1.
When you wake up everyday
And it gives you your first breath
Or it makes you so afraid
But you take another step
-’You Might Be’, Ryan Destiny & Quincy.
It was the longest they had not spoken to each other since the first time they properly talked in the church, after that awful fight.
Like that time, he wanted to take back everything that had happened.
Together when they were fighting the world, they could be vicious, they could hurt people, they could fight so good; when they were fighting with each other it was the same. Except without her being there to talk to, everything was kind of shitty.
“Will Evita be over tonight?” His mother asked him, breaking through his thoughts while he was sitting at the breakfast bar, eating his bagel, and generally just moping.
“I don’t know.” Tyrone told her.
He stood up, taking his bagel with him in one hand and swung his school bag over his other shoulder.
“Tyrone…”
“Yeah, Ma.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” His mother asked, walking around the bench to look at him closely, dishevelled at the collar of his school uniform, eyes tired.
“Not really.”
***
Later, during his lunch break, he saw her across the courtyard with Evita - both in their preppy uniforms holding onto their books discussing something intently. It was her first day at St. Sebastian’s after weeks of Ty promising he would be with her, that ‘being a normal teenager’ was important.
Without looking up he felt a shadow come across his face, lifting his chin, he was met with Evita glowering down at him.
“Well are you gonna fix it?”
Tyrone glanced towards his lunch, then back at Evita, “Sorry?”
“Don’t play dumb, Tyrone. She’s been quiet all day and won't even tell me why. Ever since I told you about the Divine Pairing stuff my Aunt told me you’ve both been acting up.”
Tyrone took a deep breath, looking across the courtyard at the blonde in question pretending to be a part of whatever conversation was happening, using her fork to play with her lunch while one of Evita’s other friends was talking to her.
“Y’know, Evita, she could fix it too.”
He heard Evita sigh, before shaking her head and mumbling under her breath, “you two are as stubborn as each other.”
*****
He didn’t mean to turn up at the church at night week later. They still weren’t currently talking to each other.
However, when Tyrone was walking home from practice he may have noticed an armed robbery go down at a corner store, and he may have freaked everyone in the store out in the process of trying to stop the bad guy with his powers. He may have been chased down the street by the bad guy and the people he was trying to help after freaking them all out.
That’s when it happened. He blipped. It was instinctual, he would run, he would disappear, and he would always come back to her.
Tandy sat up and yanked her headphones from her ears, looking both worried, annoyed, and relieved.
“Ty, what are you doing here?”
All it took was one look. Her words. The dam had broken. It was though they could both physically feel the tension evaporate between them and they both let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding.
“I didn’t mean it T. When Evita told me, about the whole one has to live one has to die thing, I, I couldn't find it in me to tell you. I just knew I wouldn’t, I couldn’t let it be you who dies.”
Tandy nodded, her jaw clicked, processing everything he was telling her. Her body was calling for her to just forgive him, she missed him. He didn’t tell her though.
“We tell each other everything, Tyrone. That was our thing.”
“It still can be, T. You had every right to flip out at me for keeping it from you.”
Tandy sighed, laid her head back down on the pillow before covering her eyes with her arm, tired.
“I know I did. But I know why you did it” for a moment, neither of them said anything, just the creaking pipes of the church and the distance laughter of people on the streets, the Tandy breathed, so quietly he nearly missed it; “I missed you.”
She pulled the covers from the other side of the bed back, as Tyrone ignored the invitation and crawled on to the bed to lay on top of her covers instead. A good two feet away from each other- so they were safe from their powers, that ironically brought them together and yet prevented them from touching one another.
“I missed you to, T.”
“So what are we gonna do about this whole, who live who dies, thing?”
Tyrone rolled on his side to look at her, placing his hand as close to hers as possible without touching.
“We find a way around it. It’s you and me. The scientist and the criminal. Remember?”
2.
Sometimes I forget that we aren't together
Deep down in my heart, I hope you're doing alright
But from time to time I often think of why you aren't mine
- “Saved”, Khalid.
