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The relationship between Tristan Milligan and Grant Yates is known as Trates (Tristan/Yates) or Tates (Tristan/Yates). It began in the thirteenth season of Degrassi.

Relationship History[]

Overview[]

Tristan and Grant met when Grant became the new English teacher of Tristan's sophomore class, replacing Mr. Townsend. Ever since he began teaching, Grant had shown a special interest in Tristan as Tristan began to develop an obvious crush on Grant. 

Soon, their relationship took an abrupt turn when Grant helped out Tristan in his writing banter for his job as emcee in the Degrassi fashion show, but Grant told him to come to his apartment without telling anybody about it. While there, and after drinking some alcohol, Tristan and Grant reflected on their interests in classic stories and films before sharing a kiss, which led to them making out. Grant attempted to take things to the next step with Tristan, who panicked and fled from the apartment. After this, Tristan made an attempt to patch things up with Grant, who mostly ignored him and called him "immature" for his reaction. Determined to make things work, Tristan went to his apartment and, after apologizing for panicking the last time, told him that he was ready for the next level, to which Grant accepted his apology. 

Despite this, the relationship ended shortly after Maya realized the true nature of the two's relationship when noticing Tristan was surprisingly happy and the way he looked at Yates. Maya soon reported the relationship to Mr. Simpson, who talked to Tristan. Despite Tristan denying a relationship with Yates, an investigation was soon made, bringing Mr. Yates to end his affair with Tristan and to drive off in a fury.

Season 13[]

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Tristan asking why he didn't get into the group.

In Army of Me, he is the new English teacher, replacing Mr. Townsend, who was taking a leave of absence. As he makes his first appearance to the class and says how he hopes they can teach each other, Tristan shows an attraction to him. Grant explains that he is starting a playwright collective for students with writing potential, which sparks Tristan's interest as a distraction from his parents constant arguing. 

Tristan is later in the hall after school hours, completely forgotten about by his parents. Grant approaches him, asking if he can help him out. He vents to Grant about the problems in his life and when he confesses his worry about his parents getting a divorce, Grant recalls how he went through the same experience when he was around Tristan's age. Grant offers to give Tristan a lift to his dentist appointment, which Tristan accepts. Zoë Rivas later gets invited into the playwright collective, and Tristan asks Mr. Yates where his invitation is, to which Grant tells him that he didn't invite him because he thought Tristan's writing was poor, offending him. 

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Grant telling Tristan he was testing him.

Grant is later addressing the collective in the woods, which is crashed by Tristan. He asks Tristan if he was spying on them, and Tristan admits he was, but only because he wants to be in the group. Mr. Yates makes Tristan think of a poem off the top of his head, and then asks the collective over whether Tristan should be able to join or not. The collective votes him in. Mr. Yates later tells Tristan that he is proud of him because he wanted Tristan to prove himself and show how much he wanted to be in the group and how far he would go to get it. He then tells him how he may just be his favorite student in his class. 

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Tristan reading the book Grant suggested.

In Everything Is Everything, he is seen in class in the woods with the collective, listening to Zoë's story and then criticizing it. Tristan reads his story next, but Grant tells him his writing is boring and lacks depth. Tristan later tells Grant that he isn't dropping out of the collective, to which seems to surprise Grant. Grant explains he was being tough on Tristan because he didn't want to show favoritism. He tries to explain something to Tristan about a book, but is cut off by the bell.

Tristan later reads the book, which is centered around a student/teacher love affair. Zoë asks him about it and he explains how Grant told him to read the book and she teases him about needing to know if Grant likes him or not. He says how the book is a love story and when Zoë looks into it, she says how it ends with the male teacher getting castrated, the girl becoming a nun, the man a monk and the two writing only love letters to each other. Tristan is unsure how to interpret this and asks Zoë if she thinks Grant may actually like him. Clearly disturbed as she takes this in, she says, "Probably". He asks her what he should do and she says, "Run as fast as you can" and tells him that Grant sounds like trouble. 

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Grant telling Becky and Imogen that they have "immense talent" before them.

In Hypnotize, Tristan is auditioning for the Degrassi Fashion Show as emcee. As he dazzles the crowd with his singing and dancing, Grant walks in and watches him.

After Tristan finishes his performance, he shouts "Bravo!" as the audience claps. As Tristan is told to have nailed his audition by Becky and Imogen (who are running it), Grant comments to them that they have "an immense talent" before them. As Grant walks away, Tristan thanks him and asks if he can use him for a reference in the future, to which he agrees. Imogen teases him about being the teacher's pet and Tristan tries insisting he was only being a supportive teacher. Imogen then makes a comment about Grant's obvious good looks and tells Tristan "not to fight it". 

Later on, as Tristan is excitedly telling Zoë and Maya about making it in the show for Degrassi in class, Grant congratulates him. Maya and Zoë tease him about his obvious crush on Grant, but Maya reminds him that he is still their teacher. Tristan brings up West Drive's storyline with Gatsby becoming involved with a teacher, but Zoë reminds him that it ended badly and with her character getting an STI.

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Grant warning Tristan not to mention going to his apartment to anyone.

After class, Tristan decides to stay back in order to supposedly ask Grant about a question in their class book. After the students have left, Tristan asks Grant for help in his show work with the writing banter. Grant agrees to help him out, but that if he wants the help today then he needs to go to his apartment since he needs to stay for a delivery. Tristan is clearly nervous, but agrees to it. As he walks off after getting Grant's home address, Grant stops him. He asks him not to mention their meeting to anyone since he "doesn't want the other students to get jealous". Tristan assures him that it'll be "their little secret". 

