Past & Present

Present: Make-Up

It's broad daylight, and 26 year old T.J. Kippen is sitting in the passenger's side of the car while his girlfriend, Kira, is driving. He is simply looking out the window as she continues to drive, thinking deeply about something. Kira turned her head a little and ran her hand through T.J.'s hair, and he turned, giving her a small smile before her looked outside the window once more.

As they got to their hotel, T.J. immediately went the balcony and leaned against the balcony taking deep breaths.

A moment later, Kira came to the balcony.

"Hun, you know it's a costume party, right?"

T.J. turned at looked at her.

"Yes." T.J. answered.

"I've got a surprise for you."

T.J. looked at her, simply waiting for her explanation.

"So, Amber helped me to find a make up artist." Kira said, totally excited. "We're going to be turned into zombies."

She pulls out a short, hot pink Jessica Rabbit dress that was meant to be a part of her costume.

"You think it'll be good?" He asked, touching the costume.

"I thought you would like the idea." She said, beaming at him.

"I like it." T.J. told her. "But you don't like zombie movies."

"But you like it. And I wanted to make you happy." She said, putting a hand behind his head. "It means a lot for me that you are here with me."

T.J. smiled and he kissed her. T.J. was zipping up Kira's dress from the back, and when he was finished, he took a deep breath.

"There." T.J said as there was a knock at the door.

Kira stepped away from T.J. and walked away from him to answer the door.

"Hey! So you already have the costumes?" The guy asked as T.J. was getting his things together.

"Yes we have everything ready." Kira answered.

"Cyrus!" A shocked and numb T.J. greeted when he looked up.

As 25 year old Cyrus was going in to hug him. T.J. simply held his hand out for a handshake, which disappointed him, but he recovered from the shock.

T.J. swore that his heart stopped beating when he and Cyrus' hands touched.

"TJ, it's been a while." Cyrus said, still smiling at his old friend.

"So, you already know each other?" Kira asked, happy with the turn of unexpected events.

"Yes, from when we were kids." Cyrus confirmed.

"Great! Would you like a cold drink?"

"Yes, please. It's such a hot day."

"I'll be back." Kira said leaving the old friends behind.

〰 ♂ 〰

Cyrus spread all of his make-up tools on the coffee table as a shirtless T.J. was sitting on the chair, simply waiting for Cyrus to start. Once everything was in place, Cyrus grabbed a brush, dipped it in one of the colors and moved towards T.J. getting ready to put make-up under T.J.'s left eye.

"How are you doing in life, Scary basketball guy?" Cyrus asked his old friend.

"Good. It's been a while, right?" A fidgeting T.J. asked as Cyrus was applying the make-up onto T.J.'s face. "You still look the same."

"I don't know. I feel like I would have recognized you anywhere."

"And... How are you doing?"

"Here I am." Cyrus answered. "I need you to stay still, ok?"

T.J. stops fidgeting and finally sits still for Cyrus.

"So, you're a professional make up artist?"

"No, I work in FX." Cyrus answered. "I only do this every once in a while."

T.J. hums.

"I need you to keep your eyes closed or you'll get make up in your eye."

T.J. then stops fidgeting once more and sits still for Cyrus.

〰 ♂ 〰

"Hun, can you come a minute please?" Kira asks some time later.

"Can I go?"

"Yes, sure. I'll prepare the color." Cyrus says, and T.J. walked towards the bathroom. As T.J. was walking towards the bathroom door, a slightly jealous Cyrus simply watched T.J. walking towards the door.

T.J. knocked on the door.

"Don't come in. I'm ashamed."

"I'm sure you're ok." T.J. said. "Let me take a look, come on."

"Alright." Kira said and she opened the door and came out of the bathroom with her costume on, complete with zombie make-up. "I look stupid, right?"

"Not at all." T.J answered. "You're the sexiest zombie in the world."

Cyrus had to look away as he mixed his colors harshly.

〰 ♂ 〰

"My cousin graduated and she's throwing a party tonight at The Yacht Club."

"Awesome!" Cyrus said as he put his tools away.

"Yeah." Kira said. "Hey, you should come, with us! It's going to be great! Amber even invited a DJ that hails from Buenos Aires."

"Sorry. I already have plans for tonight." An apologetic Cyrus told her.

"Ready!" T.J. said as he came out of the bathroom.

"Let's see. Try this on." Cyrus said, handing T.J. a jacket that once belonged to his friend.

Instead of making a comment about Cyrus keeping T.J.'s old jacket, he simply put it on.

"What do you think?"

"Yes. It looks good." T.J. answered.

"The perfect zombie." Kira said.

"You're good to go." Cyrus said.

〰 ♂ 〰

Later on at the party, everyone was dancing to Outkast's Hey Ya! except for T.J. who was simply staring at the people dancing all around him.

"Where's TJ?" Amber asked Kira.

"He's-"

T.J. then showed up and Amber walked away, leaving the couple alone to start dancing.

"Please, tell me you're not having such a bad time." Kira asked, and T.J. shook his head and Taylor Swift's Shake it Off started to play.

"I'm having a great time." T.J. told her.

Kira simply smiled and they started dancing.

〰 ♂ 〰

A few hours later before they left the party, T.J stood and looked out into the horizon, thinking about the times that he scared Cyrus to death.

〰 ♂ 〰♂〰 ♂ 〰

QOTC: What's Your Opinion On The Tyrus Interaction? Thoughts On T.J.'s Opinion Before Cyrus Showed Up?