Chapter Three: Talk It Out

"Do you think she'll call me?" Bill asked, fidgeting nervously with his rings.

"Chill out, dude," Georg said. "I was on the other end of the table, and I could still see her staring at you the way girls do. I'd make sure your phone is fully charged; you're going to be using it soon if I'm right, and I always am."

Tom reached into the console, and, without taking his eyes off the road once, pulled out the mobile phone charger for his brother's phone and tossed it to him.

"Thanks, Tomi," he said, plugging his phone in. The screen lit up with the charging symbol and Bill saw that he already had a new text message. Two, in fact. He scanned them quickly, his face breaking into a smile.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Georg smirked.

Tom pulled his own phone out of his pocket and handed it to Bill, asking, "Can you check mine, too, please?"

"Sure," Bill said, hitting send on the message he had already typed to Naomi. He tapped out a quick "Hey" to Phoenix, then turned to Tom's phone.

"Did you both give her your number?" asked Georg in surprise. Tom and Bill hadn't fought over a girl in what seemed like forever.

"Yeah," Bill said, covering his twin's back. They could cross that bridge when they got to it. He opened the inbox and commented, "Oh, they both texted you."

"Oh, great. You're not going to fight over her, are you?" Georg sighed, talking over Bill's last remark.

Gustav had heard, however, and said in a knowing voice, "They won't." Tom looked at Bill with a raised eyebrow. Bill turned and directed the same look to Gustav.

"What?" he asked innocently, raising his own eyebrow right back. "You'd better not. I always have to play peacemaker." He inclined his head the tiniest degree towards Georg, indicating that he was elaborating to keep him in the dark.

Bill accepted his reason and let his gaze slide vaguely over Georg's face as he turned his head back towards Tom, verifying that he hadn't noticed anything. The bassist was rubbing his eyes tiredly and did not appear to have noticed anything odd about the conversation. The younger Kaulitz twin gave a small nod to the elder, and he visibly relaxed. Bill settled back in his seat and read the message that had just popped up on his phone. Smiling again, he replied rapidly, sent it off, and closed his eyes.

Bill stepped out onto the balcony attached to his hotel room. He smiled as he thought of the night's events. He had always said in interviews that he believed in love at first sight, and that he had no objections to dating a fan, but he had never thought he'd actually find his special someone. Wasn't that the entire point behind "Menschen Suchen Menschen?" Everyone searches for their one love, but with so many people in this world, you could look forever and not find them.

He sighed. He had just barely met Naomi and already he was letting doubts creep in. Give it some time, he thought. Just because you think it's unlikely that everyone else can find their other half, doesn't mean it's impossible for you to find your other half. After all, how much of the world have you seen already? With all the places you've been, it's not impossible.

Click.

Bill looked toward the source of the noise he had just heard. It came from the balcony on his right, where Tom was standing with a freshly lit cigarette in his mouth, leaning against the fence separating them. Wordlessly, Bill held out his hand, and his dread-locked brother dug another cigarette out of the pack in his pajama pocket. He handed him the lighter as well, and with another soft click, they both had lit cigarettes.

A moment passed in silence before Bill said, "So. You seem tense. What's on your mind?"

Tom blew a smoke ring into the slight breeze floating past. "Nothing," he said. "Just…it seemed like Gustav knew more than he's letting on, is all." He took another drag on his cigarette. "I just…I don't know if I'm ready for this. I wasn't planning on telling them anytime soon."

"You would've had to tell them at some point, though," Bill said. "I mean, eventually they'll figure it out anyway. Or Georg will. It does seem like Gustav knows. Not that he'd say anything if he does know, but…you should tell them soon." He pressed his mouth to the cigarette again.

Tom sighed. "Yeah, I know," he admitted.

"Do you want me to be there when you do?" Bill asked.

A couple minutes passed before Tom responded. "If you would," he said, looking uncertainly at his younger brother. A relieved half-smile crossed his face when Bill nodded his agreement. "Of course, Tomi."

"Great. Thank you," Tom said. He took a quick puff on his cigarette, then dropped it to the ground and extinguished it with his shoe.

"When do you want to tell them?" Bill asked, putting out his cigarette, too.

Tom thought it over. "Well…we're finished with the tour, thank God, so if they react badly it won't be too obvious to the public. We aren't going back to Germany for a while, either, so it won't be too apparent to our parents and such, either…I guess I might as well do it while we're here. The sooner the better, and that way they have a while to adjust before we're back in the public eye again." He straightened up, stretching. "Tomorrow, then."

"Okay," his younger brother said. "And remember, no matter what happens, I'll still be here. You're stuck with me," he grinned.

Tom smiled and extended his arms above his head. "Good night, kiddo," he yawned. "And thanks."

"No problem," Bill replied, going back into his room. He pulled his shirt off over his head. Tossed his pants across the room, and threw himself into bed.

Tom remained outside for a few more minutes, staring over the city lights, then went in to bed as well. Tomorrow would be an eventful day.