A/N: I don't even know what to say about this one. It came about from the
Ryan thread on TWoP, and though this wasn't what I really set out to write,
this idea hijacked me and wouldn't let me write anything else until it was
done. Our boys are really strange sometimes.
Don't look at me, they're not mine.
***
"So Ryan, are you ever gonna teach me how to fight?"
Ryan looks up at Seth, a smile creeping slowly across his face. "Why do you want to learn how to fight?"
Seth leans back into the lounge chair too quickly and nearly falls off. "Dude, how much did we drink tonight? I should learn to stay away from the jello shots. Man, even you look a little drunk, and that's almost unheard of. I guess you only turn 17 once, right?"
Ryan lazily dips his bare feet into the pool and grins up at the sky. "Yeah, well, good thing neither of us had to drive, that's all I'm gonna say."
"So anyway," Seth tips a Rolling Rock bottle to his lips and scowls when he finds it empty, "I want to learn how to fight. Come on, man, someone had to teach you, right? I asked my dad so many times, and he just keeps telling me that he's a pacifist and that I should just talk my way out of fights. That's so not helpful."
Ryan stretches his leg out and watches the water drip back into the pool. "Seth, I think you're far more likely to talk yourself *into* a fight than out of one."
"Exactly. This is exactly my point. With a mouth like mine I need to learn how to fight. Or at least defend myself. Or at least learn how to take a punch!" Seth glances warily around at the carnage of beer bottles and dixie cups strewn around the pool. Good thing the folks weren't due back for a few days. "So really, who taught you how to fight? Trey? It was Trey, wasn't it?"
Ryan's eyes darken for a quick second. Then he starts to laugh. "Yeah, Trey taught me. He told me it was his responsibility as a big brother. Didn't want me to grow up a wimp."
Seth raises his hand to his face in mock horror. "Exactly! He didn't want you to end up like me!"
Ryan shoots Seth a look and continues. "He taught me how to throw a good punch. It was kinda fun. We ended up beating the crap out of each other, but it was fun. After that, we were a menace to the neighborhood. We'd take on anybody."
Seth sighs dramatically. "Sounds like good times, man. And I was denied all of that because I never had a brother. Well, until now..." He looks at Ryan expectantly.
Ryan gets up from the pool ledge and moves to stand over Seth, folding his arms. "First of all, that was a long time ago; second of all, your parents would kill me for even having this conversation with you; and third of all," Ryan smirks, "you don't have half the upper body strength that Trey and I have."
Seth rolls his eyes at the insult. "Ouch, dude. I may not have arms of steel like you, but I'm no weakling." He stands to face Ryan. "I do sail, and working those ropes requires some muscles, you know. Plus, I have the height advantage. Come on, it'll be fun. It was a bonding thing for you and Trey, right? Come on." He pushes Ryan, then curls his fists and bounces on his toes like a boxer. "Show me what you got!"
"Seth, don't push me." Ryan's eyes flash.
"Come on! It'll be like Fight Club. We'll get all bloody and shit. It'll be fun! It will bring us closer, really. Hit me. Just sock me a good one, Ry. Do it!"
Ryan laughs. "Seth, you really don't want me to punch you. I'm serious! It hurts. You know it hurts. I've seen you get hit before."
Seth stops bouncing, and grins a devilish grin. "Yeah, but we're kinda wasted, right? So it won't really hurt that bad. And the folks won't be home for a few days, and we'll be all healed by then. Let's do this. C'mon, put 'em up!" Seth curls his fists again, and starts circling around Ryan.
"Seth. I can tell you what's gonna happen. Okay? I'll hit you once, you'll fall down, and it'll be over. Why does that sound like fun to you?"
"Well, okay, I know you're like, One-Punch Atwood and all, but this is supposed to be a lesson. That's the whole point, Ryan. You're teaching me to fight so I don't get my ass kicked by other people. You'll be doing me a favor, really."
"You wanna learn how to fight? You wanna do this so bad? Alright, you're on."
Ryan quickly shows Seth the proper way to make a fist, and how to throw with his whole arm to get the most power.
They square off, and Ryan eyes Seth warily. "So you want me to throw the first punch? Or do you want to do it?"
