Title: Mom Said It Was a Gift

Author: Heath07

Rating: PG -just 'cause this is weird and sappy and fluffy and kitten tails and bunny rabbits and flowers... I think you get the point.

Summary: Seth/Summer-ish Seth thinks about his virginity.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Notes: I totally could care less if Ryan screwed the whole cheerleading squad on the tennis courts with strobe lights and porn music and I doubt Seth would really be having these thoughts ('cause, come on, he's a guy! lol), but I was just in a sentimental mood and dare I say, feeling a little romantic, so I couldn't stop myself from writing this. *Gasp.* Ew! LOL Okay, now I'm going into hiding and I won't be out until I finish at least two essays.

*Special note*: Anna, like whoa! The feedback I get from you is always incredible and it really, seriously brightens up my day. As does all feedback. (*Wink, wink!*) Thank you so much for taking the time to read and write a review. It means a lot. For everyone else that has ever reviewed and continues to review, you also completely rock

Mom Said It Was a Gift

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Ryan is a man-whore! A male slut. The definition of a player...or playa' as Seth's ultra-hip alter ego would say. It's a fact. An officially documented piece of information.

Seth is a...prude. A fact he sorely resents but can't seem to denounce-and not from lack of trying either.

Seth won't even kiss a girl he's not sure how he feels about. Ryan on the other hand probably never stopped to think about it.

Seth doesn't know what to make of that. On the one hand, it's like, totally awesome. Ryan has sexed up all the crazy honeys in Chino and dude, that is so cool. Isn't it? On the other hand, it just seems sad. Sad that Ryan has never found someone he was willing to hold out for, instead of plunging into new conquest after new conquest -quite literally.

Maybe he's being girly about the whole thing. Or maybe the inner romantic he tries to so hard to hide, disapproves. Who knows, really?

He's a guy, he should just slap him on the back and grunt and forget about it. He can't, though.

It's so lame that he's been saving himself for Summer all these years, he knows that. He doesn't need Anna or Ryan or anyone else to call him a fool because he mentions it to himself every time he thinks of her. And even when the shower grows cold, and his body is finally spent and it's not another warm body that satiates him, he doesn't bother to call himself an idiot. There's no point, it's not like he's going to do something about it.

Though he knows, he's going to have to jump out of a cake, naked, and yell: "Surprise, here I am for you to ravage!" before Summer will ever truly notice him.

Though he'd never really do the whole cake thing -it gets chilly at night in Newport, and the last thing he needs is for Summer to see him in all his glory when shrinkage would be a factor.

And he's okay with not being noticed yet, because waiting is the best part.

What would the world be like without butterflies in your stomach and sweaty palms...and sticky palms (if you must go there-and Seth goes there a lot, actually)? It would be a world of 'Nice shoes, wanna fuck?' It would be cheesy pick-up lines twenty-four seven and threesomes in bathtubs all the time, and lord knows, there's already enough of that in Newport. Does it make him a pussy that he doesn't want to be one of those guys? Does it make him a coward? He doesn't know the answers.

So damn his mother for making him her little companion and treating him like the daughter she never had. Damn her for making him watch chick-flicks and talk about his feelings. Damn her for making him respect his virginity and his eventual lack there off. Yeah, his virginity was a gift all right. One that no one wanted. Nice going. Real manly there. Being the only child sucked big time!

Surely Dawn never sat Ryan down and explained how precious a person's body was and that boys' hearts were just as fragile if they let themselves open them. She also probably didn't tell him that it was okay to cry or that sex didn't mean love. She probably never cared enough to say any of those things.

His mom always cared, even if it was to inflict feminist ideals into his once masculine brain, rendering him completely unable to have a one-night stand or cheat.

Kirsten comes into the kitchen where he's been sitting for nearly an hour, his lips still burning from Summer's kiss. He can barely form words, he's too numb to the taste of cherry lips gloss and integrity. "Hey mom."

"Hey, sweetie." Kirsten smiles and pats his shoulder, filling a mug with coffee. Seth watches her pour milk into her cup and stir it with a spoon. "Is something wrong? You're very mellow. It's a little odd. You haven't been this quiet since you were in diapers and even then you goo-gooed and gaa-gaaed more than most kids your age."

He manages a smile. "No, I'm fine," he hesitates, "I-I just, uh...I wanted to say thanks."

The mug is halfway to her lips when she stops mid-motion and quirks her brows. "Thanks? For what, honey?"

For his part, he barely cringes. How do you thank your mom for giving you a complex-a conscience, if he's honest-and the possibility of remaining a virgin until you're twenty-five?



"For being you," he says, hopping off the stool and heading to his room, leaving Kirsten stunned.

The answers come to him as he's just about to drift off to sleep. Yes, he's a pussy and a coward and a sensitive prick who's going to be saving himself for Summer for God knows how long, but at least he won't have to crawl out of a window or climb over the front seat when it's over.

Not that he's planning on waiting forever. 'Cause come on, Summer is hot and he does have needs and he's really starting to work his mojo on her. She's beginning to thaw. She'll be a puddle of love for him any day now...

Summer likes presents. Maybe the next time he sees her he'll wrap himself up in coloured paper with a bow and let her unwrap him. Virginity is a gift after all.

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end.