Tyrus One-Shots

Could a parent hate their child?

The flicker of the lamp is at the bottom of the list of what is concerning TJ. He's sitting in the armchair in the corner of their living room as the darkness of the room matches what he's feeling inside of him. The only light of his life that he needs is his husband, which is the reason he doesn't want to turn on the main light because he wants Cyrus to get as much sleep as possible.

Since the mayoral reelection is approaching, Cyrus has been exhausted trying to campaign and secure as many votes as he could. TJ has been trying to help with the campaign, which means both of them haven't been spending much time at home. Also, TJ's new children's gym has had a surge in applicants, which has also taken a toll on his availability. Because of everything in their professional lives, they've been too busy to spend time with their son, Caleb, who has been making things more complicated.

Both TJ and Cyrus love Caleb with every fiber in their bodies, but he has been the definition of a moody and rebellious teenager since the campaign started. It's as though he woke up and chose violence and never went back to their sweet and innocent boy. It started with small things, such as him acting out in class and receiving detention, but it's like he's trying to see how far he can go. Just within the past month, he has been receiving more suspension, been sneaking out of the house more often, and even got caught smoking weed when a party he was at got a surprise visit from the cops. At first, TJ and Cyrus didn't know how to handle their son. A part of them wants to be angry, but a bigger part of them wants to panic and think that they did something wrong. However, concern and anger are finding a way to intertwine as a way of making parenting more complex than he thought it would be.

He remembers changing his diapers, helping him learn to walk, to ride a bike, even comforting him when he would get nightmares, and wanted his daddies for protection. He remembers seeing the fear in Caleb's eyes when it came time for his first official punishment. When Caleb was five, Cyrus had caught him drawing on the wall. Caleb tried explaining the situation, but Cyrus, in the most serious tone that he could use, told him to go to his room and wait until his father got home. Shortly after TJ gave Cyrus his usual kiss upon entering the house, Cyrus told him what needed to be done. TJ didn't know who would hurt the most, him or Caleb. He wished that Caleb would never get into trouble so neither parent would have to punish him because they never wanted to think of their child being bad. However, after a draining conversation one night, they agreed that TJ would have to be the disciplinary because he could pull it off the best.

The walk down the hallway felt like a step into an abyss of despair. The walls were caving in and growing spikes to stab him in the heart. Cinder blocks made of ice on his feet froze him in place as chills ran through his body. A snake slivered out of an outlet and wrapped around TJ's chest and restricted his breathing. The doorknob to Caleb's room was coated in a poison that was sneaking into his veins to kill him instantly so he wouldn't have to go through with seeing his baby boy in his condition. Breathing in, TJ blocked out all his fears and delusions as he stepped into the room.

Caleb was sitting on his bed, and his cheeks were red with dried tears. Fresh tears were on their way. TJ sternly stood across from him and placed his hands on his hips to let Caleb know he was serious. TJ's face showed an emotion that he never wanted to express. Disappointment. Disappointed that Caleb would break the rules, especially since he tried so hard to be good. Without a word being said, Caleb bawled his eyes out and begged to not get a spanking and was repeatedly apologizing, all of which made it harder for TJ to punish him. It was harder hearing his son explain that it started out as an accident because one of his markers scraped the wall, and all he wanted to do was cover it up because he didn't want his daddies to be upset. He held onto TJ's leg and continued whispering apologies.

One thing that alerted him was hearing Caleb beg to not be sent back. That was enough to make TJ cry. They had always been honest with Caleb about his adoption because they never wanted to lie to him. Plus, he would eventually figure out how two men couldn't get pregnant, no matter how much TJ and Cyrus tried when they started the adoption process, and that it would be easier to be upfront about everything. Caleb didn't think too much about it because all he cared about was having two daddies that loved him, but, at that moment, he must have felt as though he had lost the feeling of love and was going to be parentless again. TJ pulled him off and kneeled to be on his level. He kissed his son's cheek and wiped a tear that was rolling down. TJ assured him that nothing he will do will ever make Daddy or Papa stop loving him. That they would always be his daddies. However, a punishment needed to be distributed. TJ went easy and only served a week of going to bed early, only one hour of television a day, and no dessert. That day ended with cuddles on the couch and Caleb having to be carried to bed.