Seth scratches his chin. "I'm not sure. It's kind of like having to break in a game of pool. I always hate to break. The balls look so perfect at first when they're all in a nice triangle, then BAM! It's all chaos."
"You're scared to hit me first, aren't you?" Ryan drops his arms to his sides.
"Well, that would be dumb since I'm basically asking you to kick my ass, but yeah, I'm a little scared. You should do it first to break the tension."
*WHAP* Seth decks Ryan without even allowing him time to respond.
Ryan clutches his chin. "Dude! Not the jaw. Damn, I don't want to be spitting teeth out when this is over."
"But I totally had the element of surprise, didn't I? You totally weren't expecting that. And it was a good punch, right? I caught you off guard, threw you off with the whole nervous thing, right? I put a little muscle in there, too..."
*WHAP* Ryan punches Seth before he even finishes the sentence.
"Fuck! That hurt!" Seth is wide-eyed and clutching his right cheekbone.
Ryan takes one look at Seth's shocked face and collapses on the ground laughing. "Of course it hurts, Seth! That's the whole point! So are we done now? Are you finished trying to be a tough guy?"
"No. And stop insulting my manhood or I really will kick your ass." Seth pushes up the sleeves of his jacket, looking at Ryan who is still on the ground.
"Fine. Help me up." Ryan extends a hand toward Seth.
Seth reaches out to grab Ryan's hand, and Ryan pulls Seth down to the ground. Ryan throws a couple of quick punches to Seth's stomach, then jumps to his feet. "You gotta look out for that kind of move, Seth."
"Ooooowwwww!" Seth rolls over to his side clutching his belly. He slowly pulls himself up to his feet. "Okay, you're gonna get tricky, huh? Fine. It's on now, baby, it's on."
Seth throws a punch that connects with Ryan's nose. When Ryan reaches up to wipe it, his hand comes away covered in blood. His eyes open wide in surprise.
"I told you I could do this! I made you bleed!" Seth raises his arms above his head victoriously, giving Ryan a perfect opportunity to hit him in the side.
"Now, see? You can't go celebrating. You totally left yourself open for that." Ryan wipes away more blood from his nose.
"Oof. Okay, okay, that was dumb." Seth breathes heavily and presses his hand to his side. "That won't happen again. That was a sharp jab, man. What's under there, my spleen? My appendix? I don't really need those, right? People get them taken out all the time..."
As Seth catches his breath, he looks warily at Ryan, contemplating his next move. Ryan is walking a large circle around Seth, never turning his back. "Seth, this is so crazy. We should really stop now before this gets out of hand."
"No way. No. Way. My face isn't even bleeding yet! You're totally holding back on me. What kind of Fight Club is this, Atwood?"
"Fine. Have it your way." Ryan throws a punch that lands near Seth's eye, then another that hits his nose. "There. That'll get you bloody for sure."
Seth doubles over clutching his face. "Aaaaaaahhh! Whoa, I'm totally seeing stars. And blood, too, apparently." He holds out his hands to see bloody spots. "Awesome! You cut my eye, just like Rocky. I hope it leaves a scar."
Ryan shakes his head and laughs. "You are so weird, Cohen."
Seth, still hunched over, hands on his knees, looks up at Ryan. "Dude, blood is really pouring out of your nose. Should we maybe do something about that?"
"Nah." Ryan swipes at it and looks closely at his hand. "Noses tend to bleed a lot. It'll stop on its own."
Giving a crazed Indian yell, Seth barrels into Ryan, knocking him to the ground. Seth lands on top of Ryan and gives him a blow to the gut before Ryan rolls them over and straddles Seth.
Seth looks up at him expectantly, panting. "One more shot. Go ahead, you know you want to."
Instead, Ryan rolls them over again and again until they've traveled halfway across the yard. Seth struggles back, managing to twist Ryan's arm behind his back.
Seth gloats. "Check that out. I got you in a half-nelson. Not bad, huh?"
"Not bad. Also not a half-nelson." Ryan is panting now as well. "So now what are you gonna do?"
Seth looks down at their tangled arms. "I have no idea. Hold you here like this for a while?"
"Exactly. It's a good defensive move. You could try talking sense to someone from here."
"But that wouldn't be any fun right now, would it?" Seth unbends Ryan's arm and pulls him to his feet.
