How do you do it
make me feel like I do
how do you do it
it's better than I ever knew
how do you do it
make me feel like I do
you are stellar

--"Stellar," Incubus

Ryan closed his eyes, winced slightly, and rang the doorbell. When no one answered immediately, he turned and started to walk away, but paused when he heard the familiar clicking of high heels on marble. He stood still for a moment, seriously considering making a run for it, when the front door swung open.

"Ryan. Hey." Summer looked surprised.

"Hey Summer."

Summer stepped outside the door to look around Ryan. "Where's Cohen?"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know. He said he had something super top secret to do after school," he responded, punctuating with air quotes in a dead-on impression of Seth. "The last time I saw him, he was humming the theme to Mission Impossible and trying to sneak off campus. Very badly."

Summer snorted a laugh. "He's such a freak. Oh, God, duh. I'm sorry. Do you want to come in?" Summer walked inside, and Ryan followed.

Summer turned to him and almost-whispered, "The junkie's spending the afternoon at home, unfortunately." She started up the stairs and again, Ryan followed wordlessly. Once in her room, Summer plopped down on her bed and took off her shoes, tossing them effortlessly in the bottom of her closet. Ryan walked around slowly, deciding at least to sit in the chair at her desk.

"So, Ryan…what's up?" Summer eyed him curiously.

"Nothing much. What's up with you?"

Summer smiled. "So, not to be rude or anything, but did you just come over to hang out? 'Cause we've known each other for almost two years now, but I wasn't aware we had progressed to the 'hanging out with Coop or Cohen' phase yet. Not that I mind, cos I was just going to repaint my toenails, and I can always use a spare hand, but I have a feeling you came here for something specific not involving my feet, so what's up?"

Ryan blinked once. It seemed that he was the only one who could spend time with Seth and not pick up the rambly-speech habit. He looked at Summer seriously and took a deep breath. "I need your help."

Summer returned his serious gaze. "Is everything okay? Did something happen with you and Seth?"

Ryan shook his head. "No, everything's fine with Seth. Better than fine, actually. It's just that since The Kiss--"

"Wait," Summer interjected. "Are you capitalizing events now?" She smiled knowingly.

Ryan sighed and his cheeks flushed.

Summer reapplied her serious face. "I'm sorry, I won't interrupt again. You were saying. . ."

"So, ever since…you know…things have been really great, but we graduate in a week and I'm pretty sure Caleb is taking Seth to Barcelona for the summer, and I'm going to be interning with Kirsten. So, since this is our last week of normalcy, I wanted to, um. . ." Ryan's cheeks flushed as he trailed off. He shook his head and looked up to see Summer looking at him expectantly.

"You want to. . . what?" Summer asked.

Ryan shook his head again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't even be talking about this with you. You're Seth's ex-girlfriend." He stood up and moved to leave, but Summer stopped him.

"I'm Seth's friend, Ryan. And I'm your friend, too."

Ryan smirked. "I thought we didn't know each other that well."

Summer sighed and rolled her eyes. "That was, like, ten minutes ago, Ryan. Let go of the past." She ushered him back towards the bed, pushed him down, and sat down across from him. "Okay, so, you were saying?"

Ryan took another breath, but he had to admit it was a lot easier talking to Summer than he had expected. He smiled a small smile.

"I want to take Seth on a date. A real date," Ryan continued, ignoring Summer's ridiculous grin. "We're not going to see other much this summer, and I would like to do something special before school ends."

"That is so cute!" Summer squealed. Ignoring the glare of doom, she continued, "So what do you need my help with?"

"Well, I can't exactly take him to the Lighthouse," Ryan explained. "No one even knows, except you, and I'd like to keep it that way, at least until we get to Berkeley. So. . ."

"You need some place outside of Newport. Some place discreet." Summer finished. "I can do that." She thought for a moment, then "OH! I've got the perfect place. It's this AMAZING Italian place about 45 minutes from here. My dad told me about it. I think he used to take his girlfriends there. Anyway, it's really small, and private, and far enough from Newport so no one should see you. It'd be perfect!" Summer jumped off the bed and walked to her desk, firing up her iBook. "We can Mapquest the driving directions," she said, crossing her legs in the chair.