“Ty, I can’t help you with chemistry if you keep looking at your damn phone. My time is my money” Tandy loved to tease Ty. She had realised that quickly after they met. He would smile when she teased him, like he was grateful she didn’t think he would break - that he enjoyed their banter.
Tyrone looked at her sitting cross legged at the foot of his bed with their homework surrounding her. “Tandy it’s a Wednesday night and I’m not paying you?”
He was about to move after telling her this but he was too late. Tandy swatted his legs that were resting beside her while he huffed out a laugh.
“That’s not my point and you know it” she looked at him, raising her eyebrows while he looked at her back, mirroring her “where’s your mind Ty?”
He took another glance at his phone before placing it on his night stand then folding his arms behind his head to get a better look at her.
“Evita broke up with me” he told her while looking at his ceiling.
Best friends told each other this stuff, he told himself. Even though the reason for the said break up may or may not have been because Evita told him to pull his head out of his ass and realise he liked Tandy in a more than best friend’s type of way.
“Oh” Was all Tandy could manage, before she began chewing on her pencil and looking down at their homework again.
“Yeah.”
Tandy stopped looking down at their papers and turned back to Tyrone’s face. Trying to read him. Evita was now her friend too, and along with Mina they would geek out over everything. Evita took her in, made her feel welcome at school. She was never jealous of her and Ty’s “Divine Pairing” bond, even if, maybe...Tandy may have been slightly jealous of Evita having a piece of Tyrone’s heart.
“Are...you good?” Tandy asked.
Tyrone used his leg to gently tap her knee to get her to look at him. They had been doing that a lot lately. Ever since they worked out how to touch each other without their powers kicking off - they had a balance.
It was playful shoving, high fiving, even arm wrestling when bored...but sometimes. Sometimes Tyrone would linger a little longer on a hug after they had finished one of their missions.
Or Tandy would run her fingers along Ty’s jawline a little slower when inspecting him for injuries.
Tandy watched him, trying to keep her cool as he did that thing where he licks his lips, looks away smiling, then back at her all sheepish. It was hard not getting hot and bothered and teenage horny by that alone.
“Yeah, T. For being dumped - I’m good.”
3.
Boy, you know all I do
Is stay up all night losing sleep over you
All I do
Is drive myself crazy thinkin' 'bout my baby
- “The Way”, Kehlani & Chance the Rapper
Tyrone had managed to take one of her Van’s off. He was having difficulty with the other as she was standing on his bed, literally cooing at a baby picture of himself.
“You were so gorgeous!” She half whispered, having taken in some of his warning to be quiet - even though his Mom was away at a conference and his Dad was a deep sleeper, he didn’t really want to explain this to his Dad at one in the morning.
“I mean you still are” she said, dropping the frame onto his bed to look at him.
“Good save.” Tyrone laughed, picking the photo up and putting it back on his dresser before turning around to see her smiling at him.
“If I jump off this bed right now will you catch me?” She asked him seriously, her eyes doe wide and extra glossy.
“It’s barely a half metre, T.”
“Will you catch me?” She asked, again.
Tyrone walked up to the side of the bed while Tandy took a step closer to the edge of the bed, wobbling while standing on the mattress, catching Tyrone’s shoulders to steady her.
“I’ll catch you, T.” He let her wrap her arms around his shoulders as he hitched her legs around his waist, lifting her off the bed, “If you let me I’ll always catch you.”
For a moment they were just there, Ty carrying tandy in his arms, foreheads together, before Tandy snorted, “your super cheesy.”
He laughed while he guided her into a sitting position on the edge of his bed and knelt down to unlace her other shoe.
“I’m very drunk, Mr. Johnson.” Tandy told him solemnly.
“Oh, believe me, I am aware Ms. Bowen” he laughed, as he successfully yanked her other shoe off. He turned to his drawers to pull out some sweatpants and a T-shirt for her to wear, passing them to her before turning around to face his desk to let her get changed.
“Always so honourable to me!” Tandy said as he heard her shuffle and stumble into his clothes.
He suddenly felt her arms snake around from behind him, as she moved her hips against his ass and her chest against his back - her chest, sans his top he had given her. Tyrone couldn’t help let out a groan and he rubbed his hands over his face shaking his head.