They stand facing each other, both busted up, bloody, and out of breath. Ryan makes the next move, throwing a punch that Seth manages to duck. Seth pops back up and punches Ryan in the mouth.
"Nice move Seth. You're catching on pretty good." Ryan is still bleeding and almost completely out of breath.
Seth throws another fist, but completely misses Ryan. Ryan throws a punch that connects with Seth's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Seth collapses to the ground completely breathless.
Ryan throws himself down next to Seth. "You okay?"
"Yeah I'm cool."
"You need to work on arm control. Keep your eye on your target." He glances over. "So are we done now?"
Seth looks over at Ryan and laughs, panting. "Have you had enough?"
"I think we need to call a truce before we need an ambulance." Ryan is flicks his hand around, absently looking at the scrapes on his knuckles.
Seth takes a quick inventory of his bruises and cuts, wiping them with his already blood-stained t-shirt. "Shit. I really liked this shirt. It was genuine vintage."
Ryan shakes his head and grins. "You really are something else, man."
"Dude, that was so fun."
"We'll see if you're still saying that tomorrow. This is gonna hurt like hell in the morning."
They lay silently for a while, still slightly out of breath, looking up at the stars.
"Ry, that was so fucking hot. Are you turned on right now? Because I could totally jump you right now. Seriously. That was so primitive, visceral. Like animals."
Ryan smirks. "I think you're high on testosterone."
"Yeah, probably. But if you could look good to me all bloody like that we may have a problem."
"Oh, we have problems, alright. We should go get cleaned up." He stands and reaches to pull Seth up.
Seth takes Ryan's hand and pulls him down on top of him. "Gotcha! Come on, you know I look sexy right now."
The corner of Ryan's swollen mouth turns up and he looks at Seth mockingly. "You need a shower."
"Only if you take one with me."
"Fine, come on." Ryan agrees, knowing that they're both too tired and bruised for anything to happen anyway.
He helps Seth up and they lean on each other as they limp into the poolhouse. Ryan turns on the shower and they both get in fully dressed, slowly and painfully pulling their clothes off under the spray. Warm water runs down their bodies as they reach out to touch the marks they'd left on each other, the blood rinsing away and slipping down the drain.
***
Don't look at me, they're not mine.
***
"So Ryan, are you ever gonna teach me how to fight?"
Ryan looks up at Seth, a smile creeping slowly across his face. "Why do you want to learn how to fight?"
Seth leans back into the lounge chair too quickly and nearly falls off. "Dude, how much did we drink tonight? I should learn to stay away from the jello shots. Man, even you look a little drunk, and that's almost unheard of. I guess you only turn 17 once, right?"
Ryan lazily dips his bare feet into the pool and grins up at the sky. "Yeah, well, good thing neither of us had to drive, that's all I'm gonna say."
"So anyway," Seth tips a Rolling Rock bottle to his lips and scowls when he finds it empty, "I want to learn how to fight. Come on, man, someone had to teach you, right? I asked my dad so many times, and he just keeps telling me that he's a pacifist and that I should just talk my way out of fights. That's so not helpful."
Ryan stretches his leg out and watches the water drip back into the pool. "Seth, I think you're far more likely to talk yourself *into* a fight than out of one."
"Exactly. This is exactly my point. With a mouth like mine I need to learn how to fight. Or at least defend myself. Or at least learn how to take a punch!" Seth glances warily around at the carnage of beer bottles and dixie cups strewn around the pool. Good thing the folks weren't due back for a few days. "So really, who taught you how to fight? Trey? It was Trey, wasn't it?"
Ryan's eyes darken for a quick second. Then he starts to laugh. "Yeah, Trey taught me. He told me it was his responsibility as a big brother. Didn't want me to grow up a wimp."
Seth raises his hand to his face in mock horror. "Exactly! He didn't want you to end up like me!"
Ryan shoots Seth a look and continues. "He taught me how to throw a good punch. It was kinda fun. We ended up beating the crap out of each other, but it was fun. After that, we were a menace to the neighborhood. We'd take on anybody."
Seth sighs dramatically. "Sounds like good times, man. And I was denied all of that because I never had a brother. Well, until now..." He looks at Ryan expectantly.
