He had managed to pull out the DvD and pop in a game before Marissa even made it to the room. He didn't need her comments on the movie they were watching. Didn't even want to share the movie title with her, not wanting to screw up all his pleasant memories of it, new or old.
He had pulled whatever two player game he found first and only realized after he started it that it was one of Ryan's better games. Playing against another person was far harder then beating the computer and once Ryan had gotten a hang of it he had beaten Seth more times in this game then Seth would *ever* admit. So it was a surprise to him when *he* actually won. But then, he figured Marissa's presence had something to do with that. Just her being in the room was sucking all the fun out of the day.
When she noticed Ryan's burn Seth once again felt the guilt of giving it to him. He saw the look Ryan gave him and knew the boy was trying to once again say it wasn't his fault. Ryan could believe what he wanted, Seth knew he was to blame. Marissa's fingers threaded through Ryan's and Seth had to look away. He didn't want Marissa here. This was supposed to be his and Ryan's day together. Alone.
He watched Ryan leave to go get dressed and felt the awkwardness of the situation grow. He knew why Marissa was suddenly being so nice to him, suddenly talking to him and wanting to hang out. He wasn't stupid enough to think it had anything to do with him. She liked Ryan and would do whatever it took to be with him, even if that included hanging out with somebody she didn't really like. He got that, did a bit of it himself to try to get Summer's attention. But Summer was a fantasy, a dream. His dad had told him once that Ryan had said that where he's from, having a dream didn't make you smart. But knowing that it wouldn't come true, that did. So Seth figured he'd be smart and know that he would never have a chance with Summer, separating that dream from reality he felt he'd be able to deal. And after today he didn't think he even wanted the dream to ever become reality, if it meant he could have a chance with Ryan instead.
Seth started another game to distract himself from his thoughts and didn't even notice Marissa had left until he had finished the level and turned to ask her if she wanted anything. He shut off the game going into the kitchen for a drink and saw her and Ryan talking together on Ryan's bed. Disgusted with himself for being jealous of, Marissa Cooper, something he had vowed *never* to do, he retreated upstairs to his room.
Ryan and Marissa probably needed privacy for whatever get together plans they had anyway and he really wasn't in the mood to find out what they were. He signed online and started browsing some sites. A while later he heard the door open and close and figuring Marissa left, listened to hear if Ryan would call out to him.
"Seth?" And that wasn't what he was expecting. "Ryan? You guys home?"
"Yea, Dad." He called back coming out of his room and down the stairs.
Sandy looked him over. "Going for a swim?" Seth looked down to find he was still in his swimming shorts.
"No, actually. Already did."
"Oh, alright." His father said looking around. "Where's your mother?"
"Society meeting or something." He said sitting at the table.
"And Ryan?"
Seth looked out the glass doors towards the pool house. "My guess is still talking with Marissa."
~~~
Ryan heard some noise coming from the kitchen and saw Sandy walk through the glass doors. What would his new father think of the thoughts he was considering following through with? Ryan figured nothing good. He got up and walked out of the pool house heading over to Sandy.
"Hey."
"There you are Ryan. Everything alright?"
"Yeah, everything’s fine. Where's Seth?"
Sandy gestured behind him. "Right inside."
Ryan nodded and passed the man walking into the kitchen. Seth was sitting at the island reading a comic. Ryan sat down beside him looking over. Those chocolate eyes locked with his own and the owner of them smiled brightly. "Glad to see you in the land of the living. What happened?"
Ryan gave him a look that said 'I don't want to talk about it.' "What you reading?"
"Extreme X-men. You haven't read this one yet."
Ryan nodded and Seth pushed a different comic in front of him. Something he had been in the middle of the day before. He could feel the change in the air. Any chance he had of even thinking anymore over his feelings for Seth was gone. Sandy was home and he was sure Kirsten wasn’t far behind.
The rest of the night was spent in front of the television with one thing or another. Video games, movies, TV shows. Dinner was made and eaten and everyone retreated to their respective sleeping areas.
As much as Ryan wished Seth would come sleep in his bed again he was glad the boy didn’t. He wasn’t sure he would have been able to curb his actions if the brunette *had* shown up.
When Ryan woke up the following morning the day seemed to be moving at a snails pace. Kirsten was home and the connection that seemed to be between Seth and him yesterday was gone.
They ended up riding over to the beachside promenade to the Crab Shack to battle with some lobsters.
“That was amazing. A lot of work, but amazing.” Ryan said looking down at the empty Lobster shells. Seth had been right about them, it was a battle to eat.
Seth nodded. “So what’s going on with you and Marissa?”
“Nothing I want to talk about.” Ryan leaned back in his chair. That was a subject he didn’t even want to touch upon.
“Ryan you know what your problem is? And I speak from experience with *great* authority here- is that you need to be aggressive okay? Her and Luke – they’re broken up – which means that you need to go after her. Tell her how you feel. It’s very easy.” Seth crossed his arms in his lap.
