Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with The OC

A/N; Thanks for reviewing-just another quick update!

Seth moaned and blearily opened his eyes. As his vision adjusted to the Californian sunshine that was glaring through the window, a muscular brooding form that was standing over him swam into view.

"Hey" Seth grunted groggily. He extended his arm towards the coffee that Ryan was offering to him and drew the cup back towards him, blowing lightly on the steaming liquid.

"Well this is a bit of a reversal of the norm" said Seth as he heaved himself up into a sitting position propped up by his pillow.

"Yeah" nodded Ryan "Except notice that I actually gave you the coffee, I didn't just wave it around under your nose" he finished glaring at his brother.

Seth just laughed "Too generous for your own good man. Newport must've turned you soft!"

Ryan picked up a spare pillow that was lying on Seth's floor and hit him lightly over the head with it "Not that soft" he snapped before settling himself on the end of Seth's bed.

"So what brings you to this neck of the woods then bro?" Seth asked, massaging his head where Ryan had hit him.

Ryan shifted a little uncomfortably in his place "Well I…uh…thought maybe we could schedule some Seth-Ryan time"

Seth's eyes widened "You know I think that's the first time you've ever initiated the sacred rite of passage that is Seth-Ryan time. Also, I believe, the first time I've ever heard you give it its proper title. 'Seth –Ryan time'…just hearing you say it makes me go all tingly inside!"

"Well you must have worn me down" Ryan shot back

"Inevitable I'm afraid dude. Spend enough time with me and I'll invade your psyche…I'm like a catchy TV jingle in that respect" Seth sat back in his bed looking pretty pleased with himself before he suddenly slammed his cup down on his bedside table and jerked excitedly forwards towards Ryan "Oooh so what's on the agenda for Seth-Ryan time buddy? You and Marissa having troubles?"

"What?" Said Ryan looking a little taken aback "No, it's actually going really well. In fact I was hoping we could talk about you…?"

"Me?" A puzzled look crossed Seth's face but Ryan merely nodded.

"Seriously you want to talk about me? Now don't get me wrong I'm not gonna turn you down or anything. I mean you can't beat a good discussion about me…I fascinate me! It's just that…well I think that's another first!"

"Yeah well I realised that we hadn't had a chance to talk in a while. Well not really since…you know…you and Summer…"

Ryan had actually been becoming a little worried about Seth who had become noticeably more withdrawn since he'd returned from Summer's that night. It had struck Ryan as odd that Seth hadn't wanted to dissect exactly what had happened, blow by blow, as soon as he'd got back in, as was normal when anything significant happened in Seth's life. However Ryan had just assumed that he maybe needed a little time to sort it out in his own head. But even in the week that had passed since then Seth hadn't once brought it up so Ryan was still in the dark as to exactly what had happened between them… although he'd gathered that it wasn't good.

"Ah" Seth looked down at his bedcovers and become suddenly more subdued "Well I guess it's safe to say I jumped to the wrong conclusion. She didn't want me back" There was a long and heavy silence during which Ryan spotted a single tear fall from Seth's down turned face and on to the sheets below.

"I'm so sorry man" Ryan was really unsure of what to say. He had never seen Seth like this before.

Seth hastily wiped at his face with the back of his hand before looking up once again to face Ryan. "You know what though? I think I'm actually ok with it. I've finally realised that I just don't deserve to have her back. I've been so damn wrapped up in myself and bothered about the fact that my own heart shatters every time I see her that I never actually stopped to think about what I'd done to her. But the other night…I saw it. I saw in her eyes what I'd done to her. They were just so full of hurt and pain and anger…and I'd done that…me." Seth broke off and became lost for a moment in his own thoughts.

"So the way I figure it" he continued sighing heavily "If she'll even be my friend after what I've done, then I'll be a lucky man"

He looked briefly brighter "Hey at least it's better than her ignoring me like before!"

Ryan hated seeing Seth like this. He just stared at him, with no idea of what to say. Or if there even was anything he could say to help. He suspected not.

So instead he just lifted himself off the bed, made his way over to Seth's slouching form and enveloped him in a slightly awkward hug. "Don't give up" he muttered, patting Seth encouragingly on the shoulder before walking out of the room. As the door clicked shut Seth crawled back under his covers, hiding from the insensitive Californian sunshine, hiding from the world and hiding from his past mistakes.

A/N-Thanks for reading and remember: Reviews mean prizes...or at least posts anyway!