pocket, guess they thought something positive about me.”  You shrugged as you finish your story looking up at the boss.

She’s leaned back into her chair, Her left ankle on her right knee, tips of her fingers pressed against each other, slighted downward held at stomach length, the blinds from the window casting both shadow and light on her smirking lips and devilish black eyes respectively. 

‘I see why they all fell for her.’ She's chillingly beautiful. Dangerously gorgeous. Sinisterly enchanting. Could make men and women fall at her, on appearance alone. 

“Ah! So you're the reason Paco looked like he was beat by a branding lorn when he came to apologize." that voice and chuckle was more sensual than sweet, it made you clench up, as you felt that chill around your heart tighten, a strong grip..Hers and it’s unsure if it's anxiousness or excitement you feel "I love a good story, thank you Reader”.

“Yes, boss!..I mean, Mrs.Universe…” It was impossible to stop the words...This woman...She's more than what they described. 

"Oh! You've already decided to join me.. " 

You feel your palms sweat, your mouth dry and your heart squeezed at her statement.  The smile those eyes and those lips make. Those lips dressed in a tone lighter than her skin, allowing just the smallest amount of teeth show. Kissable yes, but more fatal than anything. The lips of one who could devour the world. Along are those eyes that pierce yours and steal the majority of your will, leaving you with just the barest sliver of it and just to coax you with their entrancing beauty to give it to her. 

"She's an arms dealer. Her life is filled with bullets and bodies. She weaponized everything from military to mafia. To join her is death." That's what your mind and heart are saying. 

To deliver it in her name, for her cause, at her call, without fail and get paid for it. That's your mental statement. 

Your emotional side, your heart; it's statement is clear...You will die for her, happily. To join her is to sacrifice your life for hers. Put it all on the line for this woman who you just met. 

It's crazy. Your instincts are saying she's  dangerous, she's deadly, she monstrous..She's…

"Anyone, whose willing to defend my Biscuit's honor, that of our love…" 

It was quick but you saw it, the moment she turned her eyes to the photo on her desk. A flash of the boundless depths that is her love for this man long passed. A sliver of her human vulnerability.

"And that of our little family we've gathered. Well, I can't say I wouldn't want to have a person like that on my team." And with a moment those sensual killer eyes are back at full force the vulnerability from before returned to the shadows, and with it..

"But that decision is yours." 

Any will to deny her…

You reach out and kiss her knuckles in reverence, their soft yet calloused, and can possibly summon more power than yours. One that can seize the world. You turn to her and see her expression and in an instant you feel it. Looking at her satisfied smirk, the glow in her black eyes, brought on by the sun. You can feel it.

The cool vice grip on your heart, the warm welcoming strangulation around your neck. 

You can only follow as she takes the same hand and lifts your chin before moving her face closer to you. A half inch apart and you are enveloped by her. This immeasurable being of charisma, strength and presence. Her smell, her eyes, her skin, her hair, her frame, her persona, her being.  

She gives the first true smile, bright as the sun and full of her darkest designs. You can see her..The real her; Connie Maheswaran-Universe. Neither a devil or an angel, nor warm and cool.. She was so much more. She is thrill, battle, adventure and adrenaline. She's love, life, death, creation and destruction. She's chaos and order.. And you..

"Glad to have you...You're mine now, Reader" 

Her truth thrills you to the core.

[tacogrande]

freesterart replied to your post “LIKE WTF WAS WITH THE “ESTABAN” STEVEN JOKE like i didn’t take offense...”

i think steven was just trying to be funny bc he was following the trope of "take on a spanish persona so no one will recognize me" (which idk if it's a formally named trope but i've seen it happen a lot). Obv this fails because it doesnt matter what his background is, /he's human/

oh that’s def a trope! like when teens get fake drivers licences and they’re like ‘raul’ or something? LOL 

the delivery was just so awkward for me tho, and yeah i think it was mostly bc they were in homeworld and the only thing steven had to be aware of was his last name and his geM jushfsug