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Chapter Text

Cyrus looked so hurt.

As hard as TJ tried, he couldn't get the image out of his head. Cyrus was hurt because of him, and he couldn't do anything about it. He was stuck at school wearing this stupid DRIBBLE t-shirt with Kira, a girl he actually despised, instead of wearing a costume with Cyrus, who’s his... um... yeah.

He always felt comfortable around Cyrus. It was different; he had never felt anything like it before. When he started to realize his feelings went beyond friendship, it wasn't a huge change. Being around Cyrus made him feel good, and that was that. No one had to know but him; it was his own happy little secret.

But then it wasn't. When he realized Kira knew about his feelings, he freaked out.

Am I that obvious? Who else knows? How could I be so careless? He kept asking himself over and over again.

This was the first time he realized that there was more to it than just feeling good around Cyrus. If anything were to happen between them, it wouldn't just stay between them. Suddenly, everyone would be judging them and making it into a huge deal. TJ didn't want that. He just wanted him and Cyrus to be in their own little world.

He couldn't let anyone else realize his secret, and he especially couldn't let Kira tell them. That's why he agreed to do this costume, but seeing Cyrus's face just made him hate himself. For the rest of the day, TJ was miserable. He didn't feel like himself.

When he saw Cyrus in the hall, he couldn't go up to him. He wasn't texting Cyrus in between classes and he didn't eat with Cyrus at lunch. Instead, Kira was dragging him around on her arm all day. He tried to act normal, but he couldn't concentrate on anything.

The weekend passed in a blur; the only thing that somewhat made him feel better was shooting baskets in the hoop in his driveway. But his mind always drifted back to Cyrus. He didn't answer Cyrus's texts, and he started avoiding Cyrus at school. If he saw Cyrus in the cafeteria or in the halls, he turned away. It hurt not to see his best friend, his only real friend, but he just couldn't. He didn't think he could control his actions or his emotions if he talked with Cyrus again, and what if someone else saw the two of them together and realized?

Every day after school, TJ wanted to go to the swings, but he knew Cyrus might be there. If he talked with Cyrus there, he would have to face what he's done. Abandoning Cyrus on costume day, ignoring Cyrus at school, ignoring his texts, all of it. He would have to face how he hurt Cyrus, and he would have to face his feelings and confess why he did it. TJ couldn't do that. He couldn't.

On Friday, Kira came up to him again after basketball practice. "TJ! I've been looking for you!"

TJ looked at her, but didn’t reply.

"I was wondering if I could join the boys’ basketball team?"

"I told you before, no. We have a girls’ team."

"Are you sure? I mean with the things I know..." Kira’s voice trailed off.

TJ's eyes widened. Not again.

"I could really help you!" Or hurt you, TJ heard the unspoken words.

TJ could feel his breaths grow shallow as he pictured what she was suggesting, what she was threatening.

"Fine," he conceded. "I'll talk to the coach. Come next Wednesday day to try out."

"Thank you!"

For the rest of the week, TJ was dreading Kira's try out. He talked to the coach, like he promised, "Buffy didn't let Kira on the girl's team, and she's a really good player. She just wants to play," and he acted excited about it to his teammates, but he couldn't be more afraid. He was going to lose basketball, the one thing he had left that made him feel somewhat happy. His life was being invaded.

When the following Wednesday finally arrived, TJ felt sick. Some of his teammates must have picked up on that because they started teasing him. "What's the matter TJ? Nervous for your girlfriend's try out?" one of his teammates, Zack, asked him.

"She's not my girlfriend," TJ mumbled, glaring daggers at Zack.

"Geez, don't be so sensitive about it," Zack said. When TJ didn’t reply, he went to join the rest of their teammates in the gym, and TJ soon followed.

Kira made it onto the team, because of course she did, and TJ was lost. Anywhere he went, Kira was there, and Cyrus wasn't. Kira sat with him and his teammates at lunch, she walked with him in the halls between classes, she was at all the basketball practices. Every time he saw her, he was filled this with immense guilt, and every time she spoke to him, he was terrified. Why did he have to be such a coward?

