Prologue
He was good.
Damn good, actually - Peter had to admit that. But something inside him tightened painfully at the sight.
The last chord of the riff still lingered as a faint echo in the rehearsal room when Steven and Nicolas were already breaking into loud cheers and applause.
The person responsible for those fading guitar riffs sat perched on the battered old amp, legs casually crossed in his skin-tight leather trousers and he was grinning. Grinning like a stupid schoolboy. He let his Rickenbacker sink slowly to the floor and, with that peculiar gesture Peter had already noticed several times in the very short time they’d known each other, tossed his black curls back over his shoulder and beamed up at them.
Peter didn’t think he had ever seen anyone smile so shamelessly happy in his life. The feeling in his stomach tightened further, twisting into something almost nauseating.
“Well? What do you think?” the man on the amp asked bluntly, tilting his head just enough for the cross earring in his left ear to brush softly against his cheek.
“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! What did I tell you?” Steven puffed up with satisfaction, then turned expectantly to Nicolas and Peter. Nick grinned wide. Peter felt the heat rush to his cheeks as he became painfully aware of all eyes on him. They were waiting for his answer.
Fuck. He couldn’t think of a single decent excuse or lie to stop the inevitable.
Peter forced himself into a slight nod - he could almost hear something crack in the back of his neck. “It was good.”
Disgustingly good.
How the hell could he be that good?
“Well then, I guess that settles it,” Steven announced magnanimously, draping an arm around the young man's shoulder while grinning at Peter as if they were sharing some private victory. Peter had to fight the urge to roll his eyes.
“From today on, Reptile has two guitarists. Welcome to the club, Martin!”
“Just call me Marty. Everyone does.” Marty laughed - loud and bright. Like everything about him, it felt so completely genuine it made Peter feel sick to his stomach.
Peter managed a restrained smile, even though it made the corners of his mouth ache.
