· I do not own nor did I create any part of The OC whatsoever. None of the characters are my own, and I don't claim affiliation with the show or FOX in any way.
· It's up to you to decide who the 'her' is and who the 'her' is for the first few chapters.
Avoidance
"Hey man, what are your plans for this weekend?" Ryan Atwood bounded into the room like a happy puppy. He most definitely was a brand new Ryan lately, complete with cheesy one liners, immense grins, and a love-sick heart. Seth was happy for his new brother, really, he was, but it all seemed as if love had just fallen into Ryan's lap, while he just wasn't as lucky.
"Ah, not much in the way of hot Newsport parties, if that's what you're asking. I think we're just going to hang out here, lay low for a while."
Ryan tilted his head, giving Seth his 'what are you hiding?' look he had so recently perfected.
"What? Can two people not relax on their weekend without partying and getting drunk? With midterms coming up and I have that term paper due-"
Ryan snorted loudly as he plopped onto the couch next to Seth, grabbing a hand full of popcorn from the wooden bowl that sat on the coffee table before them.
"Right, I know you're really worried about that term paper."
Seth smiled sarcastically and hugged a pillow to his chest, covering up his favorite X-men shirt which was now an official two sizes too small, and his snowflake boxers which were slowly fading into past seasons festivity.
"That's right, Ryan, I am."
"Uh huh, and this wouldn't have to do at all with being seen with your new girlfriend while your other roams about town, weeping listlessly about the Seth Cohen she could have had?"
Seth turned up the volume on the television and itched his left ankle with the toe of his right foot. "Well, I just don't know what you're talking about. I have only one girlfriend, and we just want a quiet evening spent in the peace of my own home. But you know, you and Marissa wouldn't know anything about a quiet evening, so it's alright if you want to-"
"What was that?"
Seth grinned to himself. Oh how easy it was to get someone off of your back when they are head over heals, it doesn't matter what you say and I don't care what anyone else thinks, in love.
"Oh it's just that when my bedroom window is open, I tend to heard odd… noises. You know, originating from your pool house."
"You're kidding, right?"
Seth returned the pillow to its corner of the sofa and shut the television off with a click of the remote, hopping to his feet and dramatically stretching his back before starting towards the stairs.
"Nothing to feel bad about, bro… I mean if anyone understands the urge, I'm your man, right?"
Ryan frowned, confused. "Well what exactly did you hear? I mean you don't think your parents could hear from their bedroom do you? I mean was this more than once? Because I swear the skinny dipping thing was a rare occurrence and if anything-"
Seth stopped midway up the stairs, his hands up in front of him as his face contorted slowly.
"No… just, no… you don't have to explain. Really."
Leaving a bewildered Ryan alone in the living room, Seth made his way to his bedroom, a slight bounce in his step as he chuckled softly. All in a days amusement…
----
"Seth, honey, we're going to be at the Keaton's. The number's on the fridge, order whatever you want, and be good."
Seth winced at Kirsten's sloppy kiss, which was smeared across his cheek as he hung onto the open refrigerator door. There was definitely lipstick on his cheek, and they were definitely ordering out tonight. Kirsten's idea of food was soymilk, yogurt, two-week-old turkey, pre sliced and wrapped velveeta cheese, and applesauce. Not exactly the romantic dinner he'd envisioned.
He was busying himself flipping through take out menus when the doorbell rang. He smiled to himself, jogging to the front door and opening it slyly, leaning onto the doorframe with his eyes cast down…
"So, are you ready for a romantic evening with none other than yours truly? Because tonight, my lady, tonight I am going to take your breath away."
"Not so fast, Romeo…" Seth scowled as his shoulder was pushed into the wall and his face was hit with a wave of golden hair as Marissa sped by.
"Well, as much as I'd love to chat with my favorite ex-neighbor, I'm sorry Marissa, but I have a date tonight."
"I know… I'm sorry, but you have no idea how my night's been going and I thought Ryan might be here…"
Seth sighed. Of course his evening would have obstacles. If he had been sitting at home playing video games, nothing would have happened. But now that he actually had a date with a beautiful woman in his own home with numerous possibilities at hand, his night was full with drama.
"He's supposed to be with you, Marissa."
"I know, and he was. We got into a bit of a…"
Seth smiled knowingly. She looked so pitiful, her peach silk dress was wrinkled, her mascara was running, and he could read the pain in her eyes.
"Fight? Hey, I'm sure he's just stressed about school. He has more to prove this year than all of us combined, you know that. Why don't you just go into the pool house and wait for him. I'm sure he'll be back before you know it. He's probably just walking some steam off."
She bit her lip, nursing a tear that threatened to fall from her reddened eyes. "You know, I think I would feel better if I had someone to sit with. If you guys don't mind."
The doorbell rang at that very moment and Seth silently cursed himself and his life. This must have been God's idea of karma, for being lucky enough to have the love of two special women and then casting away one while leading on another. Right. He silently nodded and walked once more to the door.
"Seth! Hey. You look great!"
She looked fantastic. Her hair was flipped out, a pink glass beret topping it all off. Her outfit was casual, a black skirt which dipped down on one side and a soft pink halter top. He realized both the butterflies in his stomach and the slight ache in his heart as he dipped his head down and caught her lips quickly, surprising her.
"Yep. You taste as good as you look."
She laughed and squeezed his arm, following him inside to the living room.