That Friday, TJ was sitting at lunch with his teammates, when he spotted Cyrus across the room. He couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like Cyrus was upset. Andi and Buffy were beside him, with their arms around him. TJ forced himself to tear his eyes away. When he looked up again, he made eye contact with Buffy, who was storming towards his table. TJ quickly gathered his things, made an excuse to his teammates, and rushed out of the cafeteria.

When Buffy finally caught up to him, they were outside the school.

"TJ," she yelled at him. "What the hell is going on?"

TJ didn't stop walking. "I don't know what you mean."

"TJ stop." Buffy grabbed him by the wrist, forcing him to turn around. "I thought you were Cyrus's friend!"

"I was."

"Do you have any idea what you did to him? He was so excited for costume day, and you abandoned him!"

I know.

"And then you had the nerve to stop talking with him altogether. He's been miserable! He cared about you so much, and thought you cared about him too."

Please stop.

"Now he thinks he meant nothing to you! He keeps wondering why you did this, and he feels worthless."

Stop.

"And then, when we finally managed to make him feel just a little better about himself, we heard you let Kira onto the boys' basketball team?"

"SHUT UP!" TJ yelled at Buffy, finally breaking. He wrenched his arm out of her grip and started walking away again.

"He promised me you changed, and I believed him. I guess we were wrong." That made TJ pause. He turned back around and saw Buffy walking away.

"Buffy, wait," he said weakly.

She stopped walking. "Why should I? After everything you've done."

TJ took a breath. "I didn't want to do any of those things. I'm just so scared." TJ could feel his voice wavering, and he blinked back the tears that started forming in his eyes.

Buffy sighed, and turned back towards TJ. "I know you care about Cyrus. What is going on?"

TJ shook his head. "I can't," he said, sitting down on the outdoor table next to him. He covered his face with his hands, trying to hold back tears.

"What can't you do?"

"TJ?" a new voice asked. Both Buffy and TJ looked up, and TJ jumped onto his feet when he saw Kira. "Buffy?"

"Kira," Buffy replied.

"TJ, why are you talking with her? Come back to lunch."

TJ looked between Kira and Buffy. He didn't want to go back to lunch, but he couldn't stay here. He saw Buffy look at him with realization and turn to Kira.

"What are you doing to him?"

"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything."

TJ couldn't stay here. He had to go. He had to leave. Now. He started running. He heard both Kira and Buffy yelling out behind him but he didn't stop. He didn't think about where he was going, he just kept running, until he found himself at the swings. He almost turned away, until he remembered it's the middle of the school day, so Cyrus won't show up.

So he sat down on a swing. He just sat. Sort of rocked back and forth a little. GOD why was he such a coward? None of this would have happened if he wasn't such a stupid coward. He couldn't stop thinking about everything he ruined, and what he would do differently if he could go back in time. He would start by never talking to Kira, that's for sure.

TJ just sat there, rocking back and forth, for hours. He lost track of time, until he heard a familiar voice. One he hadn't heard in two weeks.

"TJ?"

Chapter Text

Cyrus had been so excited about costume day. Him and TJ were dressing as somersault! SOMERSAULT! That was their thing! They had a thing! 

It was times like those he could imagine being TJ's boyfriend. He should have known better.

When he saw TJ and Kira wearing their matching dribble t-shirts, reality came crashing down around him. It was heartbreaking; it was Jonah all over again. Cyrus tried to hold back tears. Of course he doesn't like me. He's straight. We're friends. That's all we're ever going to be.

But TJ had seemed so excited about this costume. Why did he suggest it to me if he was just going to back out last minute? Why didn't he tell me? Did he want me to look like an idiot? 

Cyrus didn't know what to think, but one thing’s for sure: he was crushed. It's one thing to think your feelings probably aren't returned. At least then you have some hope things could go your way. It's another thing altogether to have it proven.