Ryan gave him a ‘Like you did?’ look. “What do we do? Where do we go? I have no car. No money.”
A waiter came over and placed the bill on the table. Ryan watched as Seth pulled money out of his wallet. “I got it. Threw in a couple of sailing lessons this week. Feeling a bit flush.”
“Not you too. I can’t keep doing this. Ever since your parents took me in, they’ve been like *paying* for everything. I can’t keep taking their money.” Ryan couldn’t help but feel useless. Like he was mooching off of the Cohens…which he guessed is exactly what he *was* doing.
“They’re parents. They work for us.” Seth smiled and Ryan had to look away.
“They’re *your* parents.”
“They’re your guardians. It’s the same principal.”
Ryan looked up unhappy. He couldn’t keep taking the Cohen’s money. They already bought him new clothes and they pay for the food. And he doesn’t even pay for room and board.
“Okay. What are you going to do for cash then?” Seth asked crossing his arms over his chest. His lip pouted just a bit and Ryan wanted nothing more then to move in and kiss him. Luckily he didn’t have the chance to think that idea over. Some plates breaking caught his attention and they turned around to see a man, presumably the manager, stalk up to the waiter.
“Get out of here!”
“You can’t fire me! I quit.”
What a coincidence, Ryan thought and he turned to Seth with a ‘What do you think?’ look.
“Fine. But you’re going to hook me up with free lobster.” Ryan watched Seth smile and then saw out of the corner of his eye when it faded away. Seth was not happy about this at all. But he did need the money. It wasn’t as though he were trying to find a way to avoid spending to much alone time with the boy…
Okay so maybe it was. But he just wasn’t sure how long he could control himself after a day like yesterday. Besides if the Fates weren’t against them being…anything more then brothers, they wouldn’t have made Yesterdays turn of events happen. Every time the atmosphere was getting…more then brotherly something went wrong to snap them back into place.
So why even give the smallest chance to have him fuck up. The Cohen’s were too important to him. His whole life consisted of them now. They had chosen him to be their family. And for him that was more then anything he could ever ask for.
~~~
He followed Ryan around the Pool house with his eyes. It couldn’t really be true…
“This actually works out good for me. You starting a new job, because now…I’m going to have time to do all the stuff that I haven’t been able to do since you moved here. Like I’m going to start my novel.”
Who was he kidding?! If Ryan went through with this it would kill him. He’d never had anyone to spend his time with. And now that he did Ryan was going to take that all away just because of a little money problem?
“Be back by six.” Ryan said walking by him dressing.
He admired Ryan’s body every time the boy turned around. He glanced at his watch. “Yeah. I know. It’s nine now, which means I’m going to have nine hours of me time. You know what I’m saying? For me, Ryan. I’m going to do stuff like learn Chinese. Study my Talmud. You know what I mean? Sink my teeth into it.”
He tried not to let the pain show on his face. Ryan grabbed his backpack. “You going to be okay?”
“Yes. Before you moved here, all I did was hang out by myself anyway. So it’s really a return to form.”
A form he really didn’t want to return too. Damn, couldn’t Ryan see that? He watched Ryan walk out the Pool house door and had to refrain himself from following like a lost puppy. But that’s what he was now, lost.
He hadn’t done stuff by himself for so long. Ryan had been here to share moments with and now who was he supposed to share them with.
Yea, sure Captain Oats was still available but then he was a plastic horse so why wouldn’t he be?!
He stood pacing around the pool house. He could do this. Have a day without Ryan. It’d be fine, he could have fun without Ryan.
He fell back onto Ryan’s bed. He was a horrible liar even to himself. Sighing he curled up hugging his knees to his chest. If he had it his way Ryan would be here with him and they would be continuing in whatever direction they were headed the other day.
But no since he couldn’t control the earth the fates were out to get him. Ryan was gonna be gone all day and his mom was having a womanly get together. This was just wonderful.
Seth made his way around the house the long way and walked through the front door and up too his room. He had a long boring day ahead of him and he figured he should get started.
What was that saying parents always used? The faster you get it done? He shrugged.
No matter how fast he got things done the day wouldn’t end fast enough.
~~~
He crumpled them up. “It belongs – in the garbage.” He tossed them into a garbage bin next to them.
“This.” He said holding up plates with leftover food on them. “Belongs over here.” He put them in a bin. “And uh,” he rubs his hands together, “now for the advance class.”
He tapped Ryan’s chest with the back of his hand and walked over to a woman sitting alone. He leaned down charmingly with his hands behind his back. “Hello Mrs. Plamer. How are you today? Would you like another glass of Merlot?”
Mrs. Plamer nodded and Donnie and Ryan walked away. “Drunk.” Donnie whispers to Ryan picking up the bill.
“Been working here long?” Ryan asked thinking over the stuff Donnie just showed him. Seeing the look of the place he thinks he’s pretty much got a handle on it already.
