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Fates Warning	By : TheFairyWithBoots Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Iron Maiden Views: 206 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: l obviously do not own any of the characters in this story. No disrespect is intended towards any of the real people mentioned, it is simply a fictional story based off their public personas.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
It was time for the band to go back on tour again to promote Fear of the Dark, their ninth studio album. Even though he seemed to get on fine with Dave and Janick, Bruce and Steve were still avoiding being in the same room together whenever they could. Steve and Nicko no longer seemed to be embarrassed to be seen together. It was apparent to everyone that they were now a couple, as they were holding hands on the tour bus and stealing kisses from each other during rehearsals and soundchecks.
Bruce seemed disgusted by this display of affection. Nicko glared at him, as if daring him to make some sort of snide comment so that he would have a reason to hit him.
"Why does it bother you so much?" Janick asked him one night in their hotel room, "They seem happy together...how is it any different from how we act with each other?" Bruce was a lot more bold with his public display of affection, but Janick didn't point that out.
"It doesn't bother me!" Bruce said defensively.
Janick averted his eyes, feeling tempted to ask Bruce if he still had feelings for Steve, but knew that would only anger him. He did everything he could not to start a fight or end up in the middle of one.
As if reading his mind, Bruce took Janick's hand and pulled him into his arms. Janick was taller than him, so Bruce had to pull him down to press his lips to his before pulling him towards the bed.
Meanwhile, Dave wasn't doing any better when he saw Bruce and Janick together, and it killed him on the inside, knowing that there was nothing he could do to control these feelings. Janick seemed so happy now that Bruce was acting so caring and doting, but Dave couldn't help but not trust him because of what he had witnessed back on the island. There wasn't anything he could say because Bruce always accompanied Janick when they hung out together.
Dave pushed these feelings aside a few days before their Donington show; their biggest gig in the entire tour. Steve made it very clear how important this gig was, to the point he was being even more of a dictator than usual during rehearsals. This would usually give Bruce a reason to argue back to him, but Nicko was no longer shy about threatening to beat the shit out of Bruce any time he tried to deliberately start a fight with Steve.
After rehearsal, Steve and Bruce didn't even so much as mutter a word to each other. Steve retreated to the back with Nicko, clutching his hand. Dave turned around to look for Janick, only to find Bruce attempting to shove his tongue down his throat before he even had a chance to take his guitar off. Feeling sick to his stomach, Dave packed his guitar up and made his way outside to get a taxi back to the hotel.
The entire situation seemed bizarre to Dave. Seeing Bruce wrapped around Janick like some sort of snake made him feel sick and angry, but what was he going to do? There was no way Janick was going to leave Bruce and come to him. Janick was his friend, and he knew that Janick would never see him as anything more. Bruce was supposed to be his friend too. They had been friends for a decade, and Dave was feeling bitter resentment towards him – not only for making Janick cry last year – but for somehow coaxing Janick back into his arms. Dave wanted to kick himself for feeling so jealous. This wasn't like him to covet someone else's partner.
Dave was so lost in his own head as he was walking into the hotel, he didn't notice the man walking out at the same time, and crashed right into him.
"I-I'm so sorry!" he stammered profusely as he fell to the floor, and he would have gone down too if he hadn't caught himself against the doorway. "Are you okay-"
He stopped suddenly as he got up and looked at him, grinning widely. Dave's heart suddenly flooded with joy, as he would know that smile from anywhere.
"Adrian!" he exclaimed, and laughed as Ade threw his arms around him in an embrace. "What are you doing here!?"
"I was passing through with my band, and knew that I couldn't miss seeing you guys for this show," he said, "So, I thought that I might surprise you by checking into the same hotel."
Dave felt a weight lift off his chest as he laughed and talked with his old lover again. They hadn't spoken to each other face-to-face in nearly three years. Seeing his face after all this time felt like a breath of fresh air.
Dave went upstairs to put his guitar in his hotel room and promised to meet Adrian at the pub across the street. They had a lot to catch up on.
When Dave arrived at the pub, it was already bustling, smoke and loud music filling the place. Dave pulled out a cigarette of his own and offered one to Adrian as he sat down at the bar. He shook his head.
"No, thank you," he said. "I quit smoking a few months back."
Dave put the pack away.
"So, how have you been?" Ade asked him as he ordered them both a couple of beers.