Afterschool at the Spoon, Cyrus told the whole story to Buffy. "It just really hurts because I thought... maybe... he might have feelings for me?" 

"You have a crush on TJ, don't you?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Why do I have to go through this again?" Buffy put a hand on his arm, and Cyrus sighed. "I just don't get why he didn't tell me. And he was even the one who suggested our costume, why did he back out? Even if he didn't like me like that, I at least thought I was important to him."

"You are," Buffy insisted.

Cyrus smiled weakly at her. "I should text him." 

Hey tj, didn't see you all day. I'm a little disappointed we didn't get to do the costume....

"You think that's okay?" 

Buffy confirmed it was good, so he pressed send.

TJ didn't text back.

After saying goodbye to Buffy, he still was feeling bad, so went to the swings. TJ wasn't there. Figures. 

He sat for a little while, but it only made him feel worse. It felt like something was missing. TJ was missing. This had become their place, and now it felt empty without him.

He went home, and TJ still didn't text him back.

He tried to figure out why TJ ditched him to do a costume with Kira. Did he like her? Cyrus didn't see how he could, based on what Buffy told them. Maybe he just preferred her costume idea. But that didn't make sense either, he was so excited about somersault.

Cyrus didn't feel good about himself right then, but he tried to hold himself together. He knew there must be an explanation. He kept reminding himself of that, trying not to break down. I'm sure TJ will explain everything when he sees my text.

That evening he was texting Andi.

Andi: Why did TJ do a costume with Kira?? I didn't even know they were friends.

Cyrus: I don't know. I haven't talked to him.

Andi: Oh. 

And TJ still didn't text back. For the entire weekend. Why didn't he text back? Why doesn't he want to talk? Was my text too accusatory? Should I not have mentioned the costume? Cyrus tried not to worry too much. There was probably some good reason that TJ wasn't responding. Maybe his phone broke. He'd see him on Monday, and everything would go back to normal.

On Monday morning, Cyrus waited outside the school, hoping to see TJ. And he did!

"TJ!"

TJ looked at Cyrus, then turned away and sped up. 

Cyrus could feel his face fall as his fears, the things he didn't let himself think about over the weekend, were confirmed. He really meant nothing to TJ. Tears started to grow in his eyes. Oh no, I can't cry here. He ran into the school to the bathroom, locked himself in a stall, and started sobbing. 

Cyrus meant nothing to TJ. TJ was just waiting for an opportunity to humiliate Cyrus, and then act like they didn't know each other. He didn't forget to tell him about switching costumes, and he didn't already have the "summer" outfit. He just wanted Cyrus to show up dressed as a salt shaker and look like an idiot. TJ was the one person that made Cyrus feel like he always came first, and that was all fake.

Cyrus shook his head. That couldn't be true. He knows TJ cared about him. Why did he do this?

What if the reason TJ bailed was because he found out Cyrus was gay? Maybe that's why TJ stopped talking with Cyrus. Maybe TJ was disgusted with him and didn't want to be around him anymore. What popular basketball captain wants to be friends with the nerdy gay kid?

Cyrus wasn't sure which possibility he hated more.

He cried until the first bell rang, signaling five minutes before class started. At that point, he drank some water to try to pull himself back together. He wiped his eyes with a damp paper towel to reduce redness, and went to class. 

He tried to concentrate, but he felt sick to his stomach and his mind kept wandering off. How couldn't I have known? He was barely able to make it to lunch without bursting into tears again.

When he saw Andi and Buffy at lunch, tears immediately started flowing from his eyes. "You were right. I never should have become friends with TJ."

"Woah slow down, what's going on?" Buffy asked, her voice filled with concern.

Cyrus told them about how TJ ignored him before school, and how he realized there are only two possibilities. Either TJ was just manipulating him all this time so he could humiliate Cyrus when the right time came, or TJ found out Cyrus was gay and wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

After he finished, Andi was the first to speak. "Cyrus, I'm sure that's not what's going on. He probably has some other reason for everything he did."

