Tyrus One Shots

Tyrus Drabbles

                                  By: hearttyrus
"I'm here to see if you're okay." Cyrus said with a sympathtic tone. Never in the short time of knowing TJ Kippen had he ever seen him look so defeated.

"How about..." TJ turned, finally meeting eyes with the brunette before slightly glaring at him. "You're not here at all?"

Cyrus watched TJ's back as he trailed out of the gym and something clenched in his stomach. Suddenly, he felt the urge to go with him, despite it being Buffy's big moment. It almost was instinctive as he hopped off the bleachers and followed TJ to the vending machines.

"Eating your feelings? I do that." Cyrus smiled slightly, hoping to lighten the heavy mood that sourrounded the two boys. TJ didn't respond and instead took a seat at the round table a couple steps away.

Cyrus sat too and immediately began to study the basketball player's handsome face. "Think they'll win without me?" TJ asked, eyebrows furrowing downward with sadness.

"I don't even know who they're playing." Cyrus shrugged, attempting to make the wrinkles between TJ's eyebrows go away.

"The raptors. I should be in that game!" Now TJ was onto the anger stage; fists clenched and his posture stiff.

"Why aren't you?" Cyrus was mildly aware of how he was acting like how his mother probably does with her patients, but he didn't care.

"I'm failing math. They won't let me play basketball because I can't do some stupid equations! How are those things even related?" TJ ranted.

"Maybe you should get a different tutor." Cyrus was being logical, but TJ didn't want to hear it.

"What I need is a different...brain!"

"What's wrong with yours?"

"It doesn't work. There's a...malfunction." TJ slowly gazed up at Cyrus from where he was glaring at the table. "I might have this math dyslexia."

"Dyscalculia." Cyrus' response seemed to shock TJ. "It's pretty common, not worth replacing your brain."

"Dude it's—" TJ cut himself off as two other students passed through the room. "Learning disability. I don't wanna go around announcing it!"

Cyrus' chest felt heavy seeing TJ be so openly insecure about something he couldn't change. "Dude, that's an overused buzzword." Cyrus fell into a hushed whisper, mimicking TJ's anxiety level.

TJ grumbled under his breath. "You don't understand. My brain can't even process numbers correctly! I sit in math class trying to figure the formulas out, but I'm too big of an idiot."

"Hey." Cyrus reached forward and took TJ's hands into his own. In any other situation, he would be madly blushing at holding his crush's hand, but right now he was only focused on reassuring TJ. "I will not let you sit here and call yourself names. Dyscalculia only means that your brain works differently, not that it doesn't work at all!"

Now it was Cyrus' turn to divert his eyes to the table. "And I do know how you feel." These words provoked a confused expression to take over TJ's face. He clearly wasn't getting it.

"I have dyslexia. With reading. Obviously." Cyrus chuckled. Suddenly the tension in the room dropped away and he could've sworn TJ sighed in relief.

"When did you find out?" TJ asked, his voice soft and compassionate towards Cyrus.

"When I was six. Only Andi and Buffy know. Besides my teachers that is." Cyrus let a small smile slip onto his face.

"Thank you." TJ shifted their hands so that he could softly squeeze the smaller boy's. "For telling me. Surprisingly I don't feel as alone anymore."

Cyrus wanted to take a picture of TJ's face. His smile was so brilliant and it was amazing to think this boy even had insecurities in the first place. "Don't thank me yet."

TJ watched as Cyrus regretfully disentangled their hands and stood, gesturing to the door. "I think we need to go talk to Mr. Coleman."

If it was Buffy telling him this, TJ would've immediately shut down and went into defensive mode. But as he watched Cyrus' eyes glisten, he couldn't help but stand to follow him.

Plus their was something about what Cyrus said: we have to talk to Mr. Coleman. He no longer felt scared knowing that Cyrus understood and wanted to help.