“Tandy, what are you doing?”
“I know you and your morals and your gentleman-ness aren’t gonna do anything tonight, but I want you to know I like you in an extremely big way.” Tandy watched as she spoke into his back that his stomach tightened beneath her arms, she knew what she was doing to him, and loved the fact he wanted her too.
“Tandy.” He said, extracting her arms and turning around to look at her, like she was a goddess, perfect. His. His. His. She wanted to tell him all of her was his, but it was hard to articulate anything right now with the whole, mid-year party and too many beers situation she was in.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reaching a round her not for the t-shirt this time, but for his, well more her, black hoodie.
He guided both of her arms into the thick, worn material before finding the zipper at the bottom, and slowly, with his thumb trailing up along her skin, giving her goosebumps, zipping her up.
“In the morning come find me in the spare room and if you still like in an extremely big way, tell me.”
“Will you say it back?” She asked.
“Tandy, it is taking every bone in my body right now to leave you alone tonight.”
“Will you say it back?” She asked again.
He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, pausing, waiting for her to catch up which she did with fervor, pulling him down to her by the back of his neck. Tandy feeling his lips on her, finally, his perfect lips on her, was better than any of her dreams, not to mention his tongue - and what it could do, what it was doing to her. Soon his lips became languid and teasing, trailing slow, short kisses from her mouth to her ear.
“I’ll say it back” he whispered, “and after I say it back you can take this hoody off and show me how much you like me.”
“That was incredibly smooth for a choir boy” she giggled as he shook his head smiling.
She bit her lip as she watched him turn and slowly click the door shut before Tandy pulled up her hood and flopped backwards onto his bed, her Tyrone’s bed.
4.
Take care of me
Talk all day then at night fall in deep
Stimulate me
I want you mental and physically
- ‘Belong to You’, Sabrina Claudio & 6lack
It had been two months since they hard started, officially, being more. Officially meaning that hadn’t told anyone about it - except Tyrone’s parents, Evita, and Mina. They were from two different worlds, two different lives, who would get it?
Still, that didn’t stop Tandy from fretting while watching his basketball game. They were tired, and it wasn’t looking good for Ty’s team. Tandy only glanced at her phone for a moment to check the time when suddenly everyone on the St. Sebastian’s side of the court started shouting and booing - Ty was on the ground.
After his team mate helped him back up he shook his head towards whatever the medic was saying, Tandy knew he would want to keep playing, he had a slight limp in his leg but he wouldn’t give up, especially when his team was so close to the finals. With both his parents away for work it made him even hungrier to give them the news of a win.
“C’mon Ty!” She heard herself shout. Likely gaining attention from those next to her who knew her as the girl pretty much disinterested in everything except science and turning up to basketball games.
She watched his eyes follow where her voice came from and when he found her he could only quickly wink before the ref blew the whistle to continue play.
They lost the game, but Ty refused to let the night end badly.
“Just reminding you we both have that English test tomorrow morning, which, by the way, decides whether we get into the colleges we want to” Tandy told Tyrone as her head was resting on his navy blue pillows, one hand gripping the sheets, the other gripping the top of Tyrone’s hair, as he moved wet kisses down from her ribs, to her hips.
She watched him as he sat up, eyes slowly raking her body. Her chest, with her lacy black bra was heaving - just the way she expected it to when she carefully chose her lingerie before the game - regardless of the outcome, Tandy was going to make sure her boyfriend gave her a good night.
Tyrone, kneeling in between her legs looking down at her lifted one of her legs up to his dark, bare shoulder, not before kissing the inside of her ankle. Tandy’s eyes followed his toned stomach, his broad chest, leading up to his face that was smirking at her, amusement lighting up his eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that” Tandy said, somewhat embarrassed at how breathy she sounded.
“Like what?” He asked, as his hand moved from the ankle resting on his shoulder, down her calve, down, down, down her thighs, before he rested his elbow by her hips while his other hand finished its journey at the top elastic of her panties.