"…Marissa? What are you doing here?" Her neck craned as she peered down the nearby hallway…
· It's up to you to decide who the 'her' is and who the 'her' is for the first few chapters.
Avoidance
"Hey man, what are your plans for this weekend?" Ryan Atwood bounded into the room like a happy puppy. He most definitely was a brand new Ryan lately, complete with cheesy one liners, immense grins, and a love-sick heart. Seth was happy for his new brother, really, he was, but it all seemed as if love had just fallen into Ryan's lap, while he just wasn't as lucky.
"Ah, not much in the way of hot Newsport parties, if that's what you're asking. I think we're just going to hang out here, lay low for a while."
Ryan tilted his head, giving Seth his 'what are you hiding?' look he had so recently perfected.
"What? Can two people not relax on their weekend without partying and getting drunk? With midterms coming up and I have that term paper due-"
Ryan snorted loudly as he plopped onto the couch next to Seth, grabbing a hand full of popcorn from the wooden bowl that sat on the coffee table before them.
"Right, I know you're really worried about that term paper."
Seth smiled sarcastically and hugged a pillow to his chest, covering up his favorite X-men shirt which was now an official two sizes too small, and his snowflake boxers which were slowly fading into past seasons festivity.
"That's right, Ryan, I am."
"Uh huh, and this wouldn't have to do at all with being seen with your new girlfriend while your other roams about town, weeping listlessly about the Seth Cohen she could have had?"
Seth turned up the volume on the television and itched his left ankle with the toe of his right foot. "Well, I just don't know what you're talking about. I have only one girlfriend, and we just want a quiet evening spent in the peace of my own home. But you know, you and Marissa wouldn't know anything about a quiet evening, so it's alright if you want to-"
"What was that?"
Seth grinned to himself. Oh how easy it was to get someone off of your back when they are head over heals, it doesn't matter what you say and I don't care what anyone else thinks, in love.
"Oh it's just that when my bedroom window is open, I tend to heard odd… noises. You know, originating from your pool house."
"You're kidding, right?"
Seth returned the pillow to its corner of the sofa and shut the television off with a click of the remote, hopping to his feet and dramatically stretching his back before starting towards the stairs.
"Nothing to feel bad about, bro… I mean if anyone understands the urge, I'm your man, right?"
Ryan frowned, confused. "Well what exactly did you hear? I mean you don't think your parents could hear from their bedroom do you? I mean was this more than once? Because I swear the skinny dipping thing was a rare occurrence and if anything-"
Seth stopped midway up the stairs, his hands up in front of him as his face contorted slowly.
"No… just, no… you don't have to explain. Really."
Leaving a bewildered Ryan alone in the living room, Seth made his way to his bedroom, a slight bounce in his step as he chuckled softly. All in a days amusement…
----
"Seth, honey, we're going to be at the Keaton's. The number's on the fridge, order whatever you want, and be good."
Seth winced at Kirsten's sloppy kiss, which was smeared across his cheek as he hung onto the open refrigerator door. There was definitely lipstick on his cheek, and they were definitely ordering out tonight. Kirsten's idea of food was soymilk, yogurt, two-week-old turkey, pre sliced and wrapped velveeta cheese, and applesauce. Not exactly the romantic dinner he'd envisioned.
He was busying himself flipping through take out menus when the doorbell rang. He smiled to himself, jogging to the front door and opening it slyly, leaning onto the doorframe with his eyes cast down…
"So, are you ready for a romantic evening with none other than yours truly? Because tonight, my lady, tonight I am going to take your breath away."
"Not so fast, Romeo…" Seth scowled as his shoulder was pushed into the wall and his face was hit with a wave of golden hair as Marissa sped by.
"Well, as much as I'd love to chat with my favorite ex-neighbor, I'm sorry Marissa, but I have a date tonight."
"I know… I'm sorry, but you have no idea how my night's been going and I thought Ryan might be here…"
Seth sighed. Of course his evening would have obstacles. If he had been sitting at home playing video games, nothing would have happened. But now that he actually had a date with a beautiful woman in his own home with numerous possibilities at hand, his night was full with drama.
"He's supposed to be with you, Marissa."
"I know, and he was. We got into a bit of a…"
Seth smiled knowingly. She looked so pitiful, her peach silk dress was wrinkled, her mascara was running, and he could read the pain in her eyes.
"Fight? Hey, I'm sure he's just stressed about school. He has more to prove this year than all of us combined, you know that. Why don't you just go into the pool house and wait for him. I'm sure he'll be back before you know it. He's probably just walking some steam off."
She bit her lip, nursing a tear that threatened to fall from her reddened eyes. "You know, I think I would feel better if I had someone to sit with. If you guys don't mind."
The doorbell rang at that very moment and Seth silently cursed himself and his life. This must have been God's idea of karma, for being lucky enough to have the love of two special women and then casting away one while leading on another. Right. He silently nodded and walked once more to the door.
"Seth! Hey. You look great!"
She looked fantastic. Her hair was flipped out, a pink glass beret topping it all off. Her outfit was casual, a black skirt which dipped down on one side and a soft pink halter top. He realized both the butterflies in his stomach and the slight ache in his heart as he dipped his head down and caught her lips quickly, surprising her.
"Yep. You taste as good as you look."
She laughed and squeezed his arm, following him inside to the living room.
"…Marissa? What are you doing here?" Her neck craned as she peered down the nearby hallway…