#ilysm emily skinner pls marry me lmao

[ramenbyler]

big thanks 2 @thinkingabouttyrus 4 helping me and giving me a plot and big thx 2 grammarly for making sure it sort of makes sense! (also this is a fun game called how many meme references can u find... probably too many sorry yall)

AO3

TJ Kippen only loves three things in his life. Those things are Basketball, his Dirtbike, and making a fool of himself in front of boys. OK, so maybe he doesn’t love to make a fool of himself in front of boys, but he does it so much that at this point he might as well love it! The next step would be making a business this from this and making money. You know what they say, take whatever you love and make money doing it! Some might leverage basketball or bike riding. But here TJ sits, in front of Cyrus Goodman - the cutest boy by far - as a fool.

To be fair, TJ couldn’t have seen this coming. But Cyrus saw it all coming. He saw everything. Which sounds incredibly suspicious. But it really isn’t like that.

Understand that TJ Kippen has always seen Cyrus Goodman walk around the halls and melt inside a little. He’s always found Cyrus cute, for as long as TJ’s known of Cyrus’ existence. It only started when Cyrus’ best friend - Buffy Driscoll - tried out for the basketball team. TJ didn’t necessarily take to Buffy but he just let it go and they say everything happens for a reason. This reason is Cyrus Goodman showing up to basketball games with the biggest and most creative signs. Cyrus never really talked and TJ never really understood why he never heard Cyrus’ voice (which he just presumed was angelic, just like Cyrus’ mere presence. TJ was not worthy.) until one of the other basketball teammates mentioned it to Buffy during a game.

It was right before the game, they were all hyping each other up and were ready to take home another win when Will, a boy who was Swingman, pointed to Cyrus in the stands. “Your friend Cyrus would be a great cheerleader, he could sit lower and yell everytime we made a point, with all those frickin’ signs and stuff.” Buffy just raised her eyebrow, “He barely knows how basketball works, I doubt it.” Will chuckled, “Just like tell him! C’mon I can do it. It’s easy.”

TJ might have gotten a bit defensive when Will said this because clearly everyone knew of TJ’s big, fat, gay crush on Cyrus, didn’t they? (They didn’t.) Buffy rolled her eyes, “Unless you’re fluent in ASL or something, I doubt it.” And Will, bless his soul, looked genuinely confused for a long minute. “What do age, sex, and location have to do with this…” The room went silent. “American Sign Language, get off Omegle, dude!” Yelled Sam, another teammate.

And then all of TJ’s previous plans went down the drain. He didn’t know ASL! He only knew how to fingerspell like 10 letters in ASL and very badly. And he only knew this because one night, he got so bored, he committed to learning ASL for fun for like 10 minutes then fell asleep and completely forgot about his commitment.

But TJ took this as an invitation to be pretty careless in how he treated this crush. TJ has only spoken with Cyrus a few times, all times with Buffy as a translator. And they were pretty mediocre meetings. One time after a big win, TJ went to congratulate Buffy on a great game and Cyrus was there, TJ’s heart rate went about a million times up. Or however, you say that. TJ ended up telling Cyrus how much he admired his signs. Buffy interpreted to ASL and Cyrus lit up and gave a thumbs up. TJ’s heart fluttered.

The other time was at The Spoon, TJ was there to give something to his sister who worked there when he saw Andi Mack, Jonah Beck, Buffy, and Cyrus. TJ admits his stomach churned when he saw how close Jonah and Cyrus sat, Jonah’s arm was practically around Cyrus but he shut his trap. He walked past the table and made small talk and made eye contact with Cyrus a few times. It wasn’t anything special and TJ wishes it could have been, just to make Cyrus remember him. Currently, he’s assuming Cyrus only knows him as “that guy that plays with Buffy” which isn’t helpful when Buffy is the only girl on the team.

The only time TJ wishes Cyrus didn’t have to see him, was now, at lunch, in front of his stupid friends. He has a mix, some he’s made from classes and still a few guys on the team. (Not including Will.) All of which, know of TJ’s huge and obvious crush on Cyrus. TJ thanks God that Cyrus can’t overhear them, which on one hand is very sad and TJ feels bad. But on the other hand, he kind of hates his friends so he’s grateful.

He was wrong to be grateful.

