✮ Rockstar ✮ || A Lightbrush Fanfiction

Chapter 33 - Show Me What You Got

Paintbrush spun around in the swivel chair situated in front of their desk, thinking of something that had been plaguing their mind for weeks. Ever since the four of them had decided to become a band, there was one question that had lingered in their mind; what would their band name be?

They grumbled in frustration and threw their pencil down. They haven't even come up with a single idea yet, the open page in their moleskine sketchbook was left blank despite a small doodle of Lightbulb in the top margin.

They picked up their pencil again and twirled it around in their finger, desperately racking their brain for something. They were distracted by a small familiar tune ringing throughout their house, and they shot up from their chair.

The steps creaked as they rushed downstairs and to the door, unlocking it for the person standing on their porch. It opened to reveal Test Tube with an instrument case attached to her by a black strap slung across her body. She gave them a warm smile and a hug, "Paintbrush!"

"Hey, Test Tube," they greeted as they returned the gesture. She pulled away and grabbed the strap with both of her hands, "Thanks so much, again, for letting me come over! I guess your house will be our main meet spot, then?"

They bit their cheek and rubbed the back of their neck, glancing away, "Uh, yeah, so I dunno how my dad'll feel about that. My mom doesn't care since she isn't home and she won't be disturbed by the noise, but my dad comes home from his business trip in a few days. So I'm not sure how kindly he'll take us playing since he's pretty much always home."

Test Tube nodded in acknowledgment as she stepped inside, sitting down on the bench in the foyer, and began to unlace her boots, "Well, that's okay, we can always find another place to rehearse! For the time being, your basement works."

A small smile crept on their face as they talked, their mind subconsciously making them sit beside her, "So, have you ever played bass before?"

"Well," she started, heaving her other foot up and began to work on her other shoe, "my dad taught me the basics over these past few weeks. I'm a pretty fast learner if I do say so myself, so I think I'll get the hang of it soon enough." She gave them a soft glance before putting her shoes on the ground beside her legs.

"It's okay if you don't. It took me about a month or two to fully understand how to play my guitar. Then again, I didn't have an in-person teacher."

She shrugged while she stood up from her position on the small seat, "I suppose so." The two of them headed down to the basement to the area Paintbrush had dedicated to practicing. They'd decided to keep their guitar stuff downstairs, too, just for convenience. After getting all the equipment hooked up; they sighed, grabbed the neck of their guitar, and lifted it off its stand. They slung the strap around them and looked at Test Tube. "Alright, it's okay if you mess up or you need a second to practice. Just go at your own pace."

She nodded and looked down at her instrument, running her fingers across the strings to cause a small noise reverberating through the amp. She smiled and began to pluck at the strings gently. They, as they did with Fan, listened for a second before joining in.

Their guitars played separate chords and emitted separate sounds, but they went together as if they were meant to be. Paintbrush felt their lips form a gentle grin as they continued. The different noises fused into a song, her bass providing extra support to the guitar they never knew it needed.

As their fingers glided across the metal strings, they sped up their pace; biting their lip as they concentrated hard on each strum. Test Tube laughed as she tried to match their speed, but she gave up. "Jeez, I'm not perfect!"