Someday
Chapter One: "The One I See"
Jyrus has ended. Tyrus has begun and someday we will accept it. Someday.
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Months prior, if you had informed Cyrus that he would have been good friends with the captain of the Basketball team and super jock, TJ Kippen...
He would have laughed in your face.
A laughter that would have continued if you had informed him that they had met on a swing set. An encounter that had even lead to cause issues between him and his best friend plus loyal secret sharer Buffy. Yet, that was how it had happened and he still had troubles believing it. It was nearly as bad as the rom-coms that the trio he dubbed the 'good hair crew' watched on sleepovers, where the girl and guy just happen to meet. There was no doubt that Buffy would never let Cyrus live down the embarrassment of becoming such a cliche. Which, if he admitted to himself, began when TJ came like a prince of the olden days and got the damsel; his chocolate choc chip muffin.
Eventually, that laughter would have ended with an awestruck expression and Cyrus asking you: "Wait, really?"
But now he stood staring blankly, unable to trust his own reality.
Knowing inside that something had changed.
That the individual who had assisted him in doing a somersault, was becoming something that had been previously filled by the boy who made the sun shine brighter with every dimple filled smile: Jonah Beck. That, was replaced by the 'not-so-scary basketball dude' who had snuck into Cyrus's life. He'd have bitten his tongue if he had dared say heart.
Which he promptly did upon thinking that.
Through he did notice the irony in the universe's decision to make him interested in jocks when he barely understood that there were differing sports, let alone how to play any of them.
If he was entirely honest, he barely knew what he was himself. His parents spun term after term while discussing patients, and Cyrus made a note of every term they used to describe what someone liked.
He didn't know how to even say THAT word when describing himself, and even when coming 'out' to his best friend he had refused to use the term and only admitting to the sheer fact that he liked the Jonah Beck. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that all members of the good hair crew were chasing, or had chased.
Looking back, Cyrus found himself forgetting just what Jonah had done to steal his heart as badly as the unaware boy had.
Only that Jonah had been the first boy to ever worm his way into his lonely and meager existence that wasn't forced to through blood.
So with that, he was left in the dark again. Lost, confused and definitely unwilling to approach Buffy for help on this. While he knew that she somewhat supported his friendship with the jock, TJ had more than likely ruined any chance of the girl liking him anytime soon. Let alone allowing him to get closer to Cyrus that he already was. The issue that he faced was that TJ was getting closer and it felt like the universe and his own soul wanted the basketballer closer.
Yet Cyrus could feel something holding him back, and he thought he knew what it was but wasn't going to just let it happen until he had solved it.
Even if TJ and him were meant to happen, someday.
•····················•
The slight smugness on TJ's smiling face every time he saw Cyrus by himself, was one thing about the jock that Cyrus both hated and adored. It was like TJ's way of saying he owned him, but still didn't tie Cyrus down.
A feeling that had brought warmth and almost safety to the jewish boy,as he smiled back and gave the basketballer a small wave. Who returned the wave, with yet another smug smirk.
That cocky attitude didn't mean the same thing to a certain other, and was exactly what warranted warnings from his best friend. TJ, in her eyes, was a snake that always bared its venomous fangs. Pretty from a distance, but one that wouldn't hesitate to strike should one stray too close to its den. He was sure that TJ would say the same for Buffy, however.
Metaphoric butterflies began to swarm inside of him as the not so scary basketballer began to make his way towards him. TJ had an air of confidence, and Cyrus noticed that something about him was slightly off. He couldn't quite place it, especially as he tried not to stare while acting like he was fussing with his locker.
Something that quickly became an issue when it felt like his world began getting slower and fuzzier, except for one thing: TJ. He was the only thing in complete focus. He eyes first fell to the pale blue of TJ's hoodie, a color that matched his own palette. In fact, the shade of blue was one of his favourites and even adorned the walls of his main bedroom in his mother and step-fathers house.
Cyrus jumped back when his locker slammed shut, TJ's hand having pushed the metal and now being the taller teen's support as he grinned down the the nerd. He had the intimidating presence that made Cyrus feel like he was face-to-face with Buffy when she was in a mood he couldn't place or the mood she gained anytime he mentioned the jock in her presence.
With TJ intent on talking to him, Cyrus knew that he was in trouble or in for something fun, and it was always the universe's coin flip to decide his fate. He reminded himself to tread carefully. Better than to test Buffy's warnings. Especially now that Marty had gone and she had no one left able to control her. Through he had heard rumblings that Marty was now going by the name Oscar and living with his long-lost father, a former Navy Seal.
"Hey,"
Cyrus felt his heart thump from the cockyness in the voice of the boy he refused to admit he liked.
Nervously looking into the jock's eyes, Cyrus asked: "H-hi TJ… can I get back in my locker?"
He was ignored.
