That's All She Wrote || James Diamond

Sick, Sick, Sick (2.8)

"Dawgs! You've come a long way..."

Roxy certainly hadn't missed the grating tone of Gustavo's voice over their long winter vacation, but now, it was time to snap back into reality. While Minnesota had been fun, and the five had the chance to masquerade as semi-normal teenagers for a bit, their first day back in Los Angeles was shaping up to be a long, hard work day.

Back in the studio, Gustavo had the band standing in his preferred military-style line-up, while Roxy and Kelly hung off to the side.

"...But you have a longer way to go before you go multiplatinum and start selling out 50,000-seat stadiums."

Just the thought of it made Roxy bounce on her heels in anticipation. A song of mine going multiplatinum...

"James is still too self-centered," The man spat, standing in front of her boyfriend, who was, for some reason, wearing a white and blue-ringed t-shirt with a picture of himself on the front. Though she thought it was cute, and she'd likely steal it later, she could understand where her boss was coming from. The tall boy tilted his head, looking past Gustavo and giving his girlfriend a small wave. "And too Roxanne-centered."

From his back pocket, the singer produced a large hand mirror and his black lucky comb. As he pulled his hand up to brush it through his hair, checking himself out in the reflection, Roxy could see the bracelet she'd made him circling his wrist. In return, her fingers traced over the matching one she wore as he spoke to his reflection, "James and I still disagree."

"I think he could stand to be more Roxanne-centered," The writer piped up, shooting a wink back at the boy as Gustavo turned to glare at her.

"Roxanne needs to stop enabling the four of you!" He growled, before returning down the line and sharing "Carlos still lacks direction!" before the assistant could get a word in edgewise.

To his credit, Carlos was standing with his back fully turned to everyone else in the room, but only because he was admiring the large speakers in the back of the studio. "I do not!"

"Turn around," His producer demanded, and Carlos executed a perfect 360-degree cross-spin-pose, ending right back in his stance toward the back wall from before.

Gustavo blinked, everyone in the room holding their breath before he silently shook his head and moved down the line once more. "Logan still lacks swagger!"

Smiling, Logan took his words in stride as he pushed the flap of his cardigan aside and revealed a pocket protector sticking out of his button-up underneath. From there, he produced one of the many writing utensils it held and offered it to his boss. "Yes... But if you ever need a colored pencil, who you gonna call?"

Accepting it, Gustavo snapped the red pencil right in Logan's face, dropping it on the hardwood floor wordlessly before reaching the last boy in line. "And Kendall needs to stop talking back to me after everything I say!"

"And Gustavo needs to take-" Kendall bit back, before his boss held up a large hand in warning.

"Don't say it! Not one more word!"

All of his friends turned to face him, everyone in various stages of head shaking or fingers sliding across throats as if to say "He's going to kill you!"

As much as Roxy loved her job and all the opportunities it afforded her and her friends, that only lasted as long as Gustavo allowed. So, if Kendall wanted to take the heat, that was fine with her, just as long as he didn't push the producer's buttons too hard.

A few beats of silence passed, and Gustavo let his shoulders relax, "Good!" right as Kendall breathed out, "A chill pill."

Though it made his assistant laugh, she was soon ducking for cover behind a few extra amps she had left in the corner of the studio as Gustavo's shoulders scrunched back up in anger. His famous infuriated grunting caused a low rumble to shake the studio floor while she clamped her hands over her ears, watching in awe as white-hot steam curled out of their boss' ears.