Chapter 4

A (Business) Proposal

Okay, Cobra. Keep your cool. Stop monologuing in your head. Oh shit, you've been waiting for too long. He's gonna think you're a bigger weirdo than before. Say something.

"Uh… you're back soon."

To Billy's surprise, Spencer smiles and scoffs, probably at the abruptness of the statement. His composure is quickly regained, however, and his face is once again serious. "Yeah, well..." Looking at the tag on Billy's jacket, he tries to address the other by his name."...Billy. I needed to return this."

Billy's name doesn't even sound like his own when spoken by Spencer. It sounds different; like it's in some sort of foreign, beautiful language. Giving his attention back to Mr. Wright himself and not just his voice, Billy notices he's holding up a shirt. It is quickly identified by Billy as the Batman shirt Spencer was going to try on before Billy… well, you know.

Soon becoming aware of Billy staring at the garment, Spencer continues talking to break the awkward silence. "Yeah… turns out I already have the exact same shirt, so uh… no point in keeping this one."

"Mmm hmm," is all Billy can muster as he nods, not wanting to take the chance of sounding like a fool upon speaking. However, his plan is short lived, and he utters the few words that all sales clerks must say when making a return. "Do you have your receipt?"

Spencer mumbles a "Yep" and reaches into his back pocket for his wallet, then fishes out the receipt he got from yesterday. He sets it on the counter and Billy pretends to be scrutinously inspecting it, as well as trying to keep his blood pressure down to a normal level.

Okay, maybe he's just making too big of a deal out of this. Spencer's just returning a shirt, and he doesn't even seem too weirded out by our esteemed protagonist, right? With a shaky hand, Billy makes the transaction of returning Spencer's shirt, and thank God too. No one as gorgeous as Spencer should have to wear something so… tacky.

Just then, Dante finally decides to emerge from the back room, the fingers of his right hand pressed against his temple. He casually gets into his spot behind the counter with Billy, but instead of getting some odd greeting from another planet, he's completely ignored by his co worker. The surfer soon realizes why this is, as he sees Billy timidly handing money to some brown-haired twig on the opposite side of the counter.

Oh. Oh. When Billy had given Dante the skinny on what happened yesterday, he had failed to leave out a single detail… including the ones about Spencer's aesthetic appeal, so it's pretty easy for Dante to tell that the guy stuffing his wallet back into his pocket is definitely the infamous Spencer Wright. God, if Dante hears about how "warm" Spencer's eyes are one more time, he is going to lose his shit.

Billy is quick to acknowledge Dante's presence, and tries to act as casual as possible. He fake yawns and stretches, hoping his acting skills are convincing enough, and turns to his acquaintance. "You feeling better, Broba Fett?"

"Yeah," Dante replies, and quickly glances at this Spencer character who still hasn't left his spot and is staring at the ground with pursed lips. It looks like he's waiting for something. Quick to pick up on signs like this, Dante reaches under the counter for a clipboard and starts heading to the opposite side of the store, informing Billy that he's going to do inventory.

Poor Billy is now in one hell of a tizzy. Dante was his life preserver, his shield! Now he's left alone with Spencer again… who for some reason is still standing in front of Billy, even though he already got all of his money back and everything. Billy quirks an eyebrow and bites his lip.

"Everything… okay, bro?"

It seems as though Spencer was spacing out a bit, just as Billy had done so many times today alone. He blinks a bit and looks at Billy, eyes wide and mouth agape. "W-what? Oh, yeah. I just wanted to say… about yesterday-"

Just the sheer look on Billy's face is enough to cut him off. Any sign of life or colour has drained from the young employee's face, and is now pooling in his stomach, just waiting to be regurgitated. Billy knew it, he fucking knew that he wouldn't get away with it so easily, and now all he has to do is wait for the bomb to drop.

"...I just wanted to say that, even though I'm still pretty hung up about whatever the hell happened yesterday…" He inhales and sighs. "I... there's no hard feelings, okay?" The last sentence is rushed, and Billy can't really tell whether or not Spencer seems like he regrets saying it, but it's still enough to make Billy forget any sick feeling he had earlier.

"Really? That's…" Billy is at a loss for words. Awesome? Fantastic? MOTHER FUCKING SUPERB? "...great. And, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. Like, really-extremely-bronormously sorry, and I will do anything to make it up to you."

Billy notices Spencer sigh again, and the fashionista braces himself for… something. He isn't quite sure what, though.

"Funny you should say that, cause there's also another reason why I'm here." Billy finds himself caught in an unofficial staring contest, and he doesn't want to be any part of it. What other reason could Spencer possibly have? The brunette timorously shoves his hands in his pockets and looks to his left. "I'm not sure how to really say this, but… I'm kind of a director. Not of anything really major, but I like to make horror films. Like, short horror films."

As Spencer turns his head to look at him again, all Billy can think is: That's great, dude, but remind me why this has anything to do with you coming back to this God forsaken retail store?

