FIREWEAVER | A Spiderverse Fanfic

Chapter Fifteen

Warmth flooded her senses as Gavin took her hand, helping her off the motorcycle that was as quiet as a mouse in its slumber. It was a relief compared to the December chill.

They went inside an old building, a garage with its metallic door glistening blue from the lamps hanging on either side.

Gavin brushed his thumb over the top of her hand, smoothing over any bundle of nerves if they had ever been there to begin with.

She thought he must have used lotion religiously, because his hand was smooth with only the padding of his fingers and palm rough. Probably from using whatever instrument he played. She never actually asked him about that, and she was embarrassed to ask right before seeing him play for the first time.

'Way to go Esme.'

They went around back where he opened the door for her. Who said chivalry was dead?

She peered inside, taking in the ambiance of the room before transcending inside. It was like she stepped through a time portal back to her parents time. Posters hung on the black padded walls of the room, models and singers like the Inhalers, the Killers, Mitski and the 1975 framed in thick casing with lighting that emitted from a panel behind it.

To the back of the room huddled three guys, setting up sound equipment and positioning their stands for their mics and guitars. There was a shiny set of drums that looked like they had been carved from iridium and glossed with a resin coating. The light refracted from it onto the wall in luster colors that gave the instrument a fairy tale aesthetic.

"Like it?" Gavin grinned, noticing her eyes focused on it.

"Like it? I dig it." She walked over to it, hearing the light chuckles as the other guys seemed to take in her appearance.

"My grandpa got it for me last year. Beautiful right?" He watched her examine it, her fingers circling the rim of the iridescent cymbals that reminded her of the exterior of pearls.

"He said he didn't want the band to look modest." She looked up to see a guy about her age speak, his hair in dread locks and skin like honey. "But I think it's taking flashy to a whole new definition."

Gavin chuckled. "This is Hector, our bass player."  He then gestured to the black haired guy standing beside him, position a mic to be lower.

"And that's Kai, lead singer." He then walked over and gripped the shoulders of another blonde, though Esme was astonished to see it looked like a girl of much resemblance to Gavin. Her blue eyes caught Esme's green.

She was holding an electric blue guitar, straddling it against her waist and her pink lips smirking as she did a quick riff, fingers gliding over it with ease and making the room erupt in a fierce tune.

"And this is my sister, Nancy. Though she's so fast on the chords we call her Flash around here."

Esme lifted the corners of her lips. "Esmerelda, Esme for short. Nice to meet you all."

"Oh we all know who you are," Hector laughed, slapping Gavin's shoulder and making his cheeks flush a slight pink to match his lips. "Our boy here has been lusting after you for forever."

Esme laughed and Gavin elbowed him. "I have not!"

She giggled, covering her expression as Gavin tossed her a betrayed look. She couldn't help it though, especially when the tug of his lips only encouraged her.

"You play anything, Esme?" Nancy suddenly asked and Esme shook her head.

"No, but I'm a dancer so I have my own affiliation for music."