“Like you don’t care how much sleep we lose for the test tomorrow” Tandy managed to get out, as her back arched of the sheets and both of her hands found the headboard behind her, looking for something to find purchase on while Ty was doing incredible things to her.
He had slipped her panties off and she soon felt one, two fingers in her, making her warmer than she already was. She reached down to grab his free hand to squeeze before feeling his mouth on her, slow at first, just how she liked. Circles, Please she was about to prompt but she didn’t need to. His tongue knew what to do, and it knew exactly how she wanted it, exactly how she liked it.
It wasn’t long before Ty removed his fingers from inside her, making her reel from the loss as he took his hand from her grip and she felt both his hand slip under and squeeze her ass up to meet his mouth higher. Ty’s tongue darted in and out of her, driving her insane. Tandy was a natural leader, and in their relationship they were always equals - but not in bed. Not tonight.
“Please, Ty. I need, I-”
He knew, of course he knew. His fingers returned to being inside her, alongside his tongue.
“Right there, Ty, God. Please don’t stop” she told him, encouraging him, knowing he liked how vocal she could be - especially when he was giving her incredible head. The other team may have won the game, but, God, did Tandy know she was the real winner. As her eyes squeezed shut so tight and her head rolled back she let out a throaty gasp saying Tyrone’s name, feeling her body’s continuing shocks and Ty’s fingers never relenting - letting her ride out her high.
After she had caught her breath she felt him move back up the bed, hovering above her.
“How’s my girl?” he asked, smiling, moving a piece of her hair that had fell in front of her eyes behind her ear.
Tandy leaned up to kiss him in return, tasting herself and something so intrinsically Ty. She looked back at him, watching him lick his lips and shake his head fondly at her.
“Don’t look so proud of yourself” Tandy teased, poking his ribs as he pulled the sheets up above both of them, ready to make her gasp out his name again.
5.
Got my heart jumpin' like Jordans
Play me like Spalding, do it all for me
Girl, you're the vision of what I like
And I promise I'll be yours
Tell me your joys and your problems
I'll be more than the man for ya
I'll be your friend
- ‘Stay Down’, Brent Faiyaz.
She was drawing pictures on his bare back the next morning. He was faced down in the pillows, exhausted, letting her ask revision questions for their English test.
“You know we have been studying for this test for weeks, T. If anyone’s gonna smash it it’s gonna be you” Tyrone told her sleepily, feeling the pattern of a flower on his back.
“You have to do good as well remember?” Tandy shoved him gently as he rolled over on his back, letting her rest her cheek just above his heart and running his hand through her hair.
“Don’t worry about me Ms. Bowen. I’ll have you know I’m great with words. Scored you didn’t I?” Tyrone teased.
“Oh My God that was so cringey, baby.”
They both started laughing before both their bodies stilled at the sound of footsteps. As though they were both frozen, incapable of saving themselves from impending doom.
“Tyrone! I heard about how the game went honey, I know you would have tried your bes-” His mom stopped talking as she stormed through his bedroom door with chipper, turning into bewilderment at seeing Tyrone shoot up for his hoodie and Tandy pull the sheets above her head.
“Hey Ma! How was the trip?” Tyrone asked after pulling the hoodie over his head but refusing to move from the sheets covering the lower half of his very bare body.
“The trip was eye opening, honey. As is this moment, which I honestly wish I could bleach from my eyes, has been” She opened his curtains before turning to the lump under the sheets badly hiding Tandy’s body, “Good Morning Tandy”
There was a brief moment of silence before Tyrone’s mom heard a sigh under the blanket followed with a muffled “Good Morning Mrs. Johnson.”
Tyrone watched as she walked back towards his bedroom door.
“Well, I shall tell your father to make more for breakfast” then she turned to look at Tyrone, then the lump beside him under the sheets “don’t think we won’t be discussing this.”
After the door clicked shut Tandy move the sheets from her face, “is this the most ridiculous moment of my life?” She asked.
Tyrone leant over to kiss her on the lips quickly before getting up to find his pants, “babe, you handled it well”, Tyrone joked, catching the pillow Tandy threw at him.
“Shut Up, Johnson.”