Fresh Start (Tyrus) || Andi Mack

Nine // Cyrus

TJ wasn't at school today, so I assumed he was sick again. But as I approach the park with May, I spot him on the swing set and realize that I might've been wrong. I start to jog towards him and May struggles to catch up to me.

"Cyrus, what are you doing?" she asks me, already out of breath. "Didn't you say he's angry with you?"

Just then, TJ looks over and notices us, and I see him getting ready to leave.

"TJ! Wait a sec, I'm almost there," I call out.

He freezes in place and shrivels into himself, before slowly taking his seat again. I feel my heart sinking, but I don't turn around. I need to talk to him.

"Do you hear anything I'm saying? Am I just invisible?" May says, exasperatedly.

I stop and turn to her, and she halts in front of me once she catches up.

"I'm sorry, May, but I really need to talk to him alone right now. It's important," I explain to her. "Can you stay here for now?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she frowns, looking concerned.

"Yes, I'm sure. I can handle it. Trust me."

She reluctantly nods. "Okay. Just be careful."

"I will, don't worry," I assure her. "I'll be back in like ten minutes maybe. Possibly fifteen? Don't worry though, I'm just not sure how long the conversation will be."

After that, she sits down on a nearby bench and pulls out her phone, while I quickly head over to the swings.

Once I approach where TJ is sitting, I take a deep breath and greet him. "Hey."

He looks up from the ground and gives me a timid smile. "Hi."

"Is it alright if I sit?" I gesture to the swing next to him.

"Sure."

I take a seat on my usual swing, and push myself forward lightly. The silence feels tense and awkward, but I honestly don't know how to start this conversation. TJ eventually pushes forward and starts swinging along with me. He hasn't put his earbuds back in, though, so I feel like he's waiting for me to say something.

"So..." I start.

"I'm really sorry for avoiding you," he blurts out.

It takes me a moment to react, because I was startled by his sudden statement.

"Okay," I respond.

"I-I really do like you, it's just- I'm scared," he admits, quietly.

"You know you don't have to apologize, right?" I tell him, gently. "I understand you not being ready."

"Really?" He turns to look at me.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to force you to go out or anything if you're uncomfortable. That wouldn't be fair on you."

"Thank you, Cy. That means a lot."

"It's no problem," I assure him. "Do you maybe want to talk about anything that's bothering you specifically? If not, that's okay, too."

Sighing, he grips the chains on his swing. "I don't know. I just- I've never really talked about this sort of thing with anybody. I don't even know if...if I'd know what to say."

"What about this: can you tell me what it is, in particular, that you're afraid of?" I offer.

"I guess just judgement; or loss, predominantly."

"And can you explain more?" I ask, benevolently. "If you're comfortable."

"I'm scared of having to come out because I know there will be unaccepting people and I don't want to lose anyone," he admits.

"I understand that. It took me a long time to come out to my parents, and I'm lucky they accept me, but not everyone is."

"If you don't mind me asking, I already know you're not...straight, but are you...?"

"Gay. I'm gay."

"Me too," he says, quietly.

"There's nothing wrong with you, you know that?" I tell him. "It's just like any other trait you have. Like, your eye colour, or your blond hair, or your height. It's a part of who you are."

"Yeah, I know, I just...wish other people knew that, too."

"So do I, but you know what? If someone can't accept you for who you are that's their problem, not yours," I continue. "But regardless of that, it's your choice who you come out to and when. Nobody else gets to decide that."

"Thanks. I just hope you understand why I'm not ready."

"Of course I do. But I just want you to know that, if in the future we did go out, I'd be perfectly fine with not telling anyone if you didn't want to," I inform him. "I don't want you to think I would ever make you come out."

"Do you really mean that? You wouldn't feel, I don't know, like trapped or anything?" he asks me.

"Yes, I really mean it. I completely get the fear of telling people these things, and I'd never pressure anyone to do so."

"That...means a lot. I kind of just assumed that dating someone would automatically require being out."

"Well, not everyone is like that, and if they are, that's honestly kind of insensitive."

"I guess you're right," he smiles slightly.

"Feel better now?" I question, returning the expression.

"Yeah, yeah I really do. Thank you."

"Any time," I assure him.

Once a few minutes have passed by of just swinging, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, the silence is broken again.

"Cyrus?" he speaks up, quietly.

"Yeah?" I respond, looking at the flowers in the distance.

"Would...would you like to go out with me?"

I immediately stop my swing and my eyes widen, as I look over towards him. "Are you sure? I thought you weren't ready."

After a moment, he nods assuredly. "I'm sure. If it can stay secret, I'm fine."

I can barely keep the grin off my face as I respond calmly, "then I'd love to."

•••

Soon after we'd agreed to go out, I remembered that May was still waiting for me, so I told TJ I had to go. Now I'm walking home with her and she has yet to ask me what happened.

"May? You okay?" I ask.

She looks up from her phone. "Yeah, why?"

"I just thought you'd have asked me what happened by now," I chuckle.

"Oh, well you said you had to talk to him alone so I assumed it was private."

"Alright, well I appreciate that," I tell her. "But I can tell you're worried. Everything's alright, it was just a misunderstanding and we worked it out."

"That's great. Also, I'm glad I didn't have to come with you, because I really hate confrontation," she says. "So are you guys friends again?"

"Yep."

•••

Me, projecting onto May? That's so crazy? I don't know what you mean, why would I do that...

Okay, I'm projecting onto May in this chapter, what about it😝