Miserable, Dave wanted to tell him, Anxious. Betrayed. Why didn't you stay and try to work things out? Why did you leave me to develop feelings for someone else - someone who was already taken?
"Fine," Dave lied while forcing a smile onto his face. The smile didn't reach his eyes, however, and Ade noticed immediately. Of course, he did, Ade understood Dave more than anyone.
"Look, I get it, Davey... I've missed you, too." His eyes were sincere as they brimmed with tears. Dave wanted to feel angry towards him, but he found that he just couldn't...
The two of them caught up on things as they drank beer after beer, the alcohol melting away the anxious feeling that Dave had had earlier. Adrian told him about the multiple projects that he had been working on, but that he was mostly focusing on fishing. His eyes lit up as he was describing the largest carp that he had ever caught.
Dave smiled as he listened to him get excited talking about things that he loved. It was at that moment, Dave felt a sort of kinship with Adrian that was different from how he used to feel. He didn't feel a raging sort of passion for him anymore - he still loved Adrian, but it was a platonic sort of love. Adrian was his friend - his best friend, like he had been when they were in high school.
After a few more drinks, Ade asked him if he had been seeing anyone lately, and the alcohol had soothed Dave enough for him to admit that he had developed feelings for Janick.
"Janick's a great guy," Adrian said, having to hold himself upright on the bar to keep from falling off the barstool. "I'm so happy for you, Davey, I always knew that you would find someone who deserves you..."
Dave suddenly panicked. "But - that's not what I meant... Janick is Bruce's boyfriend-"
But Adrian seemed to be too drunk to comprehend this. He wrapped his arms around Dave, hugging him tight. "I just want you to know that you'll always be my best friend, and that I will always love you, no matter what happens, okay? Even if we're not together anymore, I'll always love you as my best mate..."
Dave hugged him back. "Of course, H... But-"
Before he could finish, Adrian belched and threw up on Dave's shoes.
"I'm so sorry!" Adrian slurred.
"It's okay," Dave said while supporting him with one arm. "Let's get you back to the hotel."
Dave had to practically carry Adrian back to the hotel, because he was too drunk to walk in a straight line by himself.
When they entered the lobby, Dave asked Adrian which room he was in, in which he laughed in response, and said that he couldn't remember.
"That's okay," he said while carrying him towards the lift, and pushing the button for his floor. "You can rest in my room tonight."
"Yay!" Adrian said excitedly. "Sleepover!"
As soon as they entered Dave's room, Adrian immediately collapsed on the couch in a drunken slumber. Dave sighed, pulling the duvet off of his bed and gently covered Adrian with it. He turned the overhead light off, laid down on his own bed to get the rest that he needed for the show tomorrow, feeling content that he had finally made peace with Adrian...

~~
Dave awoke the next morning to an empty room. His head felt like it was full of lead from drinking last night, and he resisted the urge to fall back onto the bed and back asleep, instead getting up and getting dressed.
He made his way downstairs to the dining room, craving a cup of coffee to fight off this hangover that he was having. Adrian was sitting at one of the tables talking to Steve, and he smiled softly, getting a bittersweet feeling as he remembered his time in the band. Dave approached the table and Adrian smiled up at him.
"Hi, Davey!" he said while holding up his own cup of coffee. "You were sleeping so heavily, I didn't want to wake you..."
"It's okay," Dave said while sitting down across from them. "I'm surprised, really. You were out harder than I was."
Steve looked happier than he had all tour, and Dave had the feeling that was going to go away as soon as Bruce entered the room, so he felt the need to savor the moment between the three of them.
"We'll be performin' at the Castle Donington Festival tonight," Steve told Adrian.
"I know," Adrian said while stirring his coffee, "I plan on coming over there to see you guys play." He looked over his coffee cup at Dave and winked at him.
"Well, 'at's good to 'ear," Steve said, "Why don't you come over and play Running Free with us?"
Dave felt his heart catch in his chest. He hadn't played with Adrian in over four years, and the idea of him on stage with them again filled his heart with bittersweet joy.
Adrian looked shocked at the invitation. "I-I would love to - " he stammered.
"Great," Steve said while getting up from his seat, "You meet us at the stadium tonight, eh? I need to go and find Rod, an' let 'im know."