"Isn't that the shirt you were wearing when we first met, Underdog?" TJ questioned, eyes roaming over the striped shades of blue button up. In all honesty, TJ couldn't care less about the shirt he was wearing. The jock was far more interested in the nerdy boy's stutter, that adorable quirk which made Cyrus blush and bite his lip as if he was saying a silent sorry. Said redness only got worse as Cyrus looked down and nodded as he took in his own shirt.
Cyrus internally groaned. There was still a small stain of chocolate on the sleeve. "Oh.. um, I-I hadn't noticed. Just threw it on. You know how it is, brah..."
"Suuure. It suits you."
"T-Thanks TJ…"
Silence followed.
It was to be expected of two confused teens, both unwilling to admit their affection for the other.
Cyrus' eyes darted around the hall, looking desperately to stick to anything but the jock.
A clock on the wall that made the moment stretch for an eternity... or an afterschool sign up for soccer that almost made TJ glance, and then back to the jock himself and the baby-blue hoodie that looked out of place.
Then it clicked.
That something that was off. The subtle change to TJ that had stolen his eye and attention while he had been crossing the hall. Whatever had made everything blur away for the first time and leave only the jock in focus was how different that one change made TJ look. It was the same feeling he had gotten when trying on suits with Jonah as his eyes roamed the neatly dressed teen without any need to look away. He was meant to look. And something about TJ now made him feel that same way, intended or otherwise. Cyrus was supposed to stare.
"So… Basketball tonight? Cyrus attempted, hoping to ignore it.
TJ simply smirked and shook his head in amusement at his chocolate choc chip muffins complete lack of knowledge when it came to anything sports related. "Seasons over."
"Oh…"
Raising an eyebrow at his muffin's meekness, TJ pushed himself up and slipped his hands into his pockets. He fought himself not to cross his arms and intimidate Cyrus more than he already always was. "Just oh? Not going to tell me something uplifting? Gotta say, that's unlike you."
"Um… uh… uplifting for sports… um there's always another season…" Cyrus stuttered, sweating a little, "... next year… I think?"
"Yes Underdog… there's another season next year."
Despite the amusement in his eyes and his slight smile, TJ sighed. He moved to touch Cyrus' shoulder and saw the other boy flinch.
The nerdy boy stared as the hand of the jock hovered there for a long moment, unwilling to move until he stopped staring and started breathing again. TJ looked concerned over his slight confused pout.
"You ok Cyrus? Buffy isn't in your head again, is she? Don't let her do that to you, man, it's weak!" TJ growled internally at the girl. Under his breath, he added: "Just like her three-pointer."
"N-No! She's not in my head… r-really!" Cyrus replied, knowing in his heart that it was the truth.
Buffy wasn't in his head, TJ was. He just wasn't sure if he should let him stay there.
"Oh yeah? Then tell me something…" TJ smirked, enjoying the blush more than he should have.
"About what?" Cyrus questioned, not really good under any sort of pressure.
"Let's start small, ok? You don't like being on the spot, do you Cyrus?" TJ questioned more to himself than Cyrus.
The nerd bit his lip. As if that was a real question. "Sorry… It's part of my stuff…"
The jock couldn't help but grin at his muffin's call back to their encounter on the swings. Ignoring that, he faked a look of thought, slightly annoyed that he would had to make the question. Yet he had known that he would have had to, anyway. It wasn't in Cyrus' nature to point something out when he was nervous, only in a casual conversation.
Nodding slightly, the shorter boy's head was abuzz with questions.
Why would TJ want to know something? Whenever he tried to tutor him, he was met with a solid no.
He wondered if it could be on something a little more heated, something that didn't just put him on the spot like TJ had asked, but something to make him flustered. He knew that TJ enjoyed his stutter and embarrassment, but could he really do something that… wicked?
That sly look didn't help.
"Like… what do you think about me hoodie? Nice colour? Does it suit me…?"
"Oh, is that all? I-I love the color! Is it new?"
TJ smiled at his excitement over a simple blue. "Yeah, actually. Brought it Saturday. I thought about inviting you to pick something out, but you would have been with her…"
Cyrus blushed when he heard that the TJ Kippin was going to invite him out.
"A-Actually… I was with Jonah. Helping him with getting his Vest-Friend Vest ready…"
"Oh." TJ sounded aggravated, yet his expression did not change. "And just what is a 'Vest-Friend Vest'?"
Cyrus pulled out his phone and found a picture of the vest he held so dear. He knew better than to show the one with Jonah in it with him.
"It's this really cool vest I made for Jonah's Ultimate Frisbee games so I can help the team! And Jonah wanted to help out and learn about the Frisbee League so I took him to buy one for himself. Only a Vest-Friend can have… o-one…"
The awkward boy gulped, recalling his own words.
"So you wear that to Jonah's Ultimate Frisbee games? Yet you don't to my Basketball games?" TJ smirked, smugly. "Should I feel insulted…"
"N-NO! It's just something I do for the Space Otters as their first f-fan…" Cyrus blushed.
TJ smirked internally at the Space Dorks only having one fan.
