This story takes place right after the season finale, if Jonah decided at the last minute not to go to the Ultimate camp, but him and Andi's relationship was tarnished by him considering leaving in the first place. Also, the title of the story is a play on words. I was worried no one would notice.
"Why don't you try out for a different sport?" asked Cyrus. He walked Jonah over to the school bulletin board. "There's wrestling, baseball, basketball...hey, basketball! That's perfect. Buffy can train you."
"I don't know, Cyrus. I've never really been good at any sports other than Ultimate, and the fact that I almost went to that camp just to get better shows that I'm not even very good at that," rebutted Jonah.
Just then, TJ turned a corner and started to walk down the hallway when he saw Cyrus.
"What's up, man?" greeted TJ.
"Oh, hey, TJ," Cyrus responded.
"What you up to?" asked TJ.
"Just trying to see which sport Jonah should sign up for."
"Who's Jonah?"
TJ hadn't even noticed Jonah standing there. Jonah was looking over the bulletin board with a disheartened expression.
"Oh, sorry." Jonah turned his attention away from the board, for a moment, to introduce himself to TJ. "I'm Jonah. Nice to meet you, man."
Jonah extended his arm for a handshake. TJ was frozen, for a moment. Of course he'd heard Cyrus mention Jonah in conversation and he'd seen Cyrus with him, on occasion, but he'd never gotten a good look at the guy. Wow. He was just...perfect, and look at those eyes. There probably wasn't even a single girl at that school who was prettier than the short boy trying to shake his hand, right now. Beautiful was the only word TJ could think of to describe him.
"Are you okay?" asked Jonah.
His hand was still floating in front of TJ's torso, waiting for his handshake offer to be accepted.
"Oh, crap. Sorry. Daydreaming." TJ finally shook Jonah's hand. "The name's TJ."
TJ's face was a little red and he was acting flustered and kinda nervous. Cyrus had never seen him act that way. He was used to his "too cool for school" demeanor.
"Are you okay, TJ?" asked Cyrus.
"Oh, yeah, totally. Hey, since you guys are looking for a sport, how about basketball?"
"TJ's the captain," Cyrus informed Jonah.
"Yeah, and since I'm the captain, I could totally guarantee you a spot on the squad."
"I don't know. Like I was just telling Cy-Guy here, I've never been much good at any sport other than Ultimate."
"I can teach you. I can totally teach you how to play basketball. I am the captain, after all."
Cyrus didn't understand why TJ seemed so eager to help, but he was glad someone was willing to help Jonah.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot if the captain is teaching me," said Jonah.
"Awesome. Meet me in the gym after school?" TJ asked.
"Okay," agreed Jonah with a smile. "Thanks. I appreciate your help."
"Hey, no problem," said TJ in a smooth manner. "Later, dudes."
TJ walked off toward his next class.
"Wow, he's so nice," commented Jonah.
"Yeah, to you. TJ's never that nice to people he doesn't know. Must be that unspoken cool guy connection," Cyrus deduced.
"You're silly, Cy."
Jonah tussled Cyrus' hair. When school was over, Jonah changed into the clothes he usually wore for Ultimate and headed toward the gym from his last class. TJ was sitting on the bottom bleacher dribbling a basketball. After a moment, he noticed Jonah had entered the gym.
"Hey. JB," TJ said.
"JB?"
Jonah didn't know what that meant.
"Yeah, JB. Jonah Beck, right?"
"Ooooh. Yeah. Just never had anyone call me that before."
"Oh, my bad."
"No, no, it's totally fine, man. JB...I like it."
Jonah smiled.
"Good," said TJ before shooting a free throw while still looking at Jonah and sinking it right through the hoop.
Jonah heard the unmistakable sound of the ball going through the net and turned around to see the basketball bouncing on the floor.
"Wow. You're awesome," said Jonah, impressed.
"Thanks, man. Now you try."
"Oh, no. I'm just gonna embarrass myself, especially after that."
"What are we here for? To help you get better. You've gotta start somewhere, right?"
Jonah reluctantly nodded in agreeance, then position himself to shoot the ball.
"Spread your legs. It'll give you better balance."
TJ gently used his hand to push Jonah's legs a bit farther apart. Each time he did, he put his hand just below the bottom of the athletic shorts Jonah was wearing, then slowly moved it superiorly up Jonah's leg 'til it was on his thigh, way higher than necessary, which made Jonah shudder a bit, never having felt someone's hand on that part of his body. Jonah didn't know how he felt about TJ's hand placement. He felt like he should be uncomfortable, but he more so felt like TJ was so tall and athletic that he was gonna touch a little guy like Jonah however he felt was necessary.
"Now stand like this," TJ continued.
He grabbed Jonah's hips and positioned him more properly, sure to subtly press his crotch against the back of Jonah. TJ was so much taller than Jonah that his groin was more so pressed against Jonah's lower back than anywhere else, so TJ crouched down a bit, lining his crotch up with Jonah's butt, which Jonah could only assume was for the sake of orientating him properly to shoot the ball.
"Now shoot," TJ finally instructed.
Jonah propelled the basketball, which proceeded to arc right through the hoop.
"I made it on the first on the first try, dude!" Jonah proclaimed.
He jumped up to hug TJ and TJ actually lifted him off the ground so that Jonah was hugging him in mid-air with his arms around TJ's neck and his legs around his hips. They were both laughing. TJ was holding Jonah up by his buttocks. Jonah moved his face from TJ's neck to look at his face. They were both smiling as TJ continued holding up Jonah.
"Wow, you're strong," Jonah remarked.
"Nah, you're just really light," TJ said in a falsely modest manner. "You like strong guys?"
"What do you mean?" Jonah asked.
"Do you like that I can pick you up and stuff?"
"Yeah, sure," Jonah answered. TJ finally let Jonah down. "You're so tall," said Jonah.
"Then it's a good thing I can pick you up, huh?" said TJ.
"Yeah, man. You're probably right."
Jonah chuckled.
"Can you reach my face?" TJ asked.
"I think so." Jonah reached up cupped TJ's ears with his hands. "Yep, got it."
"Hey, you're standing on your toes. No fair," said TJ.
Jonah laughed again. TJ was holding Jonah's hips as he held TJ's head.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" TJ asked.
"Well, kinda. We sorta fell out of boyfriend-girlfriend territory again after she thought I was leaving for that Ultimate camp. Why?"
"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"
"Well, no. I only like girls."
"So you wouldn't date me?"
TJ made a puppy dog face.
"I mean, you're super cool, man, and so nice, but I've never dated a guy before."
"Come on. Just give me a chance. That's all I'm asking for."
Jonah laughed.
"I didn't even know you liked boys," said Jonah.
"Well, I really don't, but I like you."
"But I am a boy," Jonah responded.
"Yeah, but look at you, man. You're so pretty."
Jonah started to blush uncontrollably.
"You're so nice. I mean, I guess it wouldn't hurt to go on a date, since it seems like you want to so badly. I can't believe a guy is asking me out. Never expected this to happen. So you are asking me out, right?" asked Jonah.
"Heck yeah," TJ confirmed.
"Alright. Let's do it," Jonah said.
"Score," said TJ.
He finally let go of Jonah, then started to dance, which made Jonah laugh until his face turned red.