Steve left the dining room, leaving Dave and Adrian alone at the table together. Janick entered the room just as he was leaving, and Dave smiled up at him. But that smile quickly faded as he remembered that Bruce would most likely be following close behind him.
And he was right, sure enough. Bruce entered close behind him, placing his hands on his shoulders in a possessive manner. They both saw Adrian sitting at the table with Dave, and their faces lit up.
"Adrian!" Bruce said while coming over to their table. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you guys perform at the festival," he said, "But Steve wanted me to perform Running Free with you guys... Is that okay?"
"Okay? That's great!" Bruce wrapped his arms around him, and Adrian hugged him back awkwardly, obviously surprised by the gesture.
Bruce seemed happier to see Adrian more than anyone else, and they both chatted away excitedly, seemingly oblivious to Dave and Janick's presence.
Dave got up from his seat to get another cup of coffee, and Janick followed him.
"It's great having Adrian here, isn't it?" Janick asked him as he got himself a plate of scrambled eggs.
"Yeah," Dave said while putting some creamer in his coffee, too ashamed to meet Janick's eyes. "I'm glad he'll be performing with us."
"I've never played with two other guitarists before," Janick said, "I'm only just now getting used to playing with you... I wonder if Steve will ask me step aside for that song."
Dave sighed, wondering if Janick was being humble, or if his self esteem was genuinely that low. Hearing what he had said back at the island when he said that Steve might fire him if he and Bruce broke up, he wasn't sure anymore. "No, Jan, you'll do great. He's only playing one song with us, anyway. You're not going to lose your job."
Janick's face turned red. "That wasn't what I meant..." Though he looked as if that was what he had been worrying about.
Bruce appeared behind them suddenly, wrapping his arms around Janick, squeezing his middle. "Hey, guys! What are you up to?"
"Just getting some food..." Janick said. Bruce raised an eyebrow, as if he had caught Janick in something.
"Really."
Janick nodded meekly, and Dave thought that he looked like a deer caught in headlights. Bruce released Janick, turning around and leaving the dining room.
Janick stared at the doorway a few seconds after he had left before gathering his food. "I have to go and find him."
"Why?" Dave asked before he could stop himself.
"I...just don't want him to be mad...and I..."
Dave suddenly felt angry at Bruce, but Janick turned and left the dining room before he could say anything more.
Stop fretting over it, he told himself. It's none of your business.
But how could he not fret over it? He had grown to care for Janick, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. It was obvious that Bruce had him wrapped so tight around his finger, he was afraid to put so much as a toe out of line. Remembering the look on his face, the idea of what Bruce said or did to Janick behind closed doors made Dave feel horrified.
As if out of instinct, he turned and ran out of the dining room after Janick, forgetting all about his coffee sitting on the counter. He didn't know what he was going to do once he caught up to him - stop him from entering his own room? He didn't know. Logic seemed to be out the window at the moment.
He was running towards the stairway when it opened suddenly, and he collided face first with Steve. Rod was close behind him, and he was knocked backwards when Steve backed into him.
"Steve! Rod!" Dave stammered, his face burning with embarrassment as Steve held his forehead from the collision. "I'm s-so sorry!"
"It's a'right, Davey," Steve said while helping Rod up. "I was just lookin' for you, as a matter a fact. I need you to 'elp the roadies with the setup at the at the stadium. I'll meet you there in a few, a'right?"
"B-but..." His head was spinning and throbbing all at once. He knew that he had to do something but couldn't remember what. He just knew that it had something to do with Janick, and that he would be in trouble if he didn't get to him.
"You alright, Davey?" Rod asked him. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Dave's head seemed to come back down to reality.
"Yeah," he said. Steve was looking at him very closely. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll go and help the crew set up."
~~
Dave had plenty of time to calm down as he helped the crew set up before the show, and Steve showed up shortly after to help them finish setting up. It seemed as if he had freaked out earlier that morning over nothing.
The rest of the band showed up an hour later. Janick looked happier than he had at the hotel, and Dave was relieved to see that. Nicko was the last to show up, and he approached Steve right in front of the rest of the band and gave him a big kiss. Bruce's face appeared to turn green, but he kept his mouth shut.
"Hi." Dave heard a voice say right in his ear. He spun around to find Adrian standing directly behind him.
"Hi..." Dave said, the nervousness in his stomach starting to fade away slightly.
