Family Friends: A Tyrus High School AU

7

Walking to The Spoon, Kira was now saddled on TJ's back and Cyrus was dragging his feet along, pondering about how he got himself into this awkward situation. He remembered being adamantly against the idea of hanging out with the couple until his freckled friend leaned in closer and he could feel the warmth of his breath against his ear. He remembered how two strands of his sandy pompadour rested on his forehead effortlessly and before he knew it, he was agreeing to his worst nightmare.

"Muffin," TJ called, waving a large hand in front of Cyrus.

"Oh yeah, let's go!" Cyrus replied nervously, watching the scowl grow on Kira's face upon hearing the affectionate nickname.

TJ smiled, "You know, you didn't respond to your name, so I had to get creative," he said to his brown-eyed friend earning a nervous smile from Cyrus.

"You guys are such good friends!" Kira said, stressing the last word and glancing towards Cyrus' direction.

With that, she got off his back and the couple walked hand-in-hand into the spoon.

"That's why it's so important to me that you two get along," TJ started taking a sip from he and Kira's shared milkshake. "I never thought that I'd ever see Cyrus again after I moved and now that he's back in my life, it means that anyone close to me should be close to him too,"

"Anyways Kira, I promised Cyrus that I'd take him to my gym to meet the kids and you have a game so..." TJ said after some baby taters and half a milkshake.

"Is there any way Cyrus could come tomorrow? I wanna get to know him a little," Kira asked TJ sweetly.

TJ's eyes lit up and he left for the gym.

Kira turned to Cyrus. "Cyrus, I don't think I was clear enough last time we spoke. Is there anything you'd like to say to me?" She questioned, her eyebrows were raised and a smug smirk was etched onto her face.

"I refused initially, I really did want to give you guys space but he insisted. I think he wants us to get along," Cyrus said nervously, regretting each word as soon as it came out of his mouth.

"I don't know if you've already forgotten middle school, but we've known each other for a long time. When Buffy and I had our differences, I paid your little group more attention. I know what you are. I'm going to say this plainly. Stay away from TJ. Say whatever you need to say to him to get him to leave you alone." She delivered her speech clearly and slowly, emphasising each plosive to make it abundantly clear to Cyrus what he needed to do.

In conservative Utah, Cyrus knew that the decision that he was about to make wasn't very clever, but he refused to let her take his best friend away from him. Even if she knew who he was, he was no longer scared of her.