Disclaimer: I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.
Summary: After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.
Author's Notes: To clear up any confusion, this story is exactly how it is on the show: Seth and Ryan are not biological brothers, but rather by adopted terms. The only thing is that Ryan's arrival didn't do anything for Seth's "popularity", thus leaving him to be the geek we saw in the beginning of the show.
"This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin
You tried to reach deep but you couldn't get in
And now you're outside me you see all the beauty
Repent all your sin"
"Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?"
"Ryan Gosling. Like that even needs an afterthought."
Marissa laughed as she sat on her bed, her fingers working lazily at Summer's hair. Summer sat in front of Marissa on the floor, her back aligned between Marissa legs.
"Yeah, but Ryan Reynolds got buff--really buff--recently. He looks pretty good, Sum."
Summer pursed her lips together in thought. She scrunched her nose in disagreement and shook her head. "No. Nope. Can Ryan Reynolds vouch for Noah Calhoun? Did Ryan Reynolds build a house for his one and only love, in hopes of getting back to that love? Did he hold his dying wife's hand as the two passed on into heaven together? Loved her until the very day he died and beyond?" She turned back to Marissa, her face contorted into one of conclusion.
Marissa giggled. "Yeah, you got a point there, Summer."
Summer turned back around and grinned. "Thought so."
The two girls enjoyed a comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being Marissa's hands as she braided Summer's raven hair, pulling and twisting in hopes of making the design. Summer decided to break the quiet.
"So, guess what." Marissa leaned her head to the side to take a better look at her friend.
"What?" she challenged.
Summer's face was lit up by a large smile and she played with her hands in mild excitement. "I totally have a plan to get Devon."
Marissa raised an eyebrow. "How?" she asked.
"I got some geek in his class to find out stuff about him. Get the 411, learn things about him, and then he'll report back to me. If all things go as planned, Mr. Football-Captain will be mine in a week, tops." She couldn't hide her sneaky-clad smile and Marissa's eyes grew suspicious.
"Who's the geek?" she said. She turned her attention back to the braids she was making and awaited Summer's answer.
Summer bit her lip in thought. "Um, Stanley Copen or something."
Marissa's eyes widened and she dropped Summer's hair in shock. "Seth Cohen, Sum? Sweater-vest wearing, comic book loving Seth Cohen?"
Summer wrinkled her face and shrugged. "I guess," she deadpanned.
Marissa sighed in small disappointment. "Sum, that guy's been in love with you for years. You probably broke his heart!"
Summer felt herself frown. Her heart seemed to weigh a little bit heavier than usual, but upon realizing where she was and who she was with, her heart froze immediately, morphing back to a hardened piece of rock for no one to touch upon.
"Okay, Coop. When had you been last updated about this little grade school crush?" she asked.
Marissa lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug and went back to working on Summer's hair. "I don't know. I really don't have any idea."
Summer nodded her head. "That's what I thought. He could be over me for all we know. He's probably crushing on some lame comic book geekette that we don't know about. He didn't look that sad when I offered him the proposition."
Marissa felt herself sigh once again. "I guess. But Sum, just giving you a heads up. Don't crush the guy."
Summer brought her hands up and made a swatting motion, while her eyes rolled in indignation. "Don't worry about it. He'll be fine."
"I think I have to kill myself."
Ryan looked up from his place by the island counter, his methodical chewing coming to a stop. He stared as Seth came marching into the kitchen; his face glazed in anguish, his shoulders slumped.
Finishing the remnants of his banana, Ryan threw the peel into the trash. "What happened now?"
Seth heaved a dramatic sigh and walked to a cabinet by the sink. Ryan awaited an answer, but none came right away. He watched as Seth, still drowning in misery, opened the cabinet. Pulling out a rope Ryan recognized as one used in gardening, he witnessed as Seth tied the rope along his neck, forming a knot on one end of it.
Shock registered on Ryan's face and throwing himself towards Seth, he dislodged the rope from his brother's neck. Seth seemed to care less. Ryan rolled his eyes; Seth's dramatic behavior was just so much to put up with sometimes.
"No suicide attempts. No," Ryan scolded. Seth rolled his eyes before sitting at the island and banging his head on the counter.
"What happened?"
"Ghtxthic." A mumbled ramble was all that was heard.
"Huh?" Ryan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Seth lifted his head from the counter.
"Summer."
'Of course,' his brother reasoned. 'It was always about Summer.'
"Care to elaborate?" Ryan took a seat next to Seth and reached for a nearby bagel.
"This may take a while," Seth warned.
"I've got free time. It's okay."
A nod. "Well, so I walking to Ms. Yi's class, you know, because I forgot my extra credit assignment. And behold, there was Summer. She was getting her ass grilled because I don't know what. Anyway, she followed me out of the class, called me Seth Cohen--finally--and basically tore my heart out."
A blank stare was all Seth needed to know he had to continue.
"She asked me to hook her up with Devon Rockglen. Me! She asked me! Out of all the people in the school, she had to pick me to do her dirty work. Which consists of her and another guy. Me, Ryan. Me. And what do I say? 'Why of course, Summer. Anytime.' Because she's got me like a freaking dog on a leash. Because I've been in love with her for so long." He groaned and dropped his head onto the counter once again.
"Why me! Why me?"
Ryan sat at the counter, his face on silent shock. How was he supposed to confront someone about these kinds of things? Summer's proposition was only going to be the downfall of Seth Cohen. With each day, Seth's heart would break apart even more; so, how was he supposed to comfort something like that?
Offering Seth a pat on the back, Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you know, I guess you could look on the bright side."
Seth offered him a blank look. "That being?"
Ryan drew a breath. "Well, maybe you guys could form a bond. Like, a friendship. Or something. I mean, it's better than nothing."
Seth nodded, his dramatic anguish transformed into dire misery. "I guess," he whispered.
Ryan nodded and stood up. "Well there you go. You'll be her friend. At least it's something." He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving Seth to his thoughts.
'A friend,' he mused in silence.
Better than nothing.