Shameless (A Nikki Sixx Love Story)

Seattle, Washington - 1972

“You’re telling me that you sliced yourself open just to try and put your mother in jail…” 

“Uh, yeah. What do you think?” Nikki snapped, hissing as Chloe gently dabbed a warm, wet washcloth on his bandage. 

He’d gotten into a nasty argument with his mother, and decided to make the totally smart decision to cut his arm in an attempt to put Diana behind bars. 

After days of neglecting the original bandage that had been put atop the stitched wound by the paramedic, Nikki had finally (and reluctantly) allowed his best friend to clean and re-dress the wound. 

“I know you’re not gonna listen to me, but I really wish you’d stop hurting yourself, okay? You do have people that care about you, even if you refuse to acknowledge that fact.” Chloe scolded. 

She kept her gaze fixated on Nikki’s forearm, gently dabbing a warm, wet cloth over an area of bandage that was stuck to the wound because of clotted blood. 

Nikki just huffed in response, hissing as the bandage was removed and the warm cloth was replaced with a cold, alcohol soaked cotton ball. 

“It’s not my fault that Diana doesn’t fucking know how to treat her own goddamned children.” Nikki nuttered. Wether he wanted to admit it or not, he enjoyed when Chloe fussed over him; Nikki knew that the more he talked, the more she had to answer. And the more she answered the slower she worked. 

“It may not be your fault - and I’m not taking Diana’s side - but no matter what she does to hurt you emotionally, you can’t legitimately put yourself in danger just to spite her,” 

Chloe’s scolding was met with a stubborn grunt, but Chloe smiled softly when she watched Nikki’s features soften at the realization that she had a fair point. 

The two teens sat in comfortable silence as Chloe put some ointment and a fresh bandage on Nikki’s arm before disposing of the old medical supplies. She flinched as the floor creaked when she tiptoed over to the trashcan. 

Diana didn’t like her and had made it clear that Chloe was to stay away from Nikki, but Diana didn’t hold a place of respect in Chloe’s book…considering she beat the boy Chloe was in love with. 

So Chloe took to climbing the fireescape from her own apartment building, running two blocks over to Nikki’s complex, and sneaking in his bedroom window through his fire escape. 

Tonight he’d convinced her to stay - claiming that his mother and her new boyfriend were on “vacation” - and Chloe has hesitantly but happily obliged.

Unlike Nikki, Chloe had parents that were together. Unlike Nikki, Chloe always received three meals a day and help with her homework when she needed it. 

But like Nikki, Chloe was emotionally neglected. Like Nikki, she had a father that beat her and a mother that had become a walking zombie from years of Xylazine and alcohol abuse. 

The two teens had bonded over their love of music and shitty homelives, and now more than ever they were feeding off of each other’s strength.

***

Nikki traced his bandage lightly as he watched Chloe tiptoe around his room. Even though they were the only ones in the apartment, Chloe had this way of walking that reminded him of a ballerina crossed with a fairy. 

As a matter of fact - before he’d really decided to be her friend - Nikki had paraded around calling her “Fairy” on the days she wasn’t in class or he didn’t see her in the halls. 

Nikki chuckled as he watched Chloe twirl around his room to a song only she could hear, and decided to indulge himself in what that little safe haven in her brain consisted of.