Ryan gets up from the pool ledge and moves to stand over Seth, folding his arms. "First of all, that was a long time ago; second of all, your parents would kill me for even having this conversation with you; and third of all," Ryan smirks, "you don't have half the upper body strength that Trey and I have."
Seth rolls his eyes at the insult. "Ouch, dude. I may not have arms of steel like you, but I'm no weakling." He stands to face Ryan. "I do sail, and working those ropes requires some muscles, you know. Plus, I have the height advantage. Come on, it'll be fun. It was a bonding thing for you and Trey, right? Come on." He pushes Ryan, then curls his fists and bounces on his toes like a boxer. "Show me what you got!"
"Seth, don't push me." Ryan's eyes flash.
"Come on! It'll be like Fight Club. We'll get all bloody and shit. It'll be fun! It will bring us closer, really. Hit me. Just sock me a good one, Ry. Do it!"
Ryan laughs. "Seth, you really don't want me to punch you. I'm serious! It hurts. You know it hurts. I've seen you get hit before."
Seth stops bouncing, and grins a devilish grin. "Yeah, but we're kinda wasted, right? So it won't really hurt that bad. And the folks won't be home for a few days, and we'll be all healed by then. Let's do this. C'mon, put 'em up!" Seth curls his fists again, and starts circling around Ryan.
"Seth. I can tell you what's gonna happen. Okay? I'll hit you once, you'll fall down, and it'll be over. Why does that sound like fun to you?"
"Well, okay, I know you're like, One-Punch Atwood and all, but this is supposed to be a lesson. That's the whole point, Ryan. You're teaching me to fight so I don't get my ass kicked by other people. You'll be doing me a favor, really."
"You wanna learn how to fight? You wanna do this so bad? Alright, you're on."
Ryan quickly shows Seth the proper way to make a fist, and how to throw with his whole arm to get the most power.
They square off, and Ryan eyes Seth warily. "So you want me to throw the first punch? Or do you want to do it?"
Seth scratches his chin. "I'm not sure. It's kind of like having to break in a game of pool. I always hate to break. The balls look so perfect at first when they're all in a nice triangle, then BAM! It's all chaos."
"You're scared to hit me first, aren't you?" Ryan drops his arms to his sides.
"Well, that would be dumb since I'm basically asking you to kick my ass, but yeah, I'm a little scared. You should do it first to break the tension."
*WHAP* Seth decks Ryan without even allowing him time to respond.
Ryan clutches his chin. "Dude! Not the jaw. Damn, I don't want to be spitting teeth out when this is over."
"But I totally had the element of surprise, didn't I? You totally weren't expecting that. And it was a good punch, right? I caught you off guard, threw you off with the whole nervous thing, right? I put a little muscle in there, too..."
*WHAP* Ryan punches Seth before he even finishes the sentence.
"Fuck! That hurt!" Seth is wide-eyed and clutching his right cheekbone.
Ryan takes one look at Seth's shocked face and collapses on the ground laughing. "Of course it hurts, Seth! That's the whole point! So are we done now? Are you finished trying to be a tough guy?"
"No. And stop insulting my manhood or I really will kick your ass." Seth pushes up the sleeves of his jacket, looking at Ryan who is still on the ground.
"Fine. Help me up." Ryan extends a hand toward Seth.
Seth reaches out to grab Ryan's hand, and Ryan pulls Seth down to the ground. Ryan throws a couple of quick punches to Seth's stomach, then jumps to his feet. "You gotta look out for that kind of move, Seth."
"Ooooowwwww!" Seth rolls over to his side clutching his belly. He slowly pulls himself up to his feet. "Okay, you're gonna get tricky, huh? Fine. It's on now, baby, it's on."
Seth throws a punch that connects with Ryan's nose. When Ryan reaches up to wipe it, his hand comes away covered in blood. His eyes open wide in surprise.
"I told you I could do this! I made you bleed!" Seth raises his arms above his head victoriously, giving Ryan a perfect opportunity to hit him in the side.
"Now, see? You can't go celebrating. You totally left yourself open for that." Ryan wipes away more blood from his nose.
"Oof. Okay, okay, that was dumb." Seth breathes heavily and presses his hand to his side. "That won't happen again. That was a sharp jab, man. What's under there, my spleen? My appendix? I don't really need those, right? People get them taken out all the time..."
