Not-So-Scary Basketball Boyfriend | Tyrus

5

The twinkling plink plink plink of the piano was cut short when someone knocked on the door.

It was Sunday afternoon. TJ's mom didn't have any students on Sunday so she'd went to pick up crafting supplies; she was almost out of yarn. Cyrus was busy with his parents all day, or at least that was what his text had said yesterday when TJ had asked for a raincheck to hangout at his place instead of the movies.

He narrowed his eyes at the door before standing up and closing the lid of the piano with a fairly loud thud. His sock clad feet were quiet as he slid to the door on the hardwood floors that covered the first floor of his house. His grandparents' place had carpet, but it wasn't the same. Besides, his grandparents always answered their own door.

"Reed?"

"Sup, Tee," Reed said pushing into the house the same as he'd always done. As if he hadn't been ignoring TJ's apologies for weeks since they'd been back in school. "So what have I missed while I was in the slammer?"

"You weren't in prison, Reed." TJ rolled his eyes and closed the door, crossing his arms, unsure of what his friend would want.

"Felt like prison."

"You were at home."

"Yeah, grounded," he emphasized, "with no phone or laptop or tablet. Plus I had community service."

"Still wasn't prison," TJ glanced down at the carpet as he shrugged. When he looked back up, Reed had dropped his goofy, playful grin. It was the most serious TJ had seen him look in ages. It took him back to when he'd cut on his desk lamp during one of their 5th grade sleepovers and told TJ that his parents were separating. That his mom didn't want to take him with her. That he felt worthless. That he wondered if it was because he liked boys and girls. TJ had held him when he cried.

"But it could've been."

"Don't be dramatic."

"No, really, Tee. I thought it'd be cool, you know? You were always going on about Cyrus and I wanted him to think we were cool. I didn't expect him to be so..."

"Cyrus?" TJ offered and Reed laughed but agreed.

"I shouldn't have brought the gun. I shouldn't even have taken it out of my dad's shit, but... Who knows what I would've done if I'd've kept it. I would've gotten into way more trouble if you didn't tell, that's for sure." He made eye contact. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, man," said TJ looking away, but he flopped next to his friend on the couch. "It was a dumb move. You know that."

Reed laughed and punched his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." He nudged TJ with his elbow. "But really, thanks for being there for me. Even if you were really doing it for Cyrus or whatever."

"I wasn't only doing it for Cyrus," TJ said with a laugh. "He just made me realize that maybe it wasn't all fun and games, you know."

"Well, thank him for me too. And I'm sorry your boyfriend hates me, dude. Bro nights are gonna be brutal."

"Bro nights are safe, I promise he doesn't hate you," said TJ laughing again.

"But he is your boyfriend?" Reed asked with raised eyebrows and a goofy expectant look on his face.

"Shut up."

"Ooooh, Kippen's got game!" he teased. "When did that happen?"

"I don't— it's not like that. Cyrus just gets me." TJ knew he was blushing but he was glad Reed didn't call him on it. "We just sort of asked each other a couple of weeks ago." 17 days, he thought to himself. He and Cyrus had officially been together for 17 days. He knew Reed would tease him if he knew how reverently TJ had been counting the days.