Lights! Camera - ; Tyrus

Scene 20

Cyrus

"Hey," I greet TJ from the couch as he steps into my apartment.

"Hey, Cy" My boyfriend replies back, walking across the floor and joining me on the sofa, our hands immediately link up. "I still think it's not early enough for the boys training sessions."

"Well I don't think you would be happy to do seven am training either when you were their age," I comment, "how was it anyway? I know it's probably weird not being their coach anymore." TJ had to resign his job at the school since he's so busy with the final wrap ups on set. Some other teacher took over his team. He seems nice, nice enough to let TJ come to the games and training  when he can.

"I'll get use to it. At least I still get to see them. I just don't like the feeling I get when I know I might not be able to see them anymore after this film." TJ sighs, he squeezes on to my hand and rubs it. "At least I'll have you."

"Yeah." I say softly, like things should be said in the early morning of the day. Like the people already awake are keeping a secret from those still in their dreams. "But I really don't think this film is going to take us anywhere."

"Well it brought us back together," TJ kisses my fingertips, "and we have press on this stuff, people are actually excited to watch it. I guarantee a film company is going to pick this up and then we'll be rich as all of those movies about rich people."

"That was a terrible analogy." I laugh, then check my watch. "We're gonna have to head out soon. Nick seems really excited to get these last few scenes done."

"That's another thing that feels weird. Us finishing the film, it went by so fast."

"For you maybe. For me it felt like years going through all the editing, and paperwork and organizing. And on top of that I had this incredibly attractive man who kept distracting me." I say, reaching out my hand to cup his face.

"Oh yeah?" TJ leans forward, "how much time have we got before we have to leave?"

"About fifteen minutes minutes, give or take." I bite back a smile.

"Good, then I have time to do this." TJ says and brings his lips to mine.

🎬

Everyone on set is a mess, it isn't even lunch yet and some people are already near tears. I keep telling myself that even though this is only a project and not a big time film, it still brought a lot of people together. Then I stopped telling myself that or else I was going to start crying.

It just, it feels really bittersweet knowing that this many people put their hearts into this project and how far we have come.

I don't want to be the one to say "that's a wrap" at the end of all of this.

TJ is talking into his phone quietly before we shoot one of his last scenes, he keeps making concerned expressions so I would assume he's talking to his sister.

"Yeah I know. Of course I'll come and see you, why wouldn't I?.. Just stay safe, okay?.. Yeah, yeah I love you too." TJ says as I approach him.

"Amber?" I ask.

"Yeah," TJ nods. "She had an interview the other day and it's looking good for her. But the work is a while away from where we live, so.. Andi invited Amber to live with her, in her apartment. And she said yes."

"That's good? Isn't it?"

"It is." He gives a tight smile.  "I'm just not going to be able to see her like I usually do. I mean, she just got out of hospital a few weeks ago for alcohol poisoning. And how am I going to be able to afford to pay for the place anyway? It'll just me, in there, by myself. I am happy for her, I really am. For her and Andi, but it's just..." He leans towards me and rests his head on my shoulder.

"Well, I am happy for them, too. And I really think that this is going to help Amber's career." I hesitate before I continue, I mean, I know what I'm going to say, and there really is no need to think about it. "And I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now.. But you could always just stay with me. You know, for as long as you want."

He looks up, "you would do that for me, Cy?"

I shrug, "Of course. You practically live there anyway. Unless you don't want to-"

"No, Cyrus. I would love too." TJ is all bright eyes and happiness, and I always get a bit of joy knowing that I caused it.

"Well I'll be happy to have you, Teej." I grin, because I would have never seen this happen to us, not in a million years.

"Hey, Cyrus, thank you." TJ says seriously, "I love you."

"I love you, too." I reply, kissing him softly. TJ's arms move around my waist as he deepens the kiss. I never saw any of this. But I wouldn't have it any other way, because even though it hurt so much when we first fell apart, nothing is better, nothing is better than when TJ Kippen kisses me while I have my hands cupping his face and I know that he loves me, and that I love him.

"Well this is nice, lovebirds. But you both have to be on set in less than a minute." Nick calls from a few feet away, "So as much as we all love watching you making us feel lonely, we have a film to finish."

"We'll be there in a sec." I say back, not letting TJ go. I hear Nick mutter something about actors as he leaves, causing us both to laugh.

"Come on, we a future Oscar winning movie to complete." TJ says, "And it's hard to get into character if you keep kissing me."

"That sounds like a' you' problem." I link our hands together, "but we don't want to make Nick feel anymore lonely."

🎬

I watch from my chair as TJ delivers his final lines, and I take a moment to appreciate how far all of his has really come. How much I love him, how much I'm going to cry after this is over.

"We can't go back to the way that we use to be, I don't think anyone ever can." TJ says, "And I know you probably hate me by now, and I know I screwed up, badly. I just, I can't leave without saying goodbye." I don't know if its his acting or he really crying, it's impossible to tell at this point. "I just. I'm not good at this. I'm not. Please. Just, I need to let you know how much- how much I could have loved you."

This was one of the scenes TJ wanted to have a happy ending. Because he does deserve one. We deserve one. The film deserves one.

The scene ends. My eyes are blurring. TJ looks at me off camera and says something I can't understand in his eyes.

"That's your cue." Nick says to me quietly.

"Yeah." I don't want to say it. "Yeah. That's it. That's a wrap everyone."

A/N Don't worry Sunflowers, about 1/2 more chapters to go until we call a wrap on this story. I'm so sorry I didn't update for a while here, I just had some other stuff that needed to be reorganized in my life during these times. I really hope all of you are staying safe, and my heart goes to those who need it. I love you guys <3 <3