"Oh yeah, what?"

Neither Andi nor Buffy could answer.

"It's okay. I mean, it makes sense. I always thought that him wanting to be my friend was too good to be true. Guess I was right."

"Cyrus, stop. TJ is a jerk and you're too good for him," Buffy said. Cyrus wanted to believe her, but he couldn't.

By the end of lunch, Cyrus was growing nauseated, so he went to the nurse. She asked if she needed to call a parent to take him home, but Cyrus told her he just wanted to rest. He laid down on one of the beds, and stayed there until the school day ended, tears silently falling from his eyes.

The next day, he told his mom he needed to take a mental health day.

"Is there anything going on that you want to talk with me about?"

"No, I just need a day off."

Cyrus spent that day in bed as well, except for going to the kitchen to get food.

Buffy and Andi texted him a few times to check in with him.

Andi: you doing okay?

Cyrus: yeah, I just needed a day off

Buffy: you want me to beat tj up?

Cyrus: please dont

At dinner time Cyrus's mom asked him again what was going on. Cyrus gave her a weak smile and told her he didn't want to talk about it.

"Okay, but you know if you ever want to, I'm here to listen."

"I know."

Cyrus went back to school the next day. He felt a little better, but still not back to normal. He tried not to think about TJ. He knew he was acting quieter, more subdued, than usual. Andi and Buffy kept checking in with him, and Buffy offered to beat TJ up several more times. It was nice. 

At least I still have these guys. Even if they make me feel less important than other things in their lives sometimes. TJ never did that...

By the next week, he started to move on. He still hadn't perked up back to normal, but Buffy and Andi went back to discussing this week's drama. (Will Andi's parents get married? Will Jonah and Amber stay together?) Cyrus listened to the conversations, but didn't contribute much. 

Every day after school, Cyrus passed through the park on his walk home. A part of him still hoped to find TJ there. Of course he never was, but Cyrus couldn't stop himself from checking anyways. 

It wasn't long before Cyrus heard about Kira joining the basketball team. It was just some kids he overheard gossiping in the hall, but when he went to lunch, he saw Kira sitting with the boys' basketball team. TJ was there too. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.

It felt like a wound had been ripped back open. Cyrus wasn't sure if he was sad or angry. On one hand, Cyrus was reminded of all the things he pushed into the back of his mind and tried to forget. On the other hand, he knew what Kira did to the girls' team, and he knew TJ knew too. And he still let her on the team? Does TJ endorse that kind of behavior? Cyrus was wrong to ever think TJ could change.

Andi and Buffy noticed where Cyrus was staring and followed his gaze. 

"Why is Kira sitting with the boys' basketball team?" Buffy asked.

"He let her on the team," Cyrus said quietly. He started shaking and dug his fingernails into his palms. Tears started forming in his eyes. How could TJ do this? He wouldn't even let Buffy play last year, and now he's letting Kira, a known bully, on the team? Cyrus didn't understand. 

"Hey, Cyrus," Buffy said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Andi put her hand on his other shoulder. "It's okay."

No it's not. Cyrus shrugged off both of them, grabbed his lunch, and stood up. "I'm sorry I have to go." He couldn't be in the same room as TJ and Kira.

However, as soon as he left the cafeteria, he realized he didn't know where he was going. He leaned his back against the wall and slid down into a seated position. 

It all made sense. Kira was a bully. TJ was a bully. They'd be perfect together.

That doesn't mean it didn't hurt. 

The rest of the day went by in a haze. Cyrus felt like he was running on autopilot. 

He didn't know what to think. He thought TJ was his friend, but now TJ wouldn't talk to him. He thought TJ had changed and was trying to be better, but he just Kira onto the basketball team. He kept trying to figure out why this happened, but he couldn't think of any reason except that TJ must still be the bully he always had been. Cyrus didn't want to believe that, but there was no other possibility.

