Room 304 (mxm)

Chapter 24

All the way downstairs, Tyler glared at his assistant, trying to come up with some proper revenge plan until they entered the music room, and he nearly had a heart attack.

There, up on the stage, fixing a guitar, stood Bill.

It only took Tyler a second to recover and scramble out of the room before anyone had even noticed they had come in.

"Tyler?" Peter asked, coming out into the hall where Tyler was standing against the wall, trying to calm his raging heart down; it was Bill! Bill had an album called Room 304! Was that about him? About them...?

"Tyler, what's going on? Are you alright? You're really pale – are you not feeling well?" Peter asked concerned.

"I-it's Bill," Tyler stuttered, staring at him.

"Oh. Yeah. Bill Kingsley. He works with my nephew Andy at a Chinese restaurant and-"

"Your nephew is in love with him?" Tyler snapped angrily. Bill had mentioned Andy.

"Uh... Yeah? So?" Peter asked confused.

Tyler glared angrily. "Well, he can't have him! Bill is mine!"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

"I-I mean... that's not what I meant... I just meant... You know what I mean..." Tyler mumbled stupidly.

"Oh my god. That's your Bill?" Peter whispered with a huge grin.

"Ugh. No... I mean yes... No, he's not my Bill, but... you know what I mean!" Tyler grumbled embarrassed while Peter broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Wow... you're right – what the hell does a kid like that want with a hooker? Damn..." Peter finally finished laughing, peeking in through the door to take another look at Bill. "He's quite something – I can see you hankering after that."

"Shut up, man," Tyler snapped, punching him in the arm. "Stop looking!"

Peter just sniggered as Tyler slammed the door. "So what's the plan?"

"I don't know," Tyler groaned, running a hand through his hair; he needed a smoke.

"I'll dim the lights in the back so he won't be able to see us, ok?" Peter suggested with that annoying grin that told Tyler he was enjoying Tyler's torment.

"Fine..." Tyler growled as Peter disappeared into the room. Tyler didn't actually want to listen to Bill's music, but... well maybe he did want to, in a certain way... He was just so scared of turning him down... What if Bill was terrible?
Was this the reason Bill had been so excited earlier? Did he want to tell him about it over dinner? But what if he had to turn him down? Bill would be devastated... And for the first time, Tyler would be there to pick up the pieces of the dreams he had shattered. Maybe he should just give Bill the deal to make him happy? There were a ton of bad musicians out there anyway – no one would notice one more?
But no way. It went against his moral code of work. Small personal favors such as auditions were one thing, but giving someone a record deal out of personal interest? If he began doing shit like that, his company would lose their good name.

"Tyler, are you coming? We're all waiting for you," Peter stuck his head out of the room, giving him an expectant look.

Tyler nodded shakily, sneaking into the dim room; the only lights were set on the stage, aimed at a stunning Bill and two other guys that Tyler couldn't really pay attention to at the moment. Unlike the usually fidgeting, nervous, adorable Bill that he was used to, Bill looked confident and proud on stage, as if he were in his natural habitat.