Reid and Jane were sitting together – not unusual, but it was when they were missing their third partner-in-crime. What also was unusual was the pair was lacking their usual boisterous nature and sitting almost demurely next to each other, picking at their food unenthusiastically.

What made the picture pass 'out of character' and hit 'abso-fucking-lutely bizarre' was the fact that the two weren't sitting with the Sons and the girls, but with Johnny and his friends. Everyone accepted the fact that Jane was dating Johnny and thus had a reason for moving to another table, but Reid was not only a random addition but an illogical one as well. For one, he and Johnny were strained acquaintances at best, and the company the latter boy kept was full of people Reid did not get along with – namely a certain raven-haired Asian girl.

The entire Cafeteria (minus a few select individuals neck deep in the drama all of Spenser was dying to know) held their breath when Tyler walked pass the table under such scrutiny. Instead of shuffling pass as the entire student body expected him to, the dark haired boy directed his cerulean gaze to the female half of the duo and gave her a heated look. She couldn't meet his gaze and leaned slightly closer towards her paramour.

The Cafeteria's occupants all let a sigh out simultaneously. It was either progress or a regression.

-

The room was strangely quiet, the sound of Tyler's pen scratching the only noise. Reid laid on top of his unmade covers staring at the ceiling, hands behind his head. He looked as chaotic as he felt, seeing as he had plopped down after loosening his tie and untucking his shirt. He suddenly sat up, his unbuttoned shirt gaping to reveal his grey wife beater. "I can't take this anymore," declared he.

Tyler shut his book and swiveled his chair around to face him, hands propped in his lap, waiting.

"You kissed her," Reid accused, mussing his hair with a shaking hand.

Tyler rubbed his face. "Yeah."

"Why?" Reid asked.

"Why not?" replied Tyler.

"Don't give me that shit, Tyler," Reid snarled, standing up. "Why did you kiss her?"

"I think you know," Tyler said, standing as well.

"But, why?" Reid cried. "You should've known - you must've!" He quieted. "You must've known how I felt."

Tyler drew to his full height and Reid started when he realized Tyler was taller than him – not by much, but enough to let the younger boy look imperiously down at him. "Fuck you," declared Tyler in a voice Reid had only ever heard when he had dared the younger boy to jump a cliff – before they were thirteen. "You can't say that – you don't have a right – if you didn't know how I felt."

"But I love her!" Reid yelled as if it was the argument to end all arguments.

"So?" Tyler screamed back with just as much passion. "I do, too." He rubbed his face again then said without remorse, "So, you can go fuck yourself."

"What?" the blonde asked in disbelief. "What are you saying?"

"I always let you do whatever the hell you want," Tyler informed the other boy bitterly. "Not this time," he vowed, "I'm not going to her up without a fight."

Reid shoved him. "So, this is it? Little baby Tyler is finally going to show how much of a selfish little shit he is? Well, fuck you! You don't stand a fucking chance."

Tyler laughed then said cruelly, "Oh, really? Then, tell me asshole, why did she kiss me back?"

Reid shoved harder. "I don't know what she sees in you."

"I don't know what she sees in YOU," Tyler countered, finally shoving the other boy back.

"You're a fucking follower!" Reid punctuated this statement with another push.

Tyler did the same with his statement, showing that Reid was right on some level. "You're an arrogant prick." Shove.

"You have no backbone!" Shove.

"You lack all sense of decorum!" Shove.

"Decorum? You fucking little nerd!" Shove.

"So? At least I know what she's saying versus floundering around with context clues!" Shove.

"Are you calling me 'stupid,' asshole?" Shove.

"Wow, I'm surprised you caught that, dumb ass." Shove.

"I'm going to kill you!" Shove.

"Not if I kill you first!" Shove.

The two proceeded to grapple. They didn't bother with the Power but scrapped like two boys over… well, a girl. What happened next was unexplainable and neither knew who initiated it.

They kissed, not as long as Tyler and Jane had but just as meaningful and poignant. Reid pulled away first and looked at the other boy. Then, just like after Tyler's last kiss, Reid ran.

The next day, each sat at opposite sides of every room they were in.

-

Disclaimer: 'The Covenant' does not belong to me.

A/N: Oh my god! It's been hella long. I took my having a nightmare of accidentally posting the epilogue (yes, I have written it and was surprised by its ending as well, which is kind of sad) to this fic up as a sign that I should probably post the climax, denouement, and all that jazz. I hope this chapter answered most of the questions you guys had about the tri-pairing.