Tyrus One Shots

Snap

By: green-lemonboys
"Hey Cyrus, thanks for waiting back with me for practice," Buffy said, trying to catch her breath as the rest of the girls' team left the gym, all shouting out to Buffy and giving high-fives as they left. Cyrus looked up from his phone, a small smile on his face. But it didn't reach his eyes.

"No problem, Buffy," Cyrus said, gathering his stuff. "It was nice to get my mind off things for a bit."

Buffy sighed, looking at her friend helplessly. He looked better than he did the last week, but only slightly. His eyes were still puffy, dark bags under them, and he hadn't smiled genuinely. Not since Costume Day.

TJ was dead, Buffy thought to herself, trying not to let it show on her face as she squeezed Cyrus' shoulder. And to think he had actually changed. Buffy put a smile on her face, hiding her thoughts. "I'll just be done packing up, okay? Wanna head to the Spoon afterwards? Baby taters on me!" she said, trying to get Cyrus even a tiny bit excited.

It seemed to work, his smile growing a bit wider. "That would be ni-," he started, stopping as he heard the gym doors open and a suspiciously familiar girl's voice.

Of course. Kira.

"Get ready to be destroyed, Kippen," she said, as she walked confidently onto the court, TJ safely in tow behind her, silent.

Cyrus' eyes widened, as he immediately started to move out from the bleachers. "Buffy, let's go. Before she sees us," he whispered, grabbing Buffy by the elbow to try and get her to move faster.

"Too late for that," Buffy hissed back, gesturing to Kira, who was now looking pointedly at the two, a smirk on her face.

Cyrus inwardly groaned, trying to keep his fractured feelings together, especially in front of TJ and Kira. He made it a point to keep his eyes trained to his feet, sheepishly following Buffy as she walked forward. Before they reached Kira, Buffy grabbed Cyrus' hand, giving it a squeeze. That sent a rush of relief and comfort through Cyrus. At least he wasn't alone.

"Well, if it isn't the Slayer and Salt-boy," Kira said mockingly, eyeing the two up like they were prey. Buffy just glared at her in response with all her anger, moving involuntarily in front of Cyrus, as if to protect him.

Cyrus couldn't help but feel the stab at his heart when Kira called him 'Salt-boy'. He'd rather never remember anything about that costume, or the person who suggested it. Though that was hard when they were standing right in front of him. But Cyrus resisted the urge to look up, his free hand pulling at his shirt.

"Oh look," Buffy said, matching Kira's tone. "It's Mr and Mrs 'Foul Costume'. What a horrible surprise."

For that one comment, he would give Buffy all the baby taters in the world, Cyrus thought to himself, trying to control the small smile that was appearing.

That comment seemed to annoy Kira even more, causing her to step forward towards Buffy. "Well, at least one of us isn't the captain of a hot mess."

"Well, at least one of us isn't such a sore player that they get kicked off the team."

The two girls were getting closer, and angrier with each sentence. Buffy was all prepared to sucker punch Kira in the jaw, until a strained voice said, "Back off, Kira."

Buffy looked over Kira's shoulder, surprised to hear how TJ sounded. That was also when she got to actually see TJ for the first time, and she had to try and hold back a gasp.

TJ looked awful. His hair was messy, like he couldn't have been bothered to comb it. His eyes were puffy and sunken, bags under them. His shoulders were low, exhausted and defeated. He looked like a small child in front of Kira, like he was scared of her. That was not the TJ Buffy or Cyrus knew. Something was really, really wrong.