After school Cyrus walked home, taking the route through the park as usual. It had become a force of habit at this point. He almost couldn't believe his eyes when he saw there, in broad daylight, sitting on a swing,

"TJ?"

Chapter Text

"TJ?"

TJ looked up and saw Cyrus standing right there. He was so close. TJ could see the confused expression on his face, and the scared and pained look in his eyes. He knew he was the cause of that look, and he hated it, but he couldn't fix it.

I have to go, TJ thought, but he had to force himself to break eye contact and tear himself from the swing. He grabbed his backpack and started walking away.

"TJ stop."

TJ stopped. He didn't know why.

"I'm not going to let you walk away. You owe me an explanation," Cyrus said. When TJ didn't move, he started to yell. "Why did you bail on the costume and dress with Kira instead? Why didn't you tell me? Why have you been ignoring me? And why have you let Kira, of all people, onto your basketball team?"

Cyrus was practically screaming at him, and TJ didn't think he had ever heard Cyrus get like this. He turned back towards Cyrus and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. How was he supposed to explain what's going on without telling Cyrus his secret? He wasn't sure if he was ready. He definitely wasn't ready to bring up his crush.

"I keep trying to figure it out. I've been wracking my brain, and none of it makes sense. The only thing I could come up with is that," Cyrus's voice breaks, "you must've been using me. You were waiting for a chance to make me look like an idiot, and when that chance came, you just left me."

"Cyrus no." TJ expected Cyrus to hate him. But he wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to actually see it. He didn't want Cyrus to think all these things about him. "That's not-" he stopped himself. If he denied it, he would have to explain everything.

"What else could it have been? Well, I thought it could've been something else. I thought you might've found something out about me that made you hate me."

"No, Cyrus, I could never-"

"Until I started considering Kira. You know how Kira acted around the girls on Buffy's team, and yet you still wanted to do a costume with her? You still wanted to let her on your team? The only way you could want that would be if you were okay with her treating teammates that way." The mention of Kira is what did it. TJ couldn't take it anymore. He had to say something.

"I didn't want to let Kira on the team! Okay?!" he shouted. Then he got a little quieter. "And I didn't want to do a costume with her either."

Cyrus looked at him, confusion on his face. "Then why did you do it?"

TJ sat back down on the swing. He took a deep breath. Am I really doing this? "Kira, she..." his voice fell away, and he looked down at the ground in front of him. "I'm so scared."

"TJ," Cyrus said. TJ could hear the anger growing in his voice again, but this time not directed at him. "What did she do to you?"

TJ felt a lump in his throat as he answered, "she found out something about me. I had to do things for her, or she was going to tell everyone. Cyrus, I-" his voice broke as tears started to fall from his eyes. He barely squeaked out his last words, "I'm gay."

TJ kept crying, and a few seconds later he felt arms wrap around him. He didn't think twice about burying his face in Cyrus's shoulder.

A minute or so later, he pulled away from Cyrus. "I'm so sorry for avoiding you. I'm just scared that if people see me with you and they see how close we are they'll figure it out and I" -he let out another sob- "I just can't.”

"TJ, it's okay. I understand."

"And I'm sorry I didn't call you on costume day. I wanted to do the costume with you but that morning I was wearing the outfit and I could see us and see people thinking it was weird and I... I chickened out. I'm so sorry. I'm such a coward."

 "No. TJ, look at me. It took a lot of courage telling me what you just told me. Trust me, I know what you're going through."

"Y-you do?" Did that mean what he thought it meant?

"Yeah." A small, reassuring smile appeared on Cyrus's face. "Surprise, I'm gay too," he said with a chuckle.

Although tears were still falling from his eyes, TJ started to smile too. For once, he felt like he wasn't alone.

"Thanks, Underdog."

"Anytime." Cyrus and TJ looked into each other’s eyes, and TJ couldn’t look away. Cyrus’s deep, brown eyes were so beautiful, and his skin looked so soft. TJ had missed him so much.

