Disclaimer: As before

Warning: As before

Two weeks had come to pass since that moment in the study. Two weeks of secret glances and hidden meetings. Tyler wanted to tell everyone so that they didn't have to hide it, but at the same time he wanted Matt's blessing. Little late for a blessing, Lockwood. You need forgiveness now. A voice told him repeatedly, making it more difficult to actually talk to his friend. For some reason that Tyler couldn't quite grasp, Elena wanted to talk to Caroline about it too. They'd actually had their first 'couple's argument' about that one.

"I just don't understand why her opinion means anything." He'd growled and rolled his eyes after the third time Elena had brought it up.

"Because she's still my friend, Tyler.. in a way." She'd countered. Elena wanted to be friends with Caroline still, she wanted to be around the blonde because she'd known her forever. She missed the talks they used to have.

"She doesn't have the right to give you approval, Elena. She's the one who left me." He snapped irritably.

"But she's still my friend." That had been Elena's response every single time Tyler had tried to counter her. He hadn't wanted Caroline to know anything. She sure as hell hadn't made it known to him that she was screwing around with Klaus, did she?

They'd talked about it over and over since that day, too. The doppleganger had also insisted that there be no further intimacy until Matt had been talked to. Sure, there had been kisses and touches when no one was around, but over all PG-13.

The hybrid sighed as he glanced over at his best friend while sitting in History. The class had always bored him, to be honest, but it had been infinitely better when Alaric had been teaching. "Lockwood!" A deep voice called, startling him from the conversation he'd been having with Matt in his head. When his eyes shifted toward the front Mr. Cortez pointed to the open history book in front of him. "Stop oggling Mr. Donovan and read page 462 aloud."

Tyler glanced once more toward Matt, who was now looking back with curiosity, before turning toward the book and reading for the class. Great, just what I needed. He thought with a sigh. No sooner did the bell ring and Matt's hand closed around his forearm. "Hey, man, you okay?" His friend asked in concern causing Tyler to shake his head.

"Yeah, just got some stuff on my mind." Tyler responded, quickly shrugging his broad shoulders up.

"Worried about graduation?"

"No, not really. I'm all caught up with everything." Tyler shrugged again, trying to figure out how best to approach the situation. Elena wanted him to talk to Matt and get his best friends blessing to date his ex-girlfriend. Yeah, as if it hadn't been awkward enough the first time around. Although, with Caroline Matt had assumed there had been something between them when there wasn't. At least not at the time. With Elena, however, there were sparks and a chemistry that he never would have thought would have happened between the two. It was different this time around, for so many reasons. One of which was that Matt had been in love with Elena since the third grade.

"So? What's on your mind, Lockwood?" Matt asked. He'd barely taken two steps outside of the classroom when a mass of black hair overwhelmed him when April threw her arms around her boyfriend.

"Matt! We have to go!"

"Go where?" Matt asked in response, obviously at a loss as to what his girlfriend needed from him.

"Did you seriously forget? Prom is in two weeks and you need a tux."

"I have a tux, April."

"Something that would go more with my dress." She whined while tugging on his arm in a very immature pleading sort of way that Matt obviously found adorable. His eyes rolled up quickly while a smile traced over his lips.

"I'm, um, I'm gonna go, I've got stuff to do.." Tyler lied while taking a step away from the happy couple. He wanted to talk to Matt, but he couldn't find the right words. Besides, he couldn't have Matt all depressed while trying to find a tuxedo for his date at prom.

It was with a sigh that he walked away, though he'd only made it halfway down the hall when Matt had caught up with him, once more wrapping a hand around his forearm to halt him. "Ty, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Matty." Tyler said with a smile as he tried to take another step back.

There was a perk that came with knowing Tyler Lockwood for as long as Matt had; He could see right through the bullshit. Tyler could be obvious without even meaning to be and Matt could almost always tell. "Bull. What's going on?"

"Come on, Matt. You've got.. prom to get ready for."

Matt pulled back, thinking for a moment that his best friend was thinking about Caroline again and the fact that they were supposed to have gone together. The blonde sighed as he looked around the emptying halls, then back over his shoulder toward April who was waiting patiently against his locker. After a moment or two of thought he realized Tyler hadn't been mooning over Caroline, he hadn't been as depressive these past couple of weeks and knew that this didn't have to do with a certain blonde vampire.

"Prom can wait. Talk to me, man." Of course, Matt also knew that Tyler wasn't all that open with his feelings. Part of that was due to his father.

