Tyed

chapter seven

Tyler takes a deep breath and just does it, using all of his courage in that one action. He can hear a faint voice behind the door, but the talking stops the minute he knocks.

"Come in, please," calls a much clearer, more familiar voice. Tyler's heart gives a final, pounding flutter before he opens the door and steps in, frozen just inside the entrance.

The back of the room is covered almost entirely by windows, tinted against the sunlight, while the walls are covered in a white and gold wallpaper and chestnut sideboard with a couple of small paintings hanging next to bookshelves. The bookshelves are filled to the brim with books, but Tyler doesn't really get a moment to inspect them, because his eyes are drawn to the desk in front of him. Colby's sitting with his back to the windows, leaning back in his chair; across from him sits a man who stands up on Tyler's arrival, eyeing him up with curiosity. Tyler casts a glance towards him, but he's more concerned with Colby.

He looks different in this environment. He's got a casual confidence about him- not that he didn't have that before- but with a suit, in an office, in a fancy hotel, he's incredibly intimidating. He still wears his earrings, and Tyler can see a glittering ring on his right hand; thankfully not his left, although in all honesty Tyler couldn't say he would back off if Colby was married. He feels shitty for thinking that, but it's the honest truth. The way Colby's looking at him makes it impossible to consider not doing this.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Tyler says, feeling his confidence return with that smouldering gaze fixed on him. The other man frowns lightly, and Colby's forced to turn his attention back to the first guest, just to get him out of the way.

"My apologies, Oliver," Colby says, drawing it out slightly longer than necessary. "You were saying?"

"I was about to say, this is a discussion we have to have another time." Tyler's not fluent in business politeness, but he is fluent in passive-aggressive, so he can translate it well enough as "not in front of him". The man has an accent that's either American or Canadian, Tyler can't tell. "I'm leaving this Thursday. If you'd like, we can catch up before then."

"I'll have a look at my schedule," Colby answers, "but I don't think I have a moment free until Friday."

Oliver smiles a very fake smile. "Well, unfortunately I can't postpone my flight. I have two children under two, you understand," he says, before standing. "We'll have to sort this out via email. Goodbye."

"Alright." Colby seems to turn to stone, almost outright frosty, as opposed to the pretending he'd been doing before. He's still pretending, it's just very strained. "Goodbye."

Oliver leaves then, glancing back towards Tyler with badly-hidden annoyance and he makes his exit. Tyler waits until he's a little way down the hallway and then closes the door behind him.

"What was that about?" Tyler asks as Colby seems to stare daggers through the door. "Is that normal?"

"No, that guy is just... a waste of human life." Colby closes his eyes and sighs. When he opens his eyes again, they immediately fix Tyler with a stare. To say they're the colour of honey would imply a sweetness that isn't there; they're more like burnished gold, cold. The coldness of his eyes doesn't shadow the pull Tyler feels towards him, nor, it seems, the reverse. "Whatever you're doing with your life, Tyler, don't go into business."

"I'm not." Tyler walks over to the desk, leaning against the side of it. It feels natural to follow the course, to let the magnet pull him. "I'm studying to be an engineer."

"Studying?" Colby raises an eyebrow. Tyler waits for him to elaborate, stress creeping up his spine when he doesn't and Tyler realises it's him who should be speaking. Such a simple thing throws him, and he struggles to regain his composure.