"Cool. Thanks." Ryan leaned back against the post at the foot of Summer's bed. "Seriously. Thank you."

Summer smiled as she typed. "You're welcome." As the directions started printing, she turned to Ryan again. "Who would've thought that the thing we'd have in common would be Seth?"

Ryan smiled. "Yeah, I wouldn't have imagined that the key to our friendship would be sharing a boyfriend." Ryan paused.

"What?"

"I've just never…I've never said it like that before. Outloud, I mean. I've never actually called Seth my boyfriend."

"And how does it feel?"

Ryan thought for a moment, then smiled. "Cool. Weird, but good."

Summer smiled as she handed the directions to Ryan. "That's exactly how it feels hearing it."

Ryan stood up, folded the papers, and stuck them in his back pocket. "I'd better go. Thanks, again. For everything."

"You're welcome, again. For everything." Summer led Ryan back downstairs and to the door. "Ryan," she said, pausing in the doorway. "I care about Seth a lot. He's pretty much my best friend. And he's really happy with you. So, I'm happy." Ryan smiled, his ears turning pink. "However, it goes without saying that if you hurt him, they will never find your body. I'm just saying." Summer smiled as she closed the door. "Bye!"

Ryan laughed as he walked to the truck. So, he thought. I'm taking my boyfriend on a date arranged by his ex-girlfriend who has rage blackouts. Never a dull moment. Ryan smiled to himself as he pulled away from Summer's house.

-----------------------------------------

Ryan's smile morphed into a full-fledged grin as he saw Seth sprawled on his bed as he entered the poolhouse. Ryan closed the door carefully. Remembering that Kirsten and Sandy wouldn't be home until late, Ryan walked quietly to the bed and lay down beside Seth, propped up on his elbow. Ryan's heart fluttered a little as he watched Seth's chest rise and fall rhythmically. He hated the idea of spending the summer away from Seth, but he knew that visiting Barcelona would be an amazing experience. And as much as he hated to think about Seth leaving in a few weeks, if that, he had a feeling it would make living together at Berkeley that much better.

He smiled as he gently pushed the curls back from Seth's forehead, knowing full well that they would spring right back into place. Ryan tried pushing them back again, and laughed softly as they bounced right back.

"What exactly are you doing?" Seth's voice had that 'just woke up' quality, and he didn't open his eyes.

"Playing with your hair," Ryan responded matter-of-factly.

Seth opened his eyes to a squint and looked at Ryan. "That's awfully minty of you."

"Yeah." Ryan leaned down and kissed Seth lightly. "So's that."

Seth smiled and rolled towards Ryan. "I love minty."

"Mm-hmm," Ryan murmured, and kissed Seth again. Seth sighed and leaned into Ryan's chest. When he slid his hand down to the small of Ryan's back, he felt something strange. Grabbing the papers, he pulled away from Ryan.

"What's this?" Seth asked.

"Nothing." Ryan tried to take the papers back from Seth, but Seth jumped off the bed and raced around to the other side. "What is it?"

"It's nothing, Seth. Give it back, please."

Seth smiled mischievously. "Why? Is it a secret?" Seth raced around the bed, dodging imaginary obstacles, a huge, goofy grin on his face. Ryan sighed deeply and leaned his head to one side, watching Seth curiously. When Seth figured out Ryan wasn't going to chase him, he stopped spastically darting around the room and looked disappointed.

Ryan broke out into a huge grin and tackled Seth to the bed. He pinned Seth's arms to the bed and leaned over him, smiling victoriously. "You're so predictable. Like a puppy. No one will play with you, so you pout."

Seth looked up at Ryan indignantly. "I am not like a puppy," he said, his lower lip protruding.

"Then what exactly would you call that face?"

"It's not a puppy face. It's a 'my boyfriend is a big bully' face." Seth's eyes widened when he realized what he had just said. "I mean, um. . . I mean—" he fumbled for words.

Ryan moved to sit down beside Seth. "You didn't mean that?"

Seth sat up quickly. "No, I did. I mean. . .I did mean that." He cleared his throat. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes I meant you're my boyfriend. I mean, I know you are. I just haven't said it, like, outloud, you know?"