"And, well, you seem like a pretty... fashionable guy," Spencer continues, giving Billy the slightest self-esteem boost. "Plus, yesterday you said that thing about the Ghostbusters tee, so... I guess what I'm asking is if you want to work as a costume designer for an upcoming film I'm making? For a film festival?"

Christ on a bike, what is happening? One minute, it seems like Spencer might regret forgiving Billy; and now he's asking him to work together on a movie. A horror movie no less. It's almost impossible for Billy to comprehend any of this, let alone respond in less than a matter of hours. Besides, it doesn't seem to morally right for him to say yes. Just the prospect of accepting washes his entire body over in a wave of guilt, nearly making him ill. Billy officially decides to politely decline Spencer's offer.

"Um, yeah sure. Sounds suave, Brohemian Rhapsody."

A groan is heard from the peanut gallery: Way to go, Billy. Vetoing his own official idea has now put him between a rock and a hard place, and if that hard place eventually happens to be his groin, then so be it. Because now Billy can't back out- lest he seem like a tool- and he'll have to spend time with the very guy that makes his stomach churn for the best and worst reasons.

"Really?" Spencer looks a bit skeptical. "Wow, um… okay. Though, I think I should let you know that it's pretty low budget, and I'm no King Midas, so... are you okay with not really getting paid? 'Cause this can count as the way you 'make it up to me.'"

Truth be told, Billy wasn't even expecting Spencer to pay him. He was too ardent and terrified to even think of money. A nervous chuckle reverberates from the ravenette's throat. "It's all good. I don't really need extra money anyway." Liar.

Spencer nods. "Cool. So, just want to give you a heads up, it's the Apex Film Festival, so it's kind of a big deal. I mean, thousands of people attend the festival itself, and the videos are later posted on their website, which gets tons of hits. So, just wanted you to know that I'm sorta expecting top notch work."

And then it hits Billy: lots of people are going to see this short film Spencer's making, Billy is in charge of wardrobe, and he also needs to come up with a promotion for Madame X. By simply using clothes from the store, he'll save money from the movie's budget, and have a surefire way to promote X-ternal. Oh yeah: this is genius.

"Don't worry about top notch work," Billy reassures. And with a surge of his usual confidence, he gestures to his current outfit. "Have you seen the way I dress?" This earns Billy a genuine smile from the self-proclaimed director, and boy is it beautiful.

Sadly, the smile quickly fades and Spencer raises an eyebrow, as if reinforcing his last statement. Billy is suddenly all business as well (as 'all business' as Billy can get), and he tries corroborating once again. "But yeah, I won't let you down dude. In fact..." Now is Billy's chance to share his little idea of using the clothes from X-ternal. "...you know what I could do? I could designs the outfits, but just use clothes from here. I get a 25 percent employee discount for everything here."

Billy crosses his toes inside his shoes (crossing his fingers would look childish) and hopes this will work. He really needs this job at X-ternal, and getting fired because he couldn't think of a way to boost sales is not his ideal way to leave. Maybe in the future he'll quit working for this hell hole; but for now, promoting the store through Spencer's movie is the only chance he has.

After skimming the inside of the store from his place in front of the counter, Spencer turns back to Billy and gives him an affirmative nod. "Alright." Billy's face immediately lights up, and if his pant's weren't so tight, he would've cartwheeled into next week. It's safe to assume that Billy is both excited and relieved. He continues talking with the happy demeanor he regained.

"Sweet. And, would it be too much to ask if there could be something saying that the costumes were provided by X-ternal in the credits?"

"Fine by me," Spencer replies casually, and it puts Billy in an even happier mood (if that's possible), because now it seems as though all of the tension from yesterday has mouldered away into a tiny speck at the back of Billy's head. "I could send you the script and character info via email and we can talk about when to meet up for actual production later."

"Oh, okay. Er... here, I'll just write down my email." Billy takes a sticky note from the counter top and scribbles his email address onto it, handing it to Spencer with a smile. Glancing down at the chicken-scratch penmanship, Spencer looks back at Billy and half-smiles.

"Thanks. See you later."

Billy waves goodbye as Spencer turns around to leave, sticky note in hand. When Spencer has completely exited the store, Billy raises a hand to his mouth; trying to cover the callow grin that's now taking up half of his face. For once in Billy's life, things seem to be going exactly how he wants them to. He tries replaying the conversation in his head, and would probably get lost in his thoughts again if not for a voice coming from his right.

"I gotta say, Billy: that was pretty damn impressive."

"Huh?" Billy turns to face Dante, who's now behind the counter with Billy again, his arms crossed and face quirked into a smirk.

"I mean, Xanders just told us we had to do this asinine promotion thing, and you already have a solid idea. Like I said, impressive."

The tweed-clad employee jokingly places his hands on his hips. "Eavesdropping on another bro, huh?"

"Man, I could've been in China and would still have been able hear your voice without it being 'eavesdropping.'"

Wearing his trademark pout, Billy turns from Dante and looks down at the floor. "Would not."