Episode #313 Resolved

Option A

A/N: This begins right at the end of episode #313. Also, the song playing right at the end of the episode is "Fly" by TJ Stafford, in case anyone wanted to know, but I couldn't find a video link to it. 

Cyrus' POV

I finish wiping the grey makeup off my face in the washroom—there's no point in keeping it on since the photo's already been taken—and go back to the hallway to find my friends. Since the costume day assembly took place during last period, everybody is already packing up to go home. 

"Hey, guys," I mumble when I see Buffy, Andi and Marty standing in a cluster by Buffy's locker. 

"Hey, Cyrus," Buffy says. "How're you holding up?"

I sigh. "I don't get it. Why would TJ ask me to do a costume with him just to not do it anyway?"

"I think you're about to get your answer," she says, motioning for me to turn around. 

"Cyrus," TJ says as he approaches. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Okay," I say. "Talk."

He glances at my friends, then gestures for me to come with him and I submit to the command, following him around the curve in the walls to an empty hallway. When he stops, he turns to face me, and I can't help but notice that he's standing farther away from me than he usually does. 

"I'm sorry I bailed on costume day," he says. 

I'm a little stunned. That's all he has to say? Just sorry?

"Look, I'm not mad," I explain. "I just would've liked a heads up."

"I know," he says. "I'm sorry."

"Why with Kira?" I ask. "Do you like her or something?"

"No, Cyrus, it's not like that."

"Then what's it like?"

"I just thought you might think we look dumb," he says, "being two guys in matching costumes."

"TJ, I wore a spaghetti strainer on my head. Clearly, I have no problem with looking dumb."

His gaze wanders to the side. "I should've told you sooner. I'm sorry."

"I wasn't the one who suggested we match costumes," I say. "If you didn't want to do it, why'd you ask me to?"

"I did want to do it," he says. 

"Then why'd you change your mind?"

His eyes flicker down to the empty air between our hands, then to the floor. 

"I don't know," he responds. "I just—I can't talk about it."

"Yes you can," I oppose, looking at him dead on, trying to bring his eyes back up to mine. "You can talk to me about anything."

He huffs. "That's part of the problem."

"TJ," I mutter, "what are you talking about?"

"I don't know!" he snaps. "I just don't know how to fix this."

"Fix what?"

"This!" he shouts as his eyes come back up to meet mine. When our stares match, he quickly takes a step backward, averting his eyes again. "Nothing. I don't know."

"Yes you do!" I insist. "Just be honest with yourself!"

"Cyrus, I don't know what to do!" 

"Well, what do you want to do?" 

"I want to kiss you!" 

For a moment, I stop breathing, and the faint, muffled voices from the other hallways fill the dead air between TJ and I. 

"I don't want to feel this way," he says. "I just . . . don't know how to stop."

I stand there, speechless, for another second before he shakes his head and starts to walk away.

"TJ," I call out, causing him to turn back to me. "What makes you think you need to stop?"

I step toward him and lock my fingers through his. He looks down to where his hand links with mine. 

He starts to whisper, "Cyrus—" 

"TJ," I say, cutting him off, "you don't have to stop feeling that way."

Then I bring my lips to meet his, and, slowly, we connect. As I kiss him, his free hand moves to touch the back of my head, and he lets go of the strength he was using to deny himself of this, bringing his body up against mine. I have imagined this moment many times before, but the daydreams don't come close to the way it feels to be here kissing TJ Kippen, with him kissing me back. 

Our mouths separate, but his forehead stays touching mine, and our breathing is the only sound I'm focussed on.

"Cyrus, I'm scared," he whispers. "I've never felt this before."

I gently intertwine both of my hands with his, saying, "I promise you it'll be okay."

At that, he smiles, raising his head up to look down at me, and I stare right back.

"Everything will be okay," I repeat. "Trust me on that."

A/N: To be clear, I did really like the episode, and I loved the suspense that would be resolved in the next, and how it's leading to TJ getting a big moment, but with another hiatus on the horizon, I just can't bear leaving it the way the episode ended. Yeah, so I'm just gonna pretend this is how the episode ended, so that I don't completely implode over the hiatus. Thanks for reading. If you liked this, check out some of my other books too! Or don't. Whatever floats your goat, man. Thanks, bye. I updated because I ended up writing another alternate ending to the episode, so I figured I might as well add it to this story once it's done.