What did I do to deserve him?

It only lasted a moment before Cyrus moved away from TJ and sat on the other swing. "You know you can always talk to me about stuff, right? I'm here for you."

TJ's heart rate sped up. "Y-yeah. I know."

Suddenly, after learning Cyrus was gay too, TJ's farfetched little fantasy of being with him seemed possible. It felt so much more real. Woah.

TJ and Cyrus talked for another few hours. TJ was glad Cyrus didn't ask how Kira knew he was gay. If he did, TJ wouldn't have been able to lie, and he didn't want to confess his feelings to Cyrus yet.

TJ was glad he told Cyrus. He was glad that weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Suddenly, everything felt right in the world again. And on Monday, when they went back to school, he didn't feel afraid to talk with Cyrus in the halls or hang out with him at lunch. For the first time in weeks, he was happy.

Chapter Text

TJ and Cyrus texted all weekend, and Cyrus was glad. He was more than glad. In fact, when Cyrus received the first text from TJ that weekend, a giant smile grew on his face and he felt his heart flutter. He was so happy.

He still wasn't sure if TJ would start interacting with him at school again. He knew the reason TJ wasn't talking with him before was because he didn't want people to find out he was gay. Cyrus tried not to think too much about WHY that would make people realize he was gay.

That is why, on Monday morning, when TJ walked right up to Cyrus with a huge smile on his face and pulled him in for a bro-hug, Cyrus was overjoyed. He became entranced listening to TJ talk about the history project he was working on, and only realized how much time had passed when the first bell rang.

TJ stopped Cyrus before he turned away to head to class. "Hey I have to meet with my math tutor at lunch, but do you want to come to my basketball practice today? Kira will be there so I get if you don't want to, but I would really-"

"I'd love to," Cyrus cut him off. "I'll see you there."

As he walked away, he glanced over his shoulder back to TJ, and saw TJ doing the same. TJ grinned and waved at him, and Cyrus raised his hand to wave back. Cyrus felt his face heat up. He's so cute.

Cyrus shared his first period class with Andi and Buffy, so when he got there they both immediately started bombarding him with questions.

"We saw you with TJ just now!"

"What were you two talking about?"

"I'm so glad you made up!"

"Finally, TJ and Cyrus back together!"

"Woah," Cyrus stopped them. "You're making it sound like we're dating. We are not dating."

"Yet," Andi added with a smirk.

"No, TJ's not... he doesn't think of me like that."

Buffy looked at him like he was an idiot. "Cyrus. Have you even seen the way he acts around you?"

"He is totally into you," Andi added.

Cyrus was about to protest, but at that point the bell rang and the teacher started class.

Throughout class, Cyrus couldn't stop thinking about what Andi and Buffy said. His mind also kept drifting back to how TJ was afraid people would figure out he's gay if they saw the two of them interacting. He couldn't stop himself from wondering if that meant TJ acts differently around him than other people, like Buffy said. Does TJ actually have a crush on him?

Cyrus tried to shake the thought out of his head. There was no way he could be that lucky. But he couldn't stop his mind from drifting back to TJ.

At lunch he must have been smiling to himself, because Andi leaned over and asked, "Whatchya thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"You're thinking about TJ aren't you?"

"Shut up."

Andi smirked at that reaction. "Come on, Cyrus. Tell me."

Cyrus sighed. "I just can't stop thinking about what you and Buffy said earlier. Do you really think he could be interested in me?"

Andi looked at Cyrus in the eyes. "Yes Cyrus, I really do. Buffy and I have both been thinking it for weeks."

Cyrus wasn't sure what to do with this information. On one level he trusted his friends, but at the same time he was afraid. What if they were wrong? What if TJ only saw him as a good friend? Cyrus didn't want to get his hopes up again.

Cyrus was snapped out of his thoughts once again by Andi. "You should ask him out."

"I what?!" Cyrus felt his whole face start to grow red.

"Watching the two of you making heart-eyes at each other all day has gotten old. I want to see both of you happy."

