He Will Be Loved[Shevine]

Part 5: Forms of Love

The first time Blake and Adam were in the same room again after the latter's confession was during filming a Voice segment for YouTube, some game called 'Rock 'n' Roll Trivial Pursuit' or something. Blake always not-so-privately rolled his eyes when it came to these kinds of skits.

"Ugh, why do they make us do these quizzes?" he muttered and rubbed the side of his head. "I always end up feelin' like a dumbass."

"What do you mean, 'feel like'?" Adam said from across the table and stuck out his tongue, and knowing it would be edited out anyway Blake "blew" on his thumb to make the middle finger pop up and smirked in satisfaction.

Honestly? Part of his aggravation was also being afraid of coming into the studio knowing full well that the dynamic between him and Adam had changed forever. Adam had left at some point from their couch cuddle session with a quiet thanks and good night as if nothing had gone down when it was obvious he was trying to play it cool. And Blake was just left staring at the ceiling for a long time before finally going to bed.

Not that he was regretting his actions, but could he actually live up to his word? Adam had already been through enough broken promises.

And yet when everybody showed up at the studio, Adam greeted him with his usual shoulder-hug and "Hey, man." It hadn't been until much later when he thought to ask if he made things too awkward the other night.

But of course Blake had had time to think on it. "Nah," he said quietly. "Long as you still don't mind bein' patient."

Adam shrugged with a smile. "I've waited enough years, little more time can't kill me now."

Of course actually playing the game ended up in embarrassment on Blake's end about artists he didn't know about, even Pharrell left him behind in the dust. If nothing else, at least his reaction faces to answers, wrong or right, would make for some good footage and .gifs later.

Every so often he would catch eyes with Adam from across the table. That never had been anything new and neither were the little smiles, especially when someone mucked up an answer, but now these looks were more...well, knowing.

Whether anybody watching later would really pick up on that or assume the two were just being their usual silly bromantic selves Blake had no idea at that moment, but at least he knew it felt like things were going to be OK. He could actually do this.

***

***

It was great news that Maroon 5 were headed back into the studio. Besides his family and Blake, Adam made sure he spent time with his bandmate brothers through his healing process, and thankfully the bonds had remained unbroken and some wonderful music was going to come from it all.

What was surprising, however, was news of an extra song, one Adam had specifically written about his ordeal. It was going to be available on physical and digital format, with the proceeds going towards a foundation he'd located that dealt with domestic abuse for all genders and orientations. It was sure to raise controversy- songs like that always did even if the lyrics weren't explicit, and tracks about heartbreak and volatile love were nothing new from Maroon 5- but Adam wanted something positive to come out of this nightmare.

The title, "Standing", said it all.

Also surprising to Blake was he got an invitation to come to the studio the day the vocals would be recorded, even if he and the other band members would have to just watch from outside the booth. And triple surprising-

"Is he lying down?" he whispered when he saw Adam sinking to the booth's floor.

"He had a talk with Christina," PJ said quietly while Adam and the producer were checking volume levels. "When she did that song about her father? She found it easier to lie on her back so she didn't get too overwhelmed."