As Seth catches his breath, he looks warily at Ryan, contemplating his next move. Ryan is walking a large circle around Seth, never turning his back. "Seth, this is so crazy. We should really stop now before this gets out of hand."
"No way. No. Way. My face isn't even bleeding yet! You're totally holding back on me. What kind of Fight Club is this, Atwood?"
"Fine. Have it your way." Ryan throws a punch that lands near Seth's eye, then another that hits his nose. "There. That'll get you bloody for sure."
Seth doubles over clutching his face. "Aaaaaaahhh! Whoa, I'm totally seeing stars. And blood, too, apparently." He holds out his hands to see bloody spots. "Awesome! You cut my eye, just like Rocky. I hope it leaves a scar."
Ryan shakes his head and laughs. "You are so weird, Cohen."
Seth, still hunched over, hands on his knees, looks up at Ryan. "Dude, blood is really pouring out of your nose. Should we maybe do something about that?"
"Nah." Ryan swipes at it and looks closely at his hand. "Noses tend to bleed a lot. It'll stop on its own."
Giving a crazed Indian yell, Seth barrels into Ryan, knocking him to the ground. Seth lands on top of Ryan and gives him a blow to the gut before Ryan rolls them over and straddles Seth.
Seth looks up at him expectantly, panting. "One more shot. Go ahead, you know you want to."
Instead, Ryan rolls them over again and again until they've traveled halfway across the yard. Seth struggles back, managing to twist Ryan's arm behind his back.
Seth gloats. "Check that out. I got you in a half-nelson. Not bad, huh?"
"Not bad. Also not a half-nelson." Ryan is panting now as well. "So now what are you gonna do?"
Seth looks down at their tangled arms. "I have no idea. Hold you here like this for a while?"
"Exactly. It's a good defensive move. You could try talking sense to someone from here."
"But that wouldn't be any fun right now, would it?" Seth unbends Ryan's arm and pulls him to his feet.
They stand facing each other, both busted up, bloody, and out of breath. Ryan makes the next move, throwing a punch that Seth manages to duck. Seth pops back up and punches Ryan in the mouth.
"Nice move Seth. You're catching on pretty good." Ryan is still bleeding and almost completely out of breath.
Seth throws another fist, but completely misses Ryan. Ryan throws a punch that connects with Seth's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Seth collapses to the ground completely breathless.
Ryan throws himself down next to Seth. "You okay?"
"Yeah I'm cool."
"You need to work on arm control. Keep your eye on your target." He glances over. "So are we done now?"
Seth looks over at Ryan and laughs, panting. "Have you had enough?"
"I think we need to call a truce before we need an ambulance." Ryan is flicks his hand around, absently looking at the scrapes on his knuckles.
Seth takes a quick inventory of his bruises and cuts, wiping them with his already blood-stained t-shirt. "Shit. I really liked this shirt. It was genuine vintage."
Ryan shakes his head and grins. "You really are something else, man."
"Dude, that was so fun."
"We'll see if you're still saying that tomorrow. This is gonna hurt like hell in the morning."
They lay silently for a while, still slightly out of breath, looking up at the stars.
"Ry, that was so fucking hot. Are you turned on right now? Because I could totally jump you right now. Seriously. That was so primitive, visceral. Like animals."
Ryan smirks. "I think you're high on testosterone."
"Yeah, probably. But if you could look good to me all bloody like that we may have a problem."
"Oh, we have problems, alright. We should go get cleaned up." He stands and reaches to pull Seth up.
Seth takes Ryan's hand and pulls him down on top of him. "Gotcha! Come on, you know I look sexy right now."
The corner of Ryan's swollen mouth turns up and he looks at Seth mockingly. "You need a shower."
"Only if you take one with me."
"Fine, come on." Ryan agrees, knowing that they're both too tired and bruised for anything to happen anyway.
He helps Seth up and they lean on each other as they limp into the poolhouse. Ryan turns on the shower and they both get in fully dressed, slowly and painfully pulling their clothes off under the spray. Warm water runs down their bodies as they reach out to touch the marks they'd left on each other, the blood rinsing away and slipping down the drain.
***