Not-So-Scary Basketball Boyfriend | Tyrus

10

Cyrus can admit he doesn't know practically anything about the rules of basketball. He's not a sports aficionado or anything. He's there usually to support his boyfriend or his best friends, and that time back before he started dating TJ when he went to the games for both. There is no in between. He understands baskets and fouls, but he 'traveled' once during a pick-up game with TJ and he's still never pieced together what the heck that was supposed to mean. Regardless of what some people would consider a shortcoming, he's more than proud to sit in the stands with Buffy as they cheered on TJ and Marty at one of their first big games of the year.

This time he didn't think twice about where to sit. Games are different from practices because there are families to help buffer any awkwardness from sitting in what would otherwise be the Girlfriend Seats. Cyrus sat three seats away from where he had decided was the perfect cheering spot for maximum excitement and support when he noticed Mrs. Kippen staring at him. He almost walks over to her. Almost smiles and waves and says hi. Almost asks her how her day has been going so far. But then he realizes that she is staring at the sweatshirt he's wearing even though he'd be boiling in the room full of people without it.

TJ's sweatshirt.

Oh. Oh.

He thinks that maybe it'd be less awkward to just go over and speak to her, but she looks like it's the last thing she wants him to do. As if she hasn't pieced together what she's looking at quite yet. He is saved from the need to start the conversation when Reed catches sight of him. He's sitting on Mrs. Kippen's other side, watching the beginnings of what Cyrus is sure is going to be whatever TJ would call a good game.

"Cy!" he calls out enthusiastically and Cyrus looks to Buffy for support only to see her just as confused.

Cyrus slides closer to the two of them on the gym bleachers.

"Hey, Reed. Hi, Mrs. Kippen. I didn't know you were coming to the game today!" he forces more cheer into his tone, hoping to hide the confusion. She blinks at him once. Twice. Then it is as if a fog has cleared and she's back to her usual self. Or as usual as Cyrus has ever seen her.

"It's the first game of the season," she says in explanation. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He smiles wide at her, glad TJ has her support when it comes to his extracurricular activities. All four of Cyrus's parents want him to be in different things and with the year just starting, he isn't really sure what he wants to do yet. He's only a freshman after all.

"I'm glad you could make it then. Don't let me distract you." He makes a move to go back to his seat but she stops him with a soft hand on his wrist.

"Oh n-no! Never sweetie. Why don't you and your friend join us?" She looks around him to where Buffy is sitting and waves. Cyrus imagines Buffy waving back even if she is terribly confused. "Buffy, right? I remember her playing with TJ before when you all were at Jefferson."

"Yeah!" Cyrus agrees proudly. "She was the first girl on the Jefferson team, I think ever. That's actually how we met TJ. Let me just—" He turns to tell her to join them a bit farther down, but she's gone. He looks around only to find her talking to Marty's dads, in the same awkward position as him. Dating a boy whose parents don't know.

Mrs. Kippen notices his pause and follows his eyes to where Buffy sits talking. "Oh," she says, "Well, that's alright, you can still sit with us, sweetie."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, Cyrus! You know you're always welcome."

He doesn't know that what she means is: I'm glad you found each other. But he smiles at her anyway, all teeth and embarrassed blushing.

***

TJ likes to think he's a pretty calm guy. He's grown from the Scary-Basketball bully. He's learned how to take the time to self reflect. He doesn't work only on impulse anymore. He knows how to make sense of a situation...most of the time. So when he looks into the stands during the ball toss of his first official basketball game of the season to see his mother and his boyfriend making small talk and smiling at each other, he can't be held responsible for the way his heart seizes in his chest.

When TJ looks back around himself on the court, the other team has the ball. He chases after the players on autopilot, but his world has tilted so far on its axis that it's locked itself into a new rotation. The gravitational pull has realigned itself, and basketball is nowhere near its atmosphere.

His mom is talking to Cyrus. Cyrus is talking to his mom. And they're smiling. At each other!

It hasn't even been 4 full hours since he called his mom and burst out of the closet with the least amount of finesse possible, yet here she is talking to his boyfriend like it's nothing. Smiling, even.

TJ is glancing between the stands and the game, but he knows that he's not focused. The game is over as far as he goes. He needs a time-out. An hour or so on the bench to calm his heart and wrap his head around this. His first game of the year and all he can focus on is Cyrus talking to his mom. His boyfriend is talking to his mom. In public! And she knows! He wishes he could just snap out of it, but as much as he wants this to be normal, it feels like a huge step off a precipice he hasn't quite decided to explore yet. A huge drop into unknown territory.

He takes a breath, ready to get his head back into the game, but when he turns back it's only to see a ball coming straight for him and he's still too sluggish to catch it before it crunches into his nose.

-&-

yo futher muckers
its been almost an entire year

welcome to the fuckery that is my adult life

hope yall enjoy this update
only a couple more chaps to go

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