Lemon Boy and Me - Tyrus Fanfic

Chapter 2: Waterslides

"Underdog, you ready?" 

Cyrus tossed his bag over his shoulder and walked off his porch and up to TJ.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Cyrus smiled.

"Good, you'll need that kind of confidence for the rest of the day. I assume you've already figured out where we're going." TJ said.

"Yeah, I could tell from the fact that you told me to pack my bathing suit, sunscreen, and snacks." Cyrus laughed. "The water park over in Stevensburg, right?"

"Absolutely right. But I don't recall asking you to bring snacks. I got us covered." the blond boy turned his shoulder, motioning to show that he had them in his backpack.

"Well, I brought some anyway. Everything I have is gluten and peanut free." 

"I expected as much," TJ laughed, which made Cyrus laugh, and the sparkle in TJ's eye had Cyrus questioning how he'd gotten himself into the situation and how he was going to spend an entire day with TJ in nothing but his swimming shorts.

The boys had paid for entry, changed, and stuffed their bags into a locker by nine on the dot. TJ was just stepping out of the bathroom when he saw Cyrus on his phone. TJ grabbed it from his hand and glared at him accusingly.

"Hey! Today is a no-phone day. If I see with this again, it's going in the pool!" TJ tossed the device into the locker and clicked the lock closed.

"TJ, I was using it for something important.: Cyrus protested. 

"Oh, what was it?" TJ smirked.

Cyrus blushed. He had been making a note to pay TJ back for the cost of his admission, even after TJ told him it was fine. 

"Um, definitely not making myself a reminder to pay you later." Cyrus laughed nervously, but told the truth since he was caught anyway.

"I told you I don't want you to! I invited you to come, so I am paying."

Cyrus gave up. "Fine." He remembered his parents saying that the guy should pay when he goes somewhere with someone, but they were both guys.

TJ smiled triumphantly. "Great! Let's go conquer some fears." he said excitedly. and Cyrus groaned, following him out.

By six in the afternoon, they had been to the wave pool twice, been on a multitude of slides, and Cyrus was impressed with himself and the number of slides he'd been able to go on. He did it all with TJ by his side, encouraging him every step of the way.

"Cyrus, you've done really great so far," TJ congratulated him, and Cyrus beamed with pride. "Which is why I want to bring you to one more slide before the par closes." Cyrus hadn't really been paying attention, distracted by a drop of water travelling down TJ's hair, onto his shoulder then his collarbone, and finally trickling down his chest. That brought Cyrus' focus to the way TJ's chest muscles rose and fell as he breathed, and suddenly found that he himself had forgotten to breathe the entire time. 

"Cyrus? Are you willing to go on the slide with me?" Cyrus' head snapped up and he realized TJ was staring at him.

"Uh, yeah, sure," he muttered, his eyes quickly catching sight of another stray drop.

"Okay, let's go," TJ held Cyrus by the wrist and led him to what might have been the scariest thing CYrus had ever laid his eyes on.

"Oh, no," he whispered, gaping at the purple loop de loop.

"Oh, yes," TJ grinned, pulling his friend all the way up the metal staircase. When they reached the top, Cyrus instinctively latched onto TJ's arm. TJ laughed.

"Don't worry, it's not as crazy as it looks. All you have to do is stand on that platform, they'll count to three, and the platform will open underneath you." TJ smiled, trying to soothe Cyrus, but he didn't think he was doing it very well.

"Are you going first?" Cyrus squeaked.

"No, I want to be there with you when you go." 

Cyrus felt a wave of relief wash over him, but he still couldn't stop his knees from wobbling. 

"Easy, underdog. You look like you're going to have a heart attack." TJ said softly, placing a hand on Cyrus' chest.

TJ's warm palm on Cyrus' bare skin did not ease him in any way. His heart started beating faster, and he worried that TJ would be able to tell, so he gently pushed TJ's hand away.

"I'm okay. I can do this." he told himself this, but he did not feel like he could do it at all.

They strode up to the platform and the woman standing there smiled.

"You, ready, kid?" she asked.

Cyrus nodded weakly. Just before she pulled the lever to open the platform, TJ leaned against Cyrus, his chest pressed against Cyrus' upper back, and whispered in his ear.

"You got this."

Cyrus dropped.

"AAAHHHHH!" he screamed, shooting through the tube, water splashing all around him.

When he reached the loop de loop, he felt himself rise to the ceiling of the tube, then back down. Everything slowed down, and he was released into a pool at the end.

"You did it! You really did it! How does it feel to be the coolest person ever??!" TJ threw his fist in the air, diving into the pool.

Cyrus coughed and sputtered, and TJ tossed his arms around Cyrus and laughed.

"That was wild," Cyrus said, trying to slow his breathing.

"I know! And you did it! You faced your fear!" TJ hugged him tighter, and Cyrus hugged him back, and they stayed there, giggling to each there until the woman at the top whistled and motioned for them to get out of the pool. They jumped out and headed towards the locker rooms.

Cyrus shivered, and TJ put an arm around his shoulder, and everything felt perfect.

At Cyrus' doorstep, TJ grabbed Cyrus' hand, and he turned to the taller boy.

"Meet me at the park tomorrow? No one goes there on Sunday, so we won't have to wait to use the swings.

"Sure," Cyrus smiled, and a long moment passed before TJ let go of his hand and left.