Bandom One-shots book 3

My World (Stuff)

There's something about the way Steven smiles that makes everything around me disappear. It's not just the smile, though—though it's one of the most genuine and warm I've ever seen—it's the whole vibe he gives off. The way his energy lights up a room, makes you forget the world, makes you feel like the only person that matters.

I glance over at him, sitting on the edge of the couch in our dressing room, tapping out some rhythm on his knee as he hums along to the soundcheck. His hair is a bit wild—always a bit wild—and he's wearing that goofy grin, the one he gets when he's thinking about something mischievous.

"Hey," I say, walking over and sitting beside him. I can feel the warmth of his shoulder against mine, and it's enough to make me pause.

"Yeah?" he looks at me, eyes wide and innocent like he didn't just rock my world every night on stage.

"You're killing me," I tell him, my voice a soft tease. "I don't think I can keep up with you much longer."

Steven laughs, the kind of laugh that always makes me feel at home, like everything's going to be okay, no matter what's happening around us. He reaches out and nudges me with his elbow. "Don't worry, Duff. You're doing just fine."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Yeah? I'm doing fine?"

He shrugs playfully, his fingers brushing against my hand. There's something about those simple touches that make everything feel right.

We're in the middle of a whirlwind, the adrenaline of being on tour, the stage lights burning hot and bright, the crowd screaming our names... but all I want is right here, right now, with Steven. It's hard to explain, but with him, everything feels... effortless.

"Let's skip soundcheck," Steven says suddenly, his grin turning more mischievous. "We'll just hang out. No one'll miss us."

I raise an eyebrow, pretending to think about it. "You sure about that?"

He nods vigorously. "Yep. No one needs us as much as I need you right now."

And in that moment, everything feels right. So I smile back at him, not needing any more words, just his presence beside me. And that's enough.

I grab his hand and tug him toward the door, smiling at how easily we slip into this unspoken rhythm together. We've been doing this for so long now, but it never gets old—the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not paying attention, the way his fingers brush through my hair when we're on stage together, making me feel like the luckiest guy in the room.

We end up on the rooftop of the venue, the city sprawled out beneath us like a living, breathing thing. The sun is starting to dip below the horizon, casting everything in a warm, golden glow, and Steven is right next to me, leaning against the railing, his body pressed so close to mine I can feel his heartbeat matching mine.

"You know," Steven says, breaking the silence, "sometimes I think about how lucky we are."

I look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Lucky?"

He shrugs, a slight smirk curling his lips. "Yeah, man. Look at us. We get to do what we love, and we get to do it together. Not everyone gets that."

I can't help but smile, my chest tightening a little at the thought. "I guess you're right."

He glances over at me, a soft, almost shy look in his eyes. "You're everything to me, Duff."

And that's when I realize that everything I've been searching for, every moment of loneliness I thought would never end... it's all here with him. I've always had a hard time finding balance, always had a hard time feeling at peace with who I am. But when I'm with Steven, it's like I've found my center.

I reach for his hand, intertwining our fingers and bringing them up to my lips. "You're everything to me, too," I whisper.

We stay like that for a few minutes, not needing to say anything else. The silence between us is comfortable, familiar—like it's a language we've perfected over the years.

When we finally head back inside to join the others, it's as if the world picks up where we left off. The sound of guitars, drums, and voices fills the air as we step back into the chaos of the tour life, but in my mind, everything is perfectly still.

On stage, Steven and I share a glance before we start playing—there's this unspoken connection between us, something that only we understand. The crowd is loud, the music is intense, but all I can think about is how lucky I am to have him by my side, not just on stage but in every moment that follows.

After the show, we're backstage, and I'm catching my breath, wiping sweat from my brow, when Steven pulls me into his arms, holding me close like he never wants to let go. I can't help but laugh softly as I rest my head against his chest, his heartbeat still rapid from the show.

"You're amazing, you know that?" I murmur, still smiling.

"Yeah? Well, you're not so bad yourself, McKagan." He grins, his hands gently brushing the back of my neck. "Couldn't do it without you."

"Same here," I whisper.

And that's the truth. With Steven, everything feels perfect. Off stage, on stage, it doesn't matter. We're a team, and that's all that matters.

"Steven" I whispered softly leaning closer as he pulled me in, crashing his lips against mine as I groaned softly. God he was unpredictable but I loved it. "Duff" He whined as I backed him up against the wall. "Steven" I growled out lowly, we both knew what we wanted. 

It was after, we were both laying on the floor of our dressing room, clothes tossed everywhere and a blanket covering us. I was playing with his hair while we both just enjoyed each others presence. "I love you, Duff" Steven finally spoke as I smiled down at him. "I love you too Stevie" I whispered softly placing a soft kiss on his forehead. 

He was my world and I'm his

~My World~

~Happy Birthday Duff!~