Andi Mack One Shots

Tyrus: Pedestrians

(A/N: A long while back, my incredible Wattpad wifey @AndPeggy_pageturners sent me a link to several amazing Tyrus one-shot prompts! Here is one of them, short and sweet. :) I love you!)

Living in New York City is nothing like the movies. It's not all bright lights and Broadway musicals. There's no magical moment where some random stranger meets your eye and you instantly fall in love. It's near impossible to make a fulfilling life for yourself in an overcrowded city.

And yet, this is my home now. 

I lived in Shadyside, Utah for the entirety of my life up until a week ago when my job offered me a high-paying position here. Utah was always home, and I loved my life there. I fell in love when I was young, at age 13. The boy's name was Cyrus Goodman, and we were inseparable. He made life worth living. But one day, out of nowhere, he came to my house and told me his parents were moving somewhere. I begged him to try long-distance until we could visit each other, but he told me it would be too difficult. To an extent, I understood, but that didn't make things any less painful. I never, ever moved on from Cyrus, and I honestly never will. But he left Utah years ago, and now I'm alone in New York at the age of 22. I have a week before my new position begins, so I've been exploring the city and trying to decorate my apartment. 

All that I've learned thus far is that New York City sucks. I miss home. I miss mint sandwiches and green Jell-O. I miss Cyrus Goodman. 

***

It's 10 o'clock at night when I decide to take a walk around the city. I don't know where I'm going or why I feel the need to be outside, but I decide to check out the nightlife and find a late-night coffee place. 

Luckily, I find a 24-hour Starbucks across the street. I make my way over to the crosswalk--even though I've noticed a lot of New Yorkers just jaywalk here--and press the button. The 'walk' sign lights up and I step into the road, noticing there is one other person crossing opposite of me. 

My eyes instinctively glance to the stranger, and my breath immediately catches in my throat. The man looks a whole lot like...Cyrus. I'm not watching where I'm going, and I walk directly into a crosswalk sign. I nearly fall unconscious, until a familiar voice forces my body to stay upright. 

"TJ?"

***

"So, you're going to be living here, now?"

Cyrus and I were sat in the coffee shop, face-to-face for the first time in years. I nodded in response, still in complete shock. 

"You ended up moving to New York City..." I confirmed, a hint of question in my voice. Cyrus nodded cheerfully. "I love it here! Everything is just bright lights, musicals, coffee shops, and joy. I feel at home here."

Geez...I wish I could relate. 

"That's great, Cy. Really."

Cyrus' face dropped and he tentatively reached out to take my hand. I subtly reached towards his grasp, and the feeling of his hand in mine felt like warmth, like love, like home. 

"We should have tried long-distance," Cyrus whispered suddenly, voice cracking as though he was on the verge of tears. "I've missed you so much, but I was afraid to go back on my word and ask you."

I felt a hint of hurt and anger rise swell inside of my chest but quickly swallowed it down. "It's okay, Cyrus. I understand. I understand, I do. What's important is that we're here now, you and I."

Cyrus smiled at me and my insides turned to mush. I love this man so much, and it's as though we're picking up right where we left off...

***

Fast forward a month later, Cyrus and I are moved in together. He goes to Law school, while my new position allows me to be home fairly often. I've been waiting to ask him a very important question since the day I met him, and today I am finally going to take the plunge. I've bought a simple silver band with small diamonds encrusted, and now I'm waiting for Cyrus to get home from school.

As if on cue, Cyrus walked through the front door while I was practicing my speech for the millionth time. 

"Cyrus, baby, how was school?" I asked, wrapping him up in a warm embrace while he leaned forward to kiss me. 

"It was great, but I missed you while we were apart!"

...Yeah, Cyrus and I are THAT couple.

"I actually needed to talk to you about something," I started, and Cyrus' eyes widened in horror.

"Stop imagining horrible things!" I warn, trying my best not to laugh. "Cyrus Goodman, I love you. I've been in love with you since the day we met. And we've really just picked up where we left off, like nothing ever changed. I want you to know that I'll love you forever, and I want nothing more than to make you Cyrus Kippen. Will you...marry me?"

I got down on one knee and presented the ring to a sobbing Cyrus, looking as sweet as ever. "I thought you'd never ask, Teej--of course I'll marry you."

***

New York City may not be a whole lot like the movies, but sometimes it's the people you surround yourself with that make it so beautiful. Cyrus' smile is the bright light I've been searching for, and his voice is more melodic than any Broadway performance. And maybe we had our own version of a New York meet-cute, complete with me walking into a street sign. I've found the beauty of this city because of Cyrus, and for the first time since I got here, I feel like I'm finally home.