"Rod said I could watch you guys play from the side of the stage," Adrian said while grinning. "And then I'll come on afterwards to play Running Free with you guys."
"T-that sounds great," Dave said, "I'm...I'm glad you're here, Adrian."
Adrian must have noticed how nervous Dave was because he reached out and gave him a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder.
Dave was relieved when they were able to finish setting up without Bruce and Steve getting into a screaming match. Everyone seemed to be in a much better mood now that Adrian was with them.
When it was finally time for them to go on stage, the show went rather smoothly. They played songs from the new album, and Bruce put on a professional performance as always despite not having anything to do with Steve offstage. Bruce interacted with the audience more than he normally had all tour, and they reacted gleefully.
Janick seemed happier than ever, as if nothing had ever been wrong in the dining room earlier that morning. But performing often did that for him; washing away any bad feelings that he was having, overpowered by the music and adrenaline.
At the end of the show, Bruce was introducing Adrian onto the stage, and the crowd was happier than ever to see him back. It didn't seem to occur to the band how much Adrian would be missed when he had left.
The worries that Janick had brought up earlier that morning were unfounded; the three of them playing together blended perfectly. The chemistry that Dave had with Adrian was still unmatched; their playing seemed to go together so naturally. Dave was so happy in that moment. Adrian being there seemed to melt away all tension. Janick being there only made him happier.
After the festival, the band left the stadium in a much happier mood than usual. Dave found himself at the pub with both Janick and Adrian, laughing and drinking together like they had not done in years. Bruce was there too, but he was not domineering over Janick as he normally did. This would be the last night before Adrian had to fly out again, so Dave and Janick thought they would give him a "proper" farewell.
~~
The morning after the show, Janick woke up to an empty bed and heavy head, exhausted from the performing and the booze. The sunlight was peeking through the curtains, and judging by the brightness, he could tell that it was nearly noon. He buried his head back into his pillow, wanting to fall back asleep.
But Adrian was supposed to be flying out today, and he had promised him that he and Dave would see him off. He got up, holding his head as it felt like it was full of lead. How much did I drink last night? he thought to himself.
As he made his way downstairs to the dining room, he was craving a cup of coffee, needing the caffeine to chase away this hangover.
Adrian and Bruce were already in the dining room, sitting at a table with their heads close together, speaking in low voices. Janick went to the coffee machine to get a cup of coffee, straining his ears to try and hear what the two of them were talking about.
Dave entered the dining room just a few moments later, looking far too jolly for someone who had been up all night drinking. Janick ran his hands through his messy blond hair, picking the cup of coffee up, and sipping it. Maybe it was just him who drank as much as he did...
"Good morning, Janick!" Dave said with a smile so bright, Janick felt nearly blinded by it. Bruce and Adrian looked up from their table, and Bruce looked suddenly annoyed, as if only just now noticing that Janick was in the room. "Good morning, guys!" Dave told them. Adrian got up from his seat and hugged Dave tightly. "I'm so glad you got to perform with us, Ade..."
"I am too..."
"Alright, Adrian's plane leaves in an hour," Bruce said while getting up. "Rod said that he would drive you to the airport." Adrian and Dave had their arms around each other, smiling up like a couple of kids.
They released each other, and Adrian came over to Janick to shake his hand. "Bye, Janick. It was great seeing you again."
"It was great seeing you too," Janick said, careful not to spill his hot coffee on him.
Dave led Adrian out of the dining room, and Bruce sat back down at his table, not saying a word to Janick. Jan sat down across from him, and Bruce picked up the newspaper lying on the table, opening it, seemingly just to block Janick from his vision.
Janick sat there in silence for a moment as Bruce seemed to be reading. After a few moments, he realised that the newspaper was being held upside down. Janick rolled his eyes, realising now that Bruce was going to act petty for a reason unknown to him.
"What were you and Adrian talking about earlier?" Janick asked casually, sipping his coffee.
Bruce set the newspaper down. "What?"
"Earlier," Janick said, and then saw Bruce glaring at him. He averted his eyes, feeling tense as if he expected to get yelled at any moment.
"It didn't concern you, did it?" Bruce said in a cold tone.
"I was just wondering-"
"Well, stop wondering? And maybe mind your business?"
Janick was speechless as Bruce got up from the table, and left the dining room, leaving Janick alone to wonder what he could have possibly done wrong this time.
- 6
- 7
- 8
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