Tyler sighed and looked toward April, who had a visitor of her own. Elena stood, talking to the raven-haired girl with only the briefest of flashes toward Tyler. She smiled and nodded encouragingly and he knew that she was listening to every word. As if that makes this any easier, he thought with a sigh as his dark eyes turned back toward his friend. "Matty.. I.. erm.." Tyler sighed softly, trying to find the words. It didn't help that he could see Elena. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay, anything, Ty. You know that." Matt responded with confusion written in his blue eyes.

Tyler took in a deep breath and did all he could to focus on Matt, pretending that Elena wasn't there at all. "Well.. you know how Elena's been helping me with school and everything?"

"Yeah." He said, drawing out the word, still very confused.

"Well, I sort of.." he sighed, trailing off. It was a lot harder to do this than he'd thought it would be. A hand raised to brush back through his dark hair, scratching at the back of his neck in the process before his hand dropped to his side. "Okay, I've got feelings for her." He stated quickly, rushing it out with a breath of air. As soon as the words were out Tyler waited for the backlash.

Matt, however, stood stock-still staring up at his best friend as if the man were insane. Tyler counted the time that passed in his head, wondering when it would be acceptable to say something. How long should he give the man to process it. After a minute and a half he cleared his throat and Matt shook his head before a smile tugged on his lips. "I'm sorry.. I thought you just told me that you have feelings for Elena." he said in disbelief.

Tyler felt his cheeks flush as he glanced over Matt's shoulder toward Elena who appeared to be deep in conversation with April, though he knew that she was listening in. "I did."

Matt let out a long breath as his brows knitted together. He stood in silence for a bit longer before, "why are you telling me?"

"Because you're my best friend and she's your ex-girlfriend, Matty. I don't want anything more to happen with her without your approval."

Matt opened his mouth to respond before each word from Tyler sunk in, causing him to frown. "Anything more?"

Tyler inwardly cursed himself. He didn't want to lie to Matt, but knew that the truth would probably cause a tirade. "..I kissed her." It was the truth, just not the whole truth. Tyler chewed on his lip as he looked down at his friend.

Matt sighed softly before turning to look at April, obviously taking in the fact that he had a girlfriend and that he'd moved on from Elena. Sure, she would always be his first love, but she was a vampire now. Seeing the new vampire with April made him sigh softly, the sound caused Elena to glance up and smile at Matt as her eyes connected with his. He smiled back, then turned to shift his gaze toward Tyler again. "She.. wants to be with you?" He asked now.

"It was her idea to talk to you." Tyler stated with a little chuckle, feeling as if this were heading down a better path than he'd thought it would.

"I swear to God, Tyler, you break her heart and hybrid or no, I'll kick your ass." Matt told him seriously. Every line in the young man's face said that he would do it too.

"I wouldn't even fight back." Tyler promised with a quick grin tugging on his lips. From the corner of his eye he could see a little smile twitch at the corner of Elena's mouth in response to the conversation down the hall while she continued talking with April.

"I've got to go.. tux and all that." Matt said with a faint shrug and smile as he turned toward the girls. "See you later."

And then he was gone, off with April. Elena beamed from where April had left her before laughing softly. As soon as the couple was out of sight and the hall was empty she rushed toward Tyler, slinging her arms around his shoulders and standing on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. His arms wrapped around her waist in return, grinning broadly.

"See, that wasn't so bad." She chirped happily.

Tyler rolled his eyes in response. "Maybe not for you." Though he'd sounded serious, he still couldn't help but to smile as he pulled her closer and leaned down to kiss her again. The doppleganger returned it cheerfully before pulling back suddenly. "Wha-?" He asked, looking confused.

"I still have to talk to Caroline." Elena told him.

Instantly Tyler frowned, his nose wrinkling in irritation. A part of him could understand why she wanted to, after all Caroline was one of her best friends. She'd known the girl forever and wanted to stay friends with her.. or maybe it was more that she was hoping once everything calmed down they could be the happy little group they had been. Unlikely, but he could partially understand her hope. There was also the matter of Caroline having cheated on him and not Elena.

"Don't start." The girl said when she caught the little wrinkle in his nose, knowing that there was an argument building within the hybrid.

"Alright, fine, but she's not going to be as polite about it as Matt. I'll guarantee that."

"I don't care. I'm not even looking for her approval. I just want her to know."

"Can't we just let her find out by seeing us?" He asked with a quirk in his brow.

"I'd rather talk to her."

"Tell me I don't have to be there?"

"Nope. I think this requires girl time, anyway." She said with a smile, then pushed herself onto her toes and kissed his lips once more.

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