[If they continued to date and Pierce asked for exclusivity, if he implied that he still wanted something like that.. TJ would do it. He's a romantic at heart. Wants love from one person and a real relationship. He doesn't think he deserves it and knows that a good guy won't offer that to him, so he doesn't assume that Alex is going to.]

Uh, I dunno. Guess there isn't one around for me to play.

[It was a lame excuse.]

The latter. If they weren't careful it was front page news and even when we were, it still sometimes got out.

[Ah, but that's a downer and he wants to keep their conversation somewhere pleasant. If he can.]

Guess it just feels that way sometimes?

[He shrugs, shakily smiles and tries to brush the comment he shouldn't have made to the side. TJ doesn't want to fuck their date up.]