"I'm pretty sure dating will only make the heart-eyes worse," Buffy added, just arriving and sitting down at the table. "But I think you two should start dating too."

Cyrus's face was burning. He didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent as Buffy and Andi started talking about something else.

Eventually Cyrus joined back in on the conversation, but a part of his mind was always on TJ. Cyrus was even more confused that before. And I'm going to see him at basketball practice after school. What am I going to do?

Cyrus wasn't sure whether the rest of the school day dragged on for years or was over way too quickly, but either way, it was time for basketball practice. Cyrus waited in the bleachers of the gym while the team was getting ready in the locker room.

TJ was the first person out, and when he saw Cyrus a wide smile grew in his face, and he lifted an arm to wave. He's so cute, Cyrus thought as he climbed down the bleachers to talk with him.

"Hey Underdog!"

"Teej!"

"Hey thanks for coming. I was thinking maybe we could go to the Spoon after practice too to hang some more?"

Is this a date? Is he asking me out? No, we go to the Spoon all the time, it doesn't mean anything.

"Yeah, su-"

"What's he doing here?" a voice interrupted Cyrus. Both Cyrus and TJ turned towards the source. Kira.

Cyrus looked at TJ, who was frozen. Cyrus had never seen him look so scared before, even when he told him about his dyscalculia. He turned back towards Kira.

"I'm here to watch basketball practice," Cyrus stated simply. Over Kira's shoulder, he saw the rest of the basketball team making their way into the gym.

"I see. Did TJ invite you?"

"Um, yeah."

Kira turned back to TJ. "You invited your boyfriend to practice today."

Cyrus felt his face immediately start burning, but tried to keep his composure. "I'm not his boyfriend," he told her.

"But TJ wants you to be, doesn't he?" Kira asked, still staring at TJ.

"Um," Cyrus didn't know what to say. He didn't know if TJ did. He hoped TJ liked him, although he couldn't tell Kira that. He looked over and saw the team watching this interaction. Oh no. What am I supposed to do?

When Cyrus looked back at TJ he noticed TJ slowly backing away from Kira, glancing between her and the rest of the team. Then, TJ turned on his heel and ran out of the gym. "TJ!" Cyurs shouted after him. He glanced one last time at Kira, who had a smug expression on her face, before chasing after TJ.

When he caught up, TJ was sitting on a bench in the park, face buried in his hands. "TJ," Cyrus said softly. "Are you okay?"

"The team knows now," TJ muttered, voice muffled by his hands. "She actually told them."

Cyrus wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to know if Kira was right, but he knew he shouldn't ask TJ that. TJ should be the one to tell him if and when he wants to. Cyrus shoved all of that to the back of his mind and sat down next to TJ, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it'll be okay."

TJ didn't say anything, so they sat together in silence. Cyrus could feel TJ's shoulders shaking and hear his uneven breaths, but aside from that, his crying was almost unnoticeable. Cyrus sat with him until his breathing slowed.

"Why did you come after me?" TJ asked, not looking up at Cyrus.

Cyrus squeezed his shoulder. "Because I support you, and we're in this together. You're my friend." It pained Cyrus to call them friends, but he knew it was the best thing to do in this scenario.

Except that's when TJ looked up at him with a hurt expression in his eyes. Maybe Cyrus was wrong. Maybe he shouldn't have said that.

"Didn't you hear what she said?" TJ's voice then softened. "She," he paused and looked away from Cyrus again, "She wasn't lying."

She wasn't lying.

Cyrus immediately recalled what Kira had said. "...invited your boyfriend to practice..." "...TJ wants you to be."

TJ wants me to be his boyfriend.

It was true. TJ likes him. Cyrus felt overjoyed. Then he felt guilty for feeling overjoyed when TJ was still so sad. Cyrus had to tell him.

"TJ," Cyrus said. TJ didn't look over. "TJ look at me." TJ's head finally turned, and Cyrus looked at him directly in the eyes. "I like you too."