See, when Cyrus approached their table with the whole angelic getup, TJ could hear the angelic music begin, he could see the halo and the wings and once again, TJ was enthralled. He was taken out of his imagination when his friend kicked TJ’s leg and TJ was brought to a loud and obnoxious cafeteria and a small boy in front of him in a buttoned-up shirt, a sweater, cuffed jeans, and Vans. So almost the same thing. TJ just nodded and pushed his friend, Lucy, to the side and let Cyrus sit next to him. He’ll be damned if he lets anyone touch Cyrus. Can’t ruin those wings! (No wings here, TJ’s just seriously in-like.)

Lucy, on the other hand,  just laughs and starts taunting TJ. The nerve of this girl, TJ thinks. “TJ and Cyrus sitting in a tree-” “Stop!” TJ’s pouting.

“Poor Cyrus, he must be so confused.” Lucy puts on a fake pout. The entire table laughs a little. Ryan, a teammate from basketball finds this especially funny. Lucy just reaches out and pats Cyrus’ back. She then starts signing in ASL. And damn TJ, he now knows how to fingerspell, but whatever Lucy is signing, TJ is clueless. Cyrus finds it funny and laughs. TJ commits to always wanting to hear that laugh for the rest of his life right there and then.

“Careful!” Yells Ryan. “Don’t touch Cyrus, TJ might explode! That and with his big fat crush on Cyrus. No one touches my Cyrus.” Ryan mocks in a voice that sounds nothing like him. TJ covers Cyrus’ ears, “Shhhh!” and the whole table erupts in laughter. Cyrus, too. TJ doesn’t get it but maybe Cyrus understands context or something. The table dies down when Eric, also from basketball, decides to speak. “I feel bad, Cyrus probably has no clue what’s going on.” Cyrus shakes his head.

Then he does something completely earth-shattering.

He.. speaks?

“Nah, you guys are fine. A little fast, maybe. But I can follow.” The whole table is silent. “What?!” Because right now, Eric looks like he’s about to lose his mind. “I can read lips, and I lost my hearing a few years back, so I can kind of speak.” TJ is stunned. Cyrus’ voice is the most beautiful thing he’s ever heard. TJ genuinely cannot form a coherent sentence. He’s stuttering and babbling and the only one who’s unaffected is Lucy, who’s cousin is hard of hearing and knows a lot about the deaf community or whatever. TJ’s staring at Cyrus with the widest eyes and the biggest smile. “Your voice is adorable.” Is the first coherent sentence that falls from TJ’s lips. The table is silent again.

Then, the bell rings and TJ is still sitting there wrapping his mind around how spectacular Cyrus is, he doesn’t notice the table dissipating. Cyrus is still there and that’s all TJ cares about. Cyrus blushes. And there he is, making a complete and utter fool of himself! In front of a cute boy! Scratch that, Cyrus Goodman, the cutest boy! Abort, abort, abort!!!

“Wait! Ok, this is kind of a waste since you can read lips, but,” TJ moves back, against his genuine need to be close to Cyrus and starts shakily and very badly signing to Cyrus. It’s slow and shaky and TJ doesn’t know if it makes sense because Cyrus looks mildly confused but gets over it once TJ finishes signing.

Cyrus has the biggest grin on his face and TJ’s aware that he’s only known Cyrus a short while, but he would kill everyone on this planet earth for him, including himself.

Cyrus laughs and speaks again, “I like you, too.” TJ is grinning like crazy and they’re both so unbelievably happy, it lights up the entire empty cafeteria. Like a loud record scratch, it all falls down when TJ’s face falls. “Wait, did you hear what everyone said, then?” Cyrus laughs, “I mean I read what everyone said, yes.” TJ’s face scrunches up, “Sorry, I’m an idiot.” Then TJ’s palm hits his forehead.

But then Cyrus lifts TJ’s hand from his head and lowers it, intertwining it with his own hand. “Maybe, but you’re my idiot, now, so.” And then he shrugs. Can Cyrus Goodman get any cuter?!

Cyrus leans in and leaves a small peck on TJ’s cheek and giggles in his ear. “Gotta go, see ya!” And runs off. TJ’s genuinely stunned again.

TJ knows he should get up and go to class, but his only brain cell seems to be malfunctioning due to Cyrus Goodman being perfect, so he needs a minute.

He ends up missing classes. He assumes it’s worth.

After basketball practice, Buffy wraps her hands around TJ’s collar and threatens to kill TJ if he in any way, shape or form if he hurts Cyrus and TJ says. “I condone that. If I ever do something stupid and he’s negatively affected, I completely understand killing me and hiding my body.” Buffy smiles and nods, “Glad to know we’re on the same page, Kippen.”

Cyrus Goodman is worth everything.