Tyrus One-Shots

Escondida

After one of the many games the team had won, they all yeeted to the locker room. TJ stayed behind for a bit and stared at the crowd.  He searched both sides of the bleachers and couldn't find who he was looking for. It wasn't until a good bit of the crowd had exited was when he found Cyrus.

TJ ran up to him and hugged the shorter boy. Cyrus congratulates him on making the game winning shot. TJ brushes it off as it was nothing.

Hunter came out of the locker room. He went to retrieve his bag from the sidelines. As he turned back, he saw Cyrus letting go from the hug and walk away.

"Yo, Teej." Hunter shouts. He runs to his teammate. "Come on. Coach wants to talk to us."

TJ sighed and went with him back to the locker room.

Entering the dirty sock scented room, the others were kneeling around the coach. TJ and Hunter join them.

The entire time the coach went on and on about how even though they won they needed to be better, all TJ could do was think about Cyrus. More specifically their plans afterwards. They planned on going to The Spoon for a celebratory dinner. Even if they had lost, they still love food and wanted to spend time together.

TJ snapped out of his thoughts when a loud whistle sounded throughout the room. He rubbed his ears and cringed since he was so close to it. The coach left and the boys went to their lockers.

TJ opens his and smiles at the picture of him and Cyrus. The two were on the swings, their special swings to be exact. He still remembers the exact details from that day. It was hot, like incredibly hot. They had bought ice cream. Correction, TJ had bought the ice cream since he didn't want Cyrus to wast his money, and he wanted to impress him. After eating, they walked to the park and found their swings empty, as usual. They swung and laughed for hours. TJ wanted to remember that day and had set up his phone on a nearby bench.

Ever since then, TJ keeps that photo in his gym locker. His logic for it being is that he wanted Cyrus to be the last thing he saw if something happens during a game or on the way home.

Luke notices the picture and smirks. He pulls his shirt off over his head and places it in his bag. "Yo, Kippen. Nice picture."

TJ tightens up. He quickly grabs his clothes out and closes the door. He changes fast.

"Who's that?" Gabe asks as he sprays that cheap body spray that made people gag. "Is it the same guy Hunter said you were hugging?"

TJ begins to shake. His nerves going out of wack. When he opens his mouth to speak, it took all the force to form words. "It's just my friend Cyrus. No big deal."

Total lie. It was too such a big deal. And Cyrus wasn't even his friend. Cyrus is his boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend too, a boyfriend of six months. They spent so much time getting to know each other and have grown so much. Neither of them thought they would last this long. They love each other, but every relationship around them hasn't lasted this long. And they're in middle school. They're set to celebrate their anniversary this weekend.

A tear rolls down his face. Luckily it was a small one that would go unnoticed. He hates that he can't be out and open to the world. It tears him up that he has to hold back his love for his boyfriend and only show it when no one is around. They only people he's out to is Andi, Buffy, and Jonah. And of course Cyrus, obviously because like, you know. Dating and all that.

He could see the back of the photo through the small holes the locker has. All he could think about was it was like the picture was hidden from everything else he has in his life. Just like his relationship. It wasn't fair that Buffy and Marty was able to hold hands, kiss, or do any cringe worthy couple thing in public. TJ has to rely on the privacy of their swing set. Hidden from the world.

A nudge knock him out of his thoughts. He had finished getting dressed and turns around to see Luke behind him. Luke leans in and say, "Bet."

He leaves along with the other boys taking their time. TJ's eyes widen. Did he know? Was their a slip that TJ didn't catch? Was that hug too much? Did he smell like Cyrus? Wait no, that's not possible. Gabe's cheap drug store body spray overpowered every other smell in the room. Without hesitating any longer, TJ grabs his stuff and runs after the boys.

The medium size group of boys were already out of the gym by the time TJ caught up to them. He ran fast and was able to hear the end of the conversation, which included hearing Cyrus's name and laughing.

TJ taps Hunter's shoulder. "Hey, man. What's up?"

"You should know."

"I don't."

Gabe faces him. He adjusts his gym bag around his shoulder. "Look, it's nothing serious. We're just talking about your friendship with Cyrus, that's all."

"And maybe joking a little. Just the usual guy stuff." Luke adds.

TJ shook his head. He doesn't know what to feel. Embarrassed? Angry? Sad? Murderous? Ok so maybe that last emotion wasn't possible. This isn't an episode of Riverdale where we go around killing people we don't like.

Instead, TJ just carries a blank face. "What about us?"

Luke couldn't help but chuckle. "You serious? You're the star basketball player. He's just some wimpy nerd. Why would you ever want to be friends with him? Is he paying you?"

"It's not like that!" TJ practically yells. Fists are slowly forming. "He just tutors me, which lead us to getting to know each other more. Which then caused us to be friends."

"I don't know if guy friends do the same things you and Cyrus do." Gabe chimes in. He takes a step forward, along with his scent. "I mean, what guy friends hold hands, smile at each other when it's not needed, always hug, and use emojis? I don't do any of that, neither does any of the other guys in the school, and the world to add to the list."

TJ starts shaking a little. Hunter opens his mouth. "It's all cool if the two of you are really close. We were just joking. We don't know what's going on."

TJ's mind is now a nervous wreck. So many thoughts and scenarios ran through his brain. Next thing he knew, he said it. "I'm gay."

Slowly looking up, TJ saw their faces. Surprisingly, they didn't look angry or disgusted. Then Hunter gasps. "Does Cyrus know?"

Gabe slaps the back of his head. "Think again. They're dating."

Hunter gasps again. "That makes more sense."

TJ turned around and started walking away. Tears falling down, hitting the ground.

Luke sped up his pace and caught up to him. He placed himself in front of TJ to make him stop. "Listen, TJ. We-"

"Just save it." TJ says. He wipes some of the tears. "I get it. You and the others are gonna joke even more. Kick me off the team. And just make my life miserable."

"What? We would never do that."

"Y'all were joking just a few minutes ago."

"It was friendly joking. Like what friends typically do. TJ, we're not some of those gross homophobes. We don't care. We were just joking because we didn't know. We'll stop now. Please, don't be mad."

Luke opens his arms for a hug. TJ thinks for a minute before doing anything. He tries thinking of what Cyrus would do. Without taking too much time, TJ accepted and hugged Luke.

The others went up to them and joined to make a large group hug. When they all separated, the other guys all made hearts with their hands. TJ couldn't help but to smile. This was nothing like he had imagined. It was even better. What wasn't better was the thought he has now about being late for his date with Cyrus.

TJ ran off, practically leaving a trail of dust. "Gotta blast. Date with Cyrus."

The boys congratulates him with shouting and applause. TJ looks back at them and gives them a thumbs up.