"So Jonah and his Space… Otters can have a Cyrus… and Buffy can have a Cyrus when SHE plays on the court? When do I get a Cyrus? Or do I have to have some kind of problem on the swings for you to fix?"
"T-TJ, NO! I'm your f-friend too…" Cyrus quickly replied, despite being confused about why he was so concerned about TJ thinking he wasn't.
Still smirking, TJ leaned closer. "Oh yeah?"
"I swear!"
"Ok. Then prove it, Cyrus." The jock looked as cocky as ever.
"H-How?" Cyrus gulped.
TJ shrugged slightly and turned on his heel. He leaned against the locker and stared Cyrus down, waiting for him to come up with a way to prove his feelings for once.
"W-What if you come over and, um, play…" Cyrus started, before wondering what the jock possibly could be interested in. "... Video games?"
Sure, he knew full well that any attempt to play a video game was a futile attempt that ended in embarrassment, but Cyrus had nothing else as his mind went blank. TJ was right. Pressure shut his entire system down, leaving him at the mercy of another's sly words. And TJ had no shortage of sly words to trick him into anything that he wanted to do. Be it a basketball game or doing a somersault in a children's gym, somehow Cyrus was trapped doing something he would usually complain himself out of.
With that air of confidence, TJ knew he was doing this. He loved it. Cyrus was easy to will, especially into doing something he wouldn't admit he wanted to do. He took this as Cyrus' way of saying he needed help to play video games, not just an excuse to hang out or find an answer. THAT was what he found so irresistible about Cyrus. He was so complete, yet someone in need of growth and fixing. He seemed to be the only thing TJ could fix.
While it wasn't exactly his kind of thing as he would have prefered a beach day or, ironically, shopping, TJ grinned. "Sure thing, Cyrus. Just don't invite your nerdy friends around, this is just us for once. Got that? … oh, and got Fortnite?"
"Y-Yeah… Jonah and his brother like playing it… so he convinced me…" Cyrus blushed.
"Beck, has a brother?" TJ asked, unaware of their being another of the Beck clan.
"Yeah, he has a younger brother and sister." Cyrus replied.
With that knowledge, TJ couldn't help but try to picture a little Jonah. "Oh."
Little Jonah looked cute.
"... Sooooo yeah, none of your friends and fortnite. This is my night with Cyrus. Isn't that right, friend?"
The smug smirk and the near arrogance in voice as he claimed Cyrus's time as his own while also not leaving any room for any arguments.
"Y-Yeah…"
"Good." TJ moved his fist for a bump, which Cyrus stared at for a long moment before finally just poking the fist. "... you're weird Cyrus. See you after class. And DON'T go running off…"
"You know you never cease to make things sound scary!" Cyrus had to shout the last part as TJ had already walked off.
Cyrus's vision focused solely on TJ as the jock walked away from him, wondering what he had just agreed to and why the butterflies had returned, worse then better.
He expected to hear Buffy's condescending 'Weeell… and just what was HE doing here?'
But it never came.
She wasn't here.
It was just him and the agreement that HE had made.
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The look of almost complete betrayal, when he revealed to Jonah Beck that he had agreed to spend the night with TJ and that he wasn't able to come, was one that Cyrus never wanted to see again. Or ever to begin with.
Jonah's lower lip was hanging low, and Cyrus could have sworn is quivered a little.
He couldn't believe that he had made Jonah Beck's smile falter.
He felt horrible.
"J-Jonah please, please don't give me that look. It's just for the one night. I swear!" He argued, seeing no change in his ex crush's face. "Don't be like Buffy!"
"Y-Your…" Jonah managed to get out, hurt still evident.
Cyrus bit his lip as his mind raced for an excuse, a way to stop the pounding in his chest and return the dimple-filled smile to Jonah Beck's face. Cyrus didn't realise just how much Jonah had come to care for his safety and their friendship, to the point where hanging out with TJ bordered the line of betrayal. Cyrus had the impulse to mention the jock's hair and involve him in the expanding 'good-hair crew', but knew better than to tempt fate.
Hanging with TJ was a betrayal to their 'vest' friendship.
"H-Have I done something wrong Cy-guy?" Jonah stressed. "I-I…"
"Jonah… you could never do anything wrong!" Cyrus looked hurt at the mere suggestion.
His ex-crush didn't look convinced and started thinking of any way he could have hurt Cyrus. There was his outburst in monopoly but everything was settled afterwards. He thought about his panic attacks, like during the Space Otters breakfast and how he had to rely so heavily on Cyrus. Maybe the jewish boy was finally done with having to calm him down, moved on to someone easier to deal with.
Someone stronger.
Better even.
An individual who didn't believe that they were a freak for having panic attacks in Middle School.
"I… I really gotta go," Jonah gripped his stomach, trying to settle his nerves. Everything was swaying ever so slightly, so that it was all just off. He felt like throwing up.
Cyrus attempted to touch his shoulder, but the boy had already rushed past him.
"Jonah…!"
But he was already just another person in the busy crowd of students hustling and bustling to get to next period.
When they were gone, so was he.