TJ looked like he didn't believe him. "Really?" he asked with a flat tone.

"Yes, really. TJ, you always make me feel like I can do anything. Aside from last week, you've never made me feel like I'm less important than anyone else or incapable of anything. You are so fun to hang out with and you have the best ideas and," Cyrus smirked, "you're pretty cute too." 

TJ stared at Cyrus in silence for a moment before he leaned over, wrapped his arms around him, and buried his face in Cyrus's shoulder. Cyrus felt TJ's tears soak through his shirt, but he let him cry.

"I don't know what to do," TJ confessed, still on Cyrus's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll figure it out."

---

After talking with Cyrus for a while, TJ had decided that he wanted to go back and see how the team would react to him. He knew he wouldn't be able to last until the next day without knowing.

They also had talked about their relationship and what they wanted to happen. Cyrus reassured him that if they started dating, they wouldn't tell anyone until TJ was ready.

"Even Andi and Buffy?"

"Even Andi and Buffy."

TJ had agreed, and then mumbled something about how it's okay if Cyrus told Andi and Buffy.

Now, they were walking back towards the school, hand in hand.

Once they got to the door of the gym, they paused. Cyrus looked up at TJ and saw the fear in his eyes. He gave TJ's hand a squeeze of reassurance. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

TJ let out a long breath. "Yeah, I'm sure." He looked at Cyrus and gave him a small smile before releasing his hand.

Cyrus followed TJ into the gym, where he saw the team playing a practice match. One of the players glanced in their direction and saw them.

"Time out!" he called. When the rest of the team looked over at him confused, he gestured towards TJ and Cyrus. "TJ's back."

Suddenly, the entire team ran across the gym to where TJ and Cyrus stood.

"Are you okay, man?"

"We told Coach what happened."

"He kicked Kira off the team."

TJ looked stunned.

"What Kira said wasn't cool," one of the players, who Cyrus remembered was named Zack, said after a brief moment of silence.

"But... it was true," TJ said, still in shock.

"Doesn't make it right for her to say it or to make fun of you."

Cyrus saw a smile finally grow on TJ's face, and Zack pulled him in for a bro-hug.

"Okay boys, time out is over. It's time to get back to practice. You still have ten minutes left," the coach said, walking up to the group. The team walked back onto the court, and a few of them patted TJ's shoulder on the way. "TJ, could I talk to you for a moment?"

TJ nodded and walked with the coach to the bleachers. Cyrus sat out of earshot of the two of them, but watched the two of them talking. They talked until practice ended, and then TJ joined Cyrus once again as the rest of the team headed off to the locker room.

"He wanted to hear from me what happened, and talked about how he would be reporting Kira to the school."

"That's good then, right?"

"Yeah." TJ gave Cyrus a soft smile. "It is."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, just taking comfort in each other's company, until a few of TJ's teammates, leaving the locker room, peaked back into the gym. "Hey TJ, a bunch of us are going to see a movie. Want to join us?"

"Um, Cyrus and I were planning on going to the Spoon."

"He can come too if he wants!"

TJ looked back at Cyrus and raised his eyebrows. "You wanna?"

"Sure!"

TJ turned back to his teammate. "We'll be there!"

An hour later, they were sitting next to each other in the darkened movie theater. Cyrus could feel TJ's hand brush up against his own on the armrest. He tried not to let it distract him from the movie, but it was hard to think if anything but the square centimeter where their hands were touching.

Suddenly, TJ's hand was no longer there, and Cyrus could feel it slip over his shoulders. His heart started going wild, and he looked over at TJ. The expression on TJ's face seemed to ask, is this okay? Cyrus smiled at him, scooted as close to TJ as he could get in these movie theater seats, and leaned into him.

Cyrus and TJ stayed that way for the rest of the movie, aside from minor shifts to make their position more comfortable. Sitting there, snuggled up against TJ's side, Cyrus felt there was no other place he'd rather be.