Tristan then goes to his apartment with a few snacks and is nervous as he goes to the door. He knocks and Grant lets him in. As they walk around, Grant takes note of his nervousness. Tristan blows it off, saying how he just has never been to a teacher's apartment before. Grant then tells him to not think of him as his teacher. Tristan asks if he doesn't view him as his teacher then what he is to view him as. Grant answers with "Creative collaborator" and asks him to sit down while he gets them something to drink. He soon brings out absinthe alcohol for them to drink. Grant does a cheers to Tristan as they drink, after which Tristan coughs as he takes in the strong alcohol. 

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Tristan and Grant making out.

As some time passes and after some drinking, Tristan talks about his interest in classical movies and stories, such as Gone with the Wind. Grant says how he didn't think anyone his age would have seen the movie. Tristan says that he is not like most people his age, to which Grant agrees on. He then says how he doesn't even think he needs his help with his emcee work because of how good he is and pats him on his thigh. Tristan and Yates then stare at one another before Tristan kisses him. As he pulls back, he apologizes and gets up to leave. However, Grant stops him and tells him not to apologize - "not for that". He then kisses him and gets on top of him as they begin to make out. During it, Grant begins to undo Tristan's belt buckle. Panicking, Tristan gets up and leaves in a rush.

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Grant dismissing Tristan's effort to apologize.

In class, Grant wraps the lesson up and Tristan goes up to him to apologize for leaving so abruptly. Grant, clearly upset, mostly ignores him and blows his responses off. When Tristan explains how he didn't expect things to have moved so fast, Grant says how he thought he was "mature" enough to have handled the situation, but was wrong. He says what happened is to stay between them and Tristan agrees. Grant then gives him his notes that he left at his place and reveals how he made some notes for improvement. Tristan tells him how he didn't need to do that. Grant replies with "I know" before leaving as Tristan sits sadly against the desk. 

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Tristan kissing Grant before they have sex.

Tristan later goes to Grant's apartment, hoping to patch things up. Grant opens the door and asks what he is doing there. Tristan thanks for him for his writing advice, calling his work now perfect. Grant accepts the thank you and begins to close the door, but Tristan holds it open. He says how he knows he freaked out before, but that was only because he was surprised. He adds on how he knows he believes him to be immature, but he isn't and is ready for the next level. He kisses Grant and pulls back, waiting for an answer. Grant answers with a "Get in here" as he pulls a smiling Tristan into the room and shuts the door, ending the episode. 

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The two making out in a supply closet.

In Out of My Head, Tristan is singing as he walks down the Degrassi halls, clearly happy. Maya teases him about his surprisingly good mood and how she hasn't seen him all week, only for him to blow it off and claim he has been busy lately. He opens his locker to find a note from Grant, asking to meet him in the supply closet. Once in there, Yates immediately shoves Tristan against the wall, kissing him passionately. As the two begin to make out and Grant tries taking his shirt off, Tristan goes on about how happy he is and that the past few days have been so wonderful. When he says how he just wants to shout it from the rooftops, Grant stops to remind him that this is serious and that no one can know what they're doing. Tristan re-assures him that no one will find out what they're doing. Just as they begin resuming their make out session, Grant tells him to come back to his place that night to continue where they left off. 

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Tristan after Yates ends their relationship.

Later, Maya Matlin ends up putting the pieces together when seeing Tristan overjoyed for evidenly no reason with a hickey on his neck as Grant comes in fixing his shirt and tie. Knowing such a relationship is illegal, she reports it to Mr. Simpson who questions both him and Grant and starts an investigation. 

In the parking lot, Tristan sees Grant who has been suspended until the investigation is over and whether or not he can be cleared. He tries insisting how he never said anything and denied anything, but Grant is still furious and puts all the blame on him. After telling Tristan they can no longer see each other, he drives off as a stunned Tristan looks on. 

Later in "Thunderstruck", Tristan found out that Grant was a predator as Winston reveals that he was almost inappropriately touched by him; this really shattered Tristan.

Trivia[]

  • This was Tristan's first relationship.
  • Grant is the second teacher to serve alcohol to a minor, the first being Coach Carson.
  • This is the first same sex student/teacher relationship in Degrassi history.
  • Tristan never lost his virginity to Grant, seeing as he revealed himself to be a virgin in the episode #RiseAndGrind. Although it’s likely that Tristan didn't consider this his first sexual encounter, given the illicit nature of his relationship with Grant.
  • This is the fourth instance of a student/teacher relationship on Degrassi. The first one was between Paige and Matt, the second between Manny and Mick, and the third was between Sav and Winnie.
  • This is the second student/teacher relationship to have become sexual. The first was with Manny and Mick.
  • Although Tristan consented to having sex with Grant, their relationship is still considered statutory rape because Tristan was 15 and Grant was more than 5 years older than him (therefore disallowing the Canadian age exemption law like with Drew and Zoë).
  • This is the first teacher/student relationship that has been with a replacement teacher.

Rival Relationships[]

Timeline[]

  • Start Up: Hypnotize (1335)
  • Break Up: Out of My Head (1336)
    • Reason: Maya figured out about the relationship and reported it to school authorities, causing Grant to get suspended from his teaching duties pending further investigation and to break up with Tristan.

Gallery[]

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