Bandom One-shots book 3

Keep Up (Steven Adler x Slash)

It was another day of silence between us, the kind that felt heavy and suffocating. I tried to lighten the mood, like always, bouncing around the room and tossing out ideas to get us out of the house. Bowling, dancing, maybe even hitting the beach for a bit. Anything to shake this tension that had been building for weeks.

But Slash just stayed there, sprawled out on the couch, his hat tipped low over his face. "I'm good here," he mumbled, barely lifting his head.

"You're always good here!" I shot back, my voice higher than I intended. "Don't you ever want to do something? Anything?"

He sighed, sitting up just enough to meet my gaze. "Steven, not everyone's wired like you. You're always going a hundred miles an hour. I can't keep up with that."

"I'm not asking you to keep up," I said, my heart sinking. "I'm asking you to meet me halfway. It's like... it's like you don't even want to try anymore."

That hit a nerve. Slash's eyes darkened, and he sat up straighter, the lazy demeanor gone in an instant. "Don't say that," he said, his voice low and sharp. "Don't you dare say I'm not trying."

"Well, it sure doesn't feel like it!" I snapped. "All I'm asking for is a little effort, Slash. I just... I feel like I'm doing this on my own."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, I thought he might say something-anything-to make this better. But he just sat there, silent, his jaw clenched. It felt like a slap in the face.

I turned on my heel, grabbing my jacket from the chair. "You know what? Forget it. I'll stop asking. Clearly, this is too much for you."

"Steven, wait," he said, his voice softer now, but I was already halfway to the door.

"No, Slash. I'm done," I said, my voice breaking despite my best effort to hold it together. "I can't keep feeling like I'm not enough for you."

I reached for the doorknob, but before I could turn it, I felt his hand wrap around my wrist. His grip was firm but gentle, and when I turned to look at him, his eyes were wide and filled with something I hadn't seen in weeks: fear.

"Don't go," he said, his voice cracking. "Please, Stevie. Don't go."

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. He pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace. His head rested on my shoulder, and I could feel him trembling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. God, I never wanted to hurt you. I just... I don't know how to keep up with you, Stevie. You're so full of life, and I'm... I'm not. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do. More than anything."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, and suddenly, all the anger and frustration I'd been holding onto seemed to melt away. I leaned into him, my arms slipping around his waist as I buried my face in his chest.

"You're not going to lose me," I said, my voice muffled against his shirt. "I just need to know you're in this with me."

"I am," he said, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. "I swear, I am. I'll try harder, okay? Just... don't give up on me."

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the tears still streaming down my face. "I won't. I promise."

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead before resting his head against mine. For the first time in weeks, I felt like we were on the same page. We weren't perfect, but we were us. And that was enough.

~Keep Up~