Chapter Text
TJ Kippen was a simple guy. He just wanted watch every ‘Harry Potter’ film with the boy of his dreams. Then after the movies, he would turn to him and tell him how he felt. Too bad Cyrus Goodman only saw him as Amber’s annoying brother. Not that he could ask Amber for help. She didn’t know he was gay, and he didn’t want her to know. Though she was a lesbian herself, TJ just couldn’t bring himself to tell her. She would hate him if she ever found out about his crush. Marty of course knew. Marty told TJ everyday to tell him or at least talk to him, but it wasn’t that simple.
“I just want to talk to him, Marty. I want to know his favorite movie and his favor-“
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Marty said simply.
“What?” TJ looked at him confused.
“Cyrus. That is his favorite movie.” Marty said as if it was obvious.
“How do you even know that?” TJ questioned him.
“Because Cyrus is my girlfriend’s best friend? Did you not know this?” TJ froze in the middle of the hallway, earning some concerned looks from his classmates.
“What.” TJ looked at him dumbfounded, how could he not know this?
“I thought you knew!” Marty tried to defend himself, throwing his hands in air.
“Well, I didn’t! Oh my god, please don’t tell me he knows! Did you tell him?” TJ started to panic.
“Teej, stop hyperventilating. Of course I didn’t tell him.” TJ calmed down at that. It was quiet for a moment before a idea popped into his head.
“You have to introduce us.”
“What?” Marty turned to him, confusion written on his face.
“Cyrus and I. You have to introduce us. Please! Can I sit with you guys at lunch today?” TJ was practically begging him.
“Teej, I don’t know...” Marty told him.
“Please! I will do anything.” Marty smirked at that.
“Anything?” Oh fuck.
“What do you want?” TJ asked, scared of what was going to be said.
“You have to invite Cyrus to the spoon to hang out on Friday.” TJ’s eyes widened, he should never of said that.
“What. No. Absolutely not.”
“Okay, then no lunch with Cyrus.” Marty started to walk away from him, smiling to himself.
“Fine!”
“Fine what?” Marty turned to him.
“Fine... i’ll ask Cyrus to the spoon.” Marty called that a win, but TJ didn’t.
————
The moment TJ had been waiting for all day had finally came. Lunch. The moment where he would finally talk to the boy he had been pinning over for 2 years.
“TJ, what are you doing here?” Amber asked him as he sat down. “Why aren’t you with those douches that you call friends.”
“For that very reason Amber, they are douches. I wanted to sit with Marty today.” Marty side-eyed him, smirking to himself.
“Okay, fine. You can sit with us as long as yo-“ Amber’s voice faded out as everyone turned to Cyrus as he slowly walked up to the table holding a tray with chocolate chocolate chip muffin on it. Sadness was evident in his eyes.
“Cyrus?” Marty quietly called out.
“It fucking happened again.” He said, softly throwing his tray on the table in front of him and sitting down. TJ couldn’t stop looking at him as Cyrus ran his hands through his hair in distress.
“Was it Reed?” Cyrus looked at the table, not daring to look at anyone, his finger gently tapped on the table.
“I’m going to fucking kill him.” Buffy angrily stated as she stood up from the table.
“Buffy... it’s not worth it. I’m not worth you getting in trouble. I can deal with it.” Cyrus pushed his glasses up, breathing in-and-out slowly.
“Cyrus, I-“
“You know what, i’m just going to go.” Cyrus got up and walked away, leaving TJ confused.
“I’ll go talk to him.” TJ heard himself say, standing and walking in the direction Cyrus went.
————
The park was quiet this time of day. No children running around, no classmates bothering him as he sat in his safe place.
“Are you okay?” Cyrus spoke too soon. He turned to, wait, TJ Kippen?
“Why do you care?” Cyrus asked him, he didn’t mean for it to come out so mean.
“I just... I know we have literally never talked before, I was worried about you.” Cyrus wondered why. Why would the captain of the basketball team, the most popular boy in school, be worried about him? “What did Reed do?”
“Aren’t you and Reed friends? You probably know.” Cyrus remembered as he said it. He was probably just like him.
TJ rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, me and Reed haven’t really been friends since I came out as gay to him.” Cyrus’ head shot towards TJ.
“You’re gay?” Cyrus quietly questioned, still trying to process it.
“Yeah... not even Amber knows. Reed promised he wouldn’t tell anyone, but he said he didn’t want to be friends anymore.” TJ sadly told him as he walked and sat in the swing next to Cyrus.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t had the best experience with Reed either.” Cyrus looked at TJ with a hint of a smile on his face.
“Now that you know i’m not a homophobic douche, care to tell me what happened?” TJ asked, smiling at him.
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”