Title: Small Figures in a Vast Expanse

Pairing: Ryan, Seth mostly gen

Written for: The 2nd OC Sentence Fic Challenge

Sentence: Ryan and Seth decide to "find themselves" on a cross-country motorcycle trip

Author's note: This isn't finished yet but it will be finished by Monday. Unless it spirals out of control.

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"Route 66, dude. Come on, work with me. It's time for the Seth/Ryan show to go national. Have we learned nothing from the last two summers? Separation is not our natural state. Therein lies badness. So…"

Ryan waited for Seth to come back from the corner he'd gestured himself into. "So…"

"You and me and the open road, buddy. Wind in our hair and jaunty scarves trailing behind us." Pointed glare from Ryan. "Right. No scarves for you. But I guarantee you'll be jealous when my road-worn scarf brings me all the roadside chicks. Which could be a bad thing…"

Ryan settled back on the poolhouse bed for the long haul; this wasn't the first time Seth had tried to convince him to take the "ultimate post-high school, pre-college, no parents, no girlfriends, no drama except what we make, freedom from fiscal responsibility, trip to end all trips." Since they'd ordered their graduation announcements, Seth'd been in the poolhouse every night, talking about Thailand or Costa Rica or eurailing it through Eastern Europe.

"…and eat pie in a building shaped like a duck and see the world's largest piece of carved turquoise. See the real America, Ryan." Seth paused and sat down on the bed, looking to Ryan for response.

Ryan considered things, weighing the possibility of Seth quitting with the friendly "persuasion" if he gave in against the possibility of Kirsten and Sandy actually saying yes to this cross-country bike trip.

"Sounds great, dude. But just where do you plan to get the money for these bikes?" And how do you expect to convince your parents to let us go

"Oh Ryan. So naïve. Those graduation announcements Mom is making us send out to every person we've ever met? Three words for you, my friend. Road. Trip. Money."

--

"Seth, are you sure you want to do this? Summer didn't look too happy last night."

That much was true. Summer had sneered and scoffed at Harbor's Graduation Casino night. Or rather, she'd pouted while Seth was watching but Ryan had seen her face fall when Seth turned to the roulette table. She was just as lost as the rest of them. Ryan knew the feeling.

He was 18 and the Cohens weren't his guardians anymore. He wasn't exactly sure what they were, besides there. He knew he loved them and during the before breakfast banter or the sporadic family dinners he was sure that they loved him too. But he'd be going off to college in Chicago soon and what you don't see, you don't miss.

"Hello? Do the words "already have bike and pestered the parents into submission" mean i anything /i to you? The wheels have been set in motion and it will take a natural disaster to stop this convoy, my friend. Keep on truckin' is the motto for this summer. The theme, if you will. Although we should probably substitute the truckin' for motorcycle with sidecarin' which loses the cool factor, don't you think? But what the Kirsten wants, the Kirsten gets. And what—"

"Seth. Breathe." Ryan grinned as Seth sat down on the pier bench. "It's going to be great. I just wanted to make sure this was what you wanted to do. It's not like Newport out there. No 4 star hotels, no beach." It's a lousy last-ditch effort, but Ryan has to try. Can't seem too eager, even though some of Seth's enthusiasm had rubbed off on him over the last few weeks. Especially after he saw the bike their pooled graduation money would buy them.

"Yeah. I really do. We're going to find ourselves out here, Ryan. I can feel it in my bones." Seth stood up and pulled out a white silk scarf. "You thought I was kidding about the scarf, didn't you?"

Ryan scoffed quietly, the grin stretching from ear to ear. "No, actually. I was pretty sure you weren't. Come on." Ryan nudged his head in the direction of the sidecar. "No more sentimental goodbyes. Got enough of that in Newport."

"Dude, come on. We both got our licenses. Let me take the first leg." Seth whined and grabbed at the handlebars.

"Well, dude , I promised Kirsten I'd drive while we were in the city. And like you said, what the Kirsten wants, the Kirsten gets." Ryan straddled the seat and sat back,

"This is so not cool." Seth pouted as he walked over to the sidecar. "You know what they call this?"

"Yes, Seth. I saw that movie too. You only made me watch it 15 times."

"Shut up. You know you loved it. And Natalie Portman is hot. i Garden State /i is awesome." He climbed in and pulled on the helmet, another of Kirsten's conditions. "I can't believe you're making me sit in the bitch seat. This is cruel even for you."

Ryan couldn't help but laugh at Seth's scowl. "Whatever, bitch."

The roar of the engine drowned out Seth's protests as they took off from Santa Monica down route 66.