Drone and Drabble

Sandy knew. Kirsten knew. Caleb, albeit reluctantly, knew. Their on-again-off-again girlfriends couldn't deny it, and Zack… well, Zack knows more than anyone. So why can't the two lovebirds see what's right in front of them? Seth/Ryan

Chapter 3- "Bleh" and Other Words of Unintelligible Speech when Jealous and/or Confused.

Luke

"So are you coming to the dinner party at my house tonight? It should be fun." Marissa asked me, with no hint of sarcasm whatsoever… Odd.

"What's it for anyways? Anything special, or is your mom in one of her I'm-better-than-you, come-to-my-overly-large-home moods?"

"The latter seems appropriate. She's even gone into mommy-mode and telling me just how pretty I look and how I should wear orange tonight, because it is 'so flattering on me'…" She looked put-out for a second, before continuing.

"I shouldn't be complaining though. Old habits die hard I suppose. It has been kind of nice lately. We've been spending more time together and she's become less… well, Julie Cooper-ish I guess."

"Wait a minute… did I truly just hear you say that you have been hanging out with your mother… unforced… and without motive?"

We looked up at the source of the comment and saw Seth grinning broadly, pulling out a chair and sitting down happily, tuna melt and Yoo-Hoo in hand.

"Can it, Cohen." Marissa said simply, smiling despite her own comment. Very few could get away with that sarcastic of a comment as Seth did, but I guess that's just Cohen for you. I learned that while he was staying up in Portland. Just go with it, and he's not such a bad guy to be around.

"Hey, I'm just saying… Actually I forgot what I was saying so scratch that. So, Aunt Marissa or whatever this continually freaky marriage makes you to me in terms of the law, Ryan and I are being forced to endure my new grandmother for una noche, so I guess we will be seeing you tonight." He grinned again and bit into his sandwich oddly happy, even with the prospect of being trapped in the Cooper-Nichol home.

Marissa seemed to be thinking along the same lines as I was, and said amusedly, "Why do you sound so excited about coming tonight? You and Ryan don't have anything better to do with each other?" Cohen stopped mid-chew and Marissa grinned at the reaction.

We've talked about it a thousand times, about the way that they might as well get it over with. They've never come out and said anything, but it's crazy obvious.

Never mind crazy obvious… It's almost painful. And I have a plan to get everyone off the edge of their seats and onto the playing field, all in order to put this whole Seth/Ryan obliviousness crap to rest. All I need is a trustworthy ally.

I only hope it ends up being worth it.

Zack

I opened my mouth, closed it, and opened it again. I tried to speak, but the only sound I could manage was a miserable:

"Bleh…"

Luke stared at me, apparently waiting for an answer, so I tried to put it in comprehensible English this time around.

"You want to WHAT!"

Much better. Although now he looks ready to punch my lights out… Maybe that wasn't the best way to put it.

"Hey, do you WANT to be going back and forth between two moping lovebirds that make your head ache, or do you want to do something about it?"

You know what? Let's rewind for a second, shall we?

I had been innocently reading in the library when Luke came up to me and sat down, saying he needed to talk, it was about Seth and Ryan. I put my book in my bag and steered him out onto the terrace, where we would be better equipped to talk about this.

So he says, flat out:

"I need your help to get them together."

I kind of stared at him like he was crazy for a bit, and he rolled his eyes at me, telling me just how obvious it is and if I didn't notice, well, what the hell?

I told him I was simply in a state of shock over the blatant statement he made to someone he barely knows, and he just shrugged.

"Desperate times man, desperate times."

So, I told him JUST how much I knew, and he seemed surprised at the details that I contributed.

"Well, then I'm glad I approached you of all people. You say you're the only one they've told…"

I told him, yeah, that I know of.

"OK, then you gotta be the one to help me."

Then, he launches into a whole big, very Cohen-esque ramble, out of which I am able to decipher the following:

"So I was thinking when I was driving up here, and don't go thinkin' I'm crazy or gay or anything like that, because if you do I'll totally kick your ass, but anyways, um yeah, I was thinking that uh, since we all know, and as in all I mean ALL as in like Summer, Marissa, Mr. n' Mrs. Cohen, hell even Caleb n' Julie… You know what, never mind that. Anyways, I was thinkin' that I could maybe uh well, uh, maybe I could umm… maybeIcouldhelpCohenmakeChinojealousbybeingwithhimbutnotREALLYbeingwithhim."

And that's how we got to "Bleh…" And that's how we got where we are now.

"Of course I want to get them to admit it, but do you really want to put yourself in the line of fire, dude? I know for a fact you've seen the damage that kid can do. That, and I know for near fact that Cohen would never go through with that."

"But oh-you-see that is the thing, dear Padawan. Know Seth Cohen as well as you think, maybe you do not."

Both Luke and Zach turned startled to the voice coming from the top of the stone steps, where Seth was currently looking quite interested in our little exchange.

"What're you guys talking about?" Cohen asked, a confused yet amused looking lining his face.

I glanced at Luke, only to see his face burning bright red in embarrassment, before muttering an excuse to leave quickly. Whether it was a ploy to pique Seth's interest at what was going on, or if it was in mere embarrassment at the intrusion, I don't want to know.

"Hey Seth…"

"Zaaaach… what's goin' on man?"

"Oh uh… just getting to know Luke a bit. Nothing major."

All Seth did was stare straight at me and nod his head slowly… "Uh-huh. Sure. Okay, I'll believe you. Or at least act like I do, since I totally don't."

I sighed and smiled sheepishly, not REALLY knowing what to say. How was I supposed to respond when the only truthful way to answer would be "Well, the guy who went around calling you fag and queer for the majority of your life has decided that he is going to pretend to date you so you can make Ryan insanely jealous. Like I said, noooothing major."

Yeah, THAT'S gonna happen.

Ugh. Don't even ask… I've had this tiny bit written for a long time. With the lack of Seth/Ryan stories these days, I've been doubting anyone would read this. So let's just see shall we?

Reviewers are my homeboys/girls. Any that do get a cookie and an imaginary life-size version of the O.C.-boy of your choice.