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After Andi's awesome party, Cyrus and T.J. started dating. They eventually told their closest friends, who were not at all surprised, not even in the slightest. However, they did decide to keep their relationship secret to the general public. Both boys wanted to be more openly loving with each other, but neither felt like it was the right time. With the transition into high school being hectic for everyone, they decided to wait until things calmed down again.
It was now December, and Cyrus was feeling ecstatic. He loved celebrating Chanukah, drinking hot chocolate with his friends, and playing in the snow. There was one thing he was sad to miss out on, though: winter romance. Everywhere he went, he saw cute, heteronormative couples kissing under mistletoe. It made him sad, to say the least.
T.J., being the good boyfriend that he was, immediately marked this change in Cyrus and knew what he had to do. He created a three-phase plan to coming out. Phase one: come out to his parents.
~
Ok, admittedly speaking, coming out to his parents was easier said than done. It's not like his parents were extremely conservative or anything; it's quite the opposite, in fact. They were very loving and supportive parents who made sure to encourage T.J. everyday. Why, then, did he feel so afraid?
Part of him realized that because his secret was so big, so life-altering, it was bound to be a scary one. He was especially nervous because they were his parents. Trusting the people you love with huge secrets is always a risk, but it's especially risky if you tell the ones who financially support you.
T.J. decided to rehearse confessing in front of a mirror, just to get some practice. What he didn't account for, however, was the fact that his bedroom door was still open. To his own reflection he breathed, "Mom, Dad, I'm gay." T.J.'s lips quirked upwards. That was easier than I thought it was gonna be! Then, he shifted his gaze to the top right corner of the mirror, where he saw the two shocked reflections of his parents. Oh.
T.J.'s eyes filled with tears. Try as he might, he couldn't keep them from falling. His parents were quick to hug and reassure him (it's okay baby, we're not mad at you. We love you, and just want you to live your best life.) and T.J. gave them a watery smile. He loved his parents.
Sure, phase one could've gone better. But hey, he was one step closer to his awesome surprise.
~
Phase two was much simpler than phase one. Because Cyrus and T.J. were already out to their parents, it was as simple as telling said parents that their kids were in a relationship together.
Or, well, it should've been.
T.J.'s family took the news very well. They were calm and supportive, the dream reaction.
That's not to say that Cyrus' family wasn't supportive, of course. His family was perfectly fine with their relationship. No, the issues came with the shovel talks. All four of them. It was... very awkward, to say the least. But T.J. remained positive, because there was now only one phase left.
~
Phase three consists of the most romantic thing T.J. can bring himself to do. He'd already asked the cafeteria staff if he could hand up a few decorations, and he may or may not have asked Cyrus' fourth period teacher to keep him in for a while after class. He's sure Cyrus won't mind. Hopefully.
Finally, fourth period came to a close. The lunch bell rang, and everyone in Cyrus' math class (except for Cyrus himself) went to the cafeteria. T.J. came by to pick him up a few minutes after lunch started.
"Teej! Mr. Henderson kept me in and now I probably missed the chocolate chocolate chip muffins!" Cyrus adorably pouted.
"Don't worry Underdog, you know I'll always save you one." T.J. pulled out two muffins from behind his back. The two of them ate in a relaxed silence on their way to the cafeteria. Once they got near the doorway, T.J. grabbed Cyrus' hand.
"T.J.? What's this about," Cyrus asked as they continued walking. T.J. stopped just under the doorframe.
"Look up."
Just above their heads hung a delicate sprig of mistletoe. T.J. and Cyrus looked at each other. With a small nod from Cyrus, T.J. leaned in and gave his boyfriend a gentle kiss.
Noise from the cafeteria gradually stopped as people realized what was happening. Some people whispered, some cheered, and some even took pictures.
The two boys separated, still hand in hand. T.J. rested his forehead against Cyrus', whispering, "Was that okay?"
"Yeah," Cyrus responded, and leaned in for another kiss.