Bandom One-shots book 3

Something (Nikki Sixx x Steven Adler)

It was the night before Christmas, and the world outside the studio was buried in snow. The city was quieter than usual, almost peaceful for a change. Inside, though, it was a different story. The guys had scattered to their various corners of the place, each of us doing our own thing as we prepared for the holiday break.

Except for Nikki. Of course, he wasn't going to let the night go by without making things interesting.

I was sitting on the couch, a half-empty bottle of whiskey in my hand, the warmth of it creeping through me. The room was dim, the only light coming from the Christmas tree in the corner, its colorful lights twinkling like tiny stars. I wasn't feeling particularly festive, but the quiet was nice—sometimes, the noise of everything could get overwhelming.

Nikki stepped in, leaning against the doorframe with that familiar smirk plastered on his face. His leather jacket looked as worn as always, his hair a messy wave of black and gold. There was something about him that always seemed to pull me in, even when I tried to distance myself.

"You look like a damn Grinch," Nikki teased, pushing off the door and walking over to where I was sitting. "Shouldn't you be getting into the Christmas spirit, Adler?"

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "Yeah, right. Maybe when I'm done working."

Nikki raised an eyebrow, sitting beside me on the couch. He didn't seem to care much about the work part—his mind was always on something else. "You've been working nonstop, man. You need a break. Let's celebrate tonight. Have some fun."

I glanced at him, noticing the glint in his eyes. I could tell he wasn't just talking about having a few drinks or playing a couple of songs. Nikki always had a way of turning everything into something wild, something bigger than it had to be.

"You always want to make everything bigger," I muttered, but there was no real bite to it. Truth was, I kind of loved that about him.

"Guilty as charged," he said with a grin, and without any warning, he grabbed the bottle from my hand, taking a swig before handing it back to me. "You know, it's funny. I've been thinking about everything we've been through this year."

I took the bottle from him and took a long pull, letting the burn settle in my chest. "Yeah? You always think too much," I teased.

Nikki laughed, his voice low. "I know. But this year... it's been a ride, huh? We've had our moments, good and bad, but through it all, we're still here, still doing this. And I wouldn't want anyone else by my side."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. It was rare for Nikki to get this serious, especially after everything we'd been through. There was something different about him tonight—something vulnerable. It made me feel closer to him in ways I didn't always know how to explain.

I set the bottle down on the table, turning toward him fully. "You're not as cold as you like to pretend, are you, Sixx?"

He looked at me, his eyes softening, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Guess not."

For a moment, neither of us said anything, just sharing that quiet understanding. It was in the little things—the way he'd look at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention, the way his presence filled up a room without him even trying. Even though we didn't always get along or see eye to eye, there was something between us that felt unspoken but undeniable.

"How about we make the most of tonight?" Nikki said, breaking the silence. "Tomorrow's Christmas, and I'm not about to spend it sober."

I raised an eyebrow, but the corner of my mouth twitched up. "Sounds dangerous. I'm in."

Nikki's smile widened. "Of course you are. Let's make it a night to remember."

We spent the next few hours together, the music turned up loud and the alcohol flowing. There were no huge celebrations, no crazy parties—just the two of us, a quiet moment between the madness of everything else. But as the night stretched on and the snow kept falling outside, I realized it didn't need to be anything more. Sometimes, the best moments were the ones you didn't have to try so hard to make happen.

By the time the clock struck midnight, we were both a little drunk, a little messy, but surprisingly content. Nikki leaned back against the couch, his head tilted toward me.

"You know, Steven, I'm glad you're here," he said, his voice quieter now, the edge gone. "It's not just about the band. It's about us."

I met his gaze, my chest tightening in a way that felt almost foreign. "Yeah," I said, my voice a little rougher than usual. "Me too."

There was something in the way he looked at me then, something that made everything feel right, even in the chaos of the world we lived in. And for the first time in a long while, I realized that maybe, just maybe, this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

~Something~