Ryan nodded. "I do know. I said the same thing to Summer today—"

"Wait, when did you talk to Summer?"

Busted. "This afternoon. I went to her house."

"Why?"

"Because I needed her help with something."

"Does this something have to do with those papers there?" Seth said, pointing around Ryan's back.

Ryan nodded.

"Ryan," Seth pouted. "I want to know the secret."

"Well, I was going to tell you," Ryan kissed Seth quickly. "But now I think I'll make you wait."

Seth groaned. "Ry-an. I'm not a good waiter. And by that, I mean I am neither very patient, nor do I have the manual dexterity to wait tables. I'm not good at balancing things on trays." Seth made his very best puppy dog face. "Please, Ryan? I want to know the secret. I am also not above throwing a massive tantrum."

"You know, I completely believe you."

Seth propped himself up on his elbow. "Definitely. What do the mystery papers hold? A map to buried treasure with which we can save the Goondocks?"

"Um, no." Ryan looked confused.

Seth sighed. "Ryan, man, did you even, like, glance at the Seth Cohen Starter Kit? I'm thinking that you didn't. Because if you did, and I were to ask you if there were buried treasure, one-eyed pirates, and a deformed guy named Sloth, you would have a glimmer of recognition. I'm not feeling recognized, Ry." Seth shook his head in semi-mock disappointment.

Ryan shook his head, as well, but more out of slight frustration and awe at the inner workings of Seth's mind than anything. "Summer's right. You are weird." He handed Seth the folded papers.

Seth held them, though, not looking at them, but at Ryan.

"You and Summer talked about me?"

"Seth! Do you want to know or not?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. Sheesh." Seth unfolded the papers and read them carefully. "It's a map to a restaurant. In San Clemente."

Ryan nodded. "Yes it is, Seth."

"Why?"

"I want to take you there. For dinner. Tomorrow night." Ryan could feel the blush creeping back into his cheeks. This was easier with Summer.

Seth smiled. "Like, a date?"

Ryan nodded.

"I thought we didn't do dates."

"No, I said I wouldn't be bringing you flowers and picking you up. And I won't be bringing you flowers, and we'll be meeting each other in the living room, so technically I won't be picking you up."

Seth smiled at Ryan's careful plans. "So, when are we going on this date?"

"Tomorrow night, I was thinking."

"What about the anniversary dinner?"

"Well, your mom told me today that we had been granted a 'stay of execution.' She said that with everything that happened between me and Marissa at Prom, she would understand if I didn't want to go. So, obviously, that means you, too, because—"

"—the aforementioned massive tantrums. Right. So, that's awesome. Not only are we spared a celebration of the shocking one year anniversary of my grandfather's marriage to your ex-girlfriend's mother, but we get to go on a date."

"So, it's cool then? The date thing?" Ryan looked uncertain.

Seth smiled. "Yes. Definitely."

"Okay, great." He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. "It's getting late. Wanna go get something to eat?"

"We could order pizza?" Seth offered. "Which is great, by the way, because they just bring that to you. You don't even have to leave the house. Or the poolhouse. Whichever." Seth leaned back against the headboard and smiled.

Ryan stood up to get the phone. "Sounds like a plan." Ryan dialed the number, then leaned back next to Seth. "Uh, yeah, I need to place an order for delivery. Cohen, yes. Um, two large pepperoni pizzas with mushrooms, black olives, and onions."

Seth turned suddenly and Ryan and mouthed, "No onions!" with wide eyes.

"What?" Ryan mouthed, trying to listen to the guy on the other end of the phone.

"No onions. Tell him, no onions," Seth whispered.

"What?" Ryan said again, aloud this time. When the pizza guy started to repeat himself, Ryan said, "No, I'm sorry. Can I change that to no onions, please? Yes, that's right. Pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives. Okay, thanks, man." Ryan clicked the phone off and looked at Seth, slightly annoyed. "What was that all about?"

Seth curled into Ryan's side and kissed the side of his neck softly. "Onions equal bad breath, which equals no kissing. And that's very bad, Ryan. Very bad indeed." Seth leaned in and kissed Ryan softly on he lips as he traced along Ryan's collarbone.

As he leaned into the kiss, Ryan figured he could learn to love pizza without onions.