“Oh, man. Too long. Everybody that comes in here is a *freak* show. They like to have thirty-dollar entrees on plastic plates. Sixty dollar bottles of wine in plastic cups. And their service – with a big smile.” He rung up the bill he just picked up. “Welcome to Newport. Where things only *appear* to be casual.”
Ryan can’t help but agree with that. Donnie turned around to watch Summer and Marissa walk in. “Of course, living here does have it’s upsides.”
Ryan was hoping he wouldn’t see Marissa here but there she was. The whole thing was just growing wilder and more out of proportion every time he thought over it. His feelings for her, her feelings for him. “Hey.” He said to her as she passed not wanting to seem like he wasn’t handling things just fine.
“Hey.” She replied and was that look a ‘I really wish you hadn’t done that’? or a ‘I’m happy to see you’?
“First day on the job.”
“Oh. Wow. Well, the food here is…really good.” Ryan smiled uncomfortably.
“How’s your dad?”
“He’s okay.”
“How are you?” He’s generally interested to know but she just shruggs.
“Coop! Starving!” Summer calls from across the room loudly. And Ryan wonders why Seth has such a crush on that girl.
“Ah. I should get back to work.”
“Right.” Marissa said and started to walk away.
Ryan feels bad that things are still so rough between them and he still isn’t quite so sure about his feelings for her so before he could back down he says, “You want to hang out sometime?”
She turns and before he can stop himself he continues, “Go out?”
“Like a date?” She asks smiling slightly.
“Not a date.” He replies quicker then he had wanted. But he’s not sure he wants to date her yet. “Uh. Just…” He tries to find something to redeem himself so he doesn’t sound stupid.
“I can’t. Right now.”
“Of course.” He hates to admit defeat but he’s kinda disappointed that didn’t go better. “Right.”
“But thanks. See ya.” She says leaving.
A while later busying himself with work, Ryan watches Luke walk into the Shack.
“Hey, man.” Donnie says, Ryan guesses trying to be friendly and Luke blows him off without even a word.
Summer leaves as Luke sits at the table with Marissa and Ryan tries not to look like it bothers him.
“I hate that kid, man. I – I seriously hate that kid. He walks in here like he owns the place. Let me tell you something, that Abercrombie and Fitch, water polo playing bitch wouldn’t last two minutes in Corona. “ Ryan sat on a stool and Donnie leans on the counter next to him.
“You from Corona?” Ryan asked surprised to see someone from his background at a place like Newport. But then he couldn’t have been the only one.
“Yeah, man.”
“Chino.” Ryan points to himself.
Donnie looks at him. “Chino? That’s a long way from home. That place’s no joke, man.”
Ryan shook his head.
“Yo, so these Newport kids must make you sick too then.”
“Sounds like you’re a fan.”
“You know, I like to surf. I like the tips. Love the girls. Plus it’s not all like this, man. There’s – There’s some real people around here.” Donnie said disregarding the current inhabitants of the Shack.
“Yeah?” Ryan’s actually surprised to hear that.
“I tell you what. After work, I’ll show you what I’m talking about. Cool?” He asked raising his fist.
Ryan bumped his fist with Donnie’s. “Cool.”
Ryan’s not quite sure he wants to go as he watches Donnie walk away but he couldn’t say no, right?
At the end of the day Donnie is counting small stacks of money and offers some to Ryan. “Normally, we don’t tip out the trainees, but uh, you did good, man.”
“Thanks.” Ryan said taking the money.
“All right now you can buy me a beer.” Donnie said with a smile. “I’m gonna go grab my sweatshirt.” He takes off for the back.
“All right.”
Ryan walks out of the out of the Crab Shack and Seth skates up to him. “Hey!”
Ryan can feel a chill run down his spine and he tries not to stare at the face he wasn’t able to look at all day. “What’s up?”
“Craziest thing, uh, just happened. I was in the neighborhood, checked my watch, it’s six o’clock. I figured – come by and celebrate your first day on the job.”
God he could kiss this boy…actually he could’ve but yeah not thinking back on that. He could tell Seth wasn’t “in the neighborhood” and that the day must have killed him. The boy must have been bored out of his wits. “Yeah…”
Donnie walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “So, kid. You ready?”
Ryan could see Seth’s mood falling…and it was dragging down his own. “Yeah. Yeah, actually, I made other plans. This is Donnie. He grew up in the town next to me. Uh, Donnie, Seth.”
~~~
“Wow. Hey. What’s up. Well, then. Wow. You guys must have a lot of catching up to do.”
He couldn’t look at Donnie but he couldn’t look away from Ryan. He was bored all day long. And he had had to stop himself from coming to the Crab shack all day.
“We got some, uh, some girls we got to catch up with, right? The, uh, the blonde’s a dancer.” Donnie said pointing back to some girls standing some ways off.
Pretty, Seth guesses. Not extravagantly so but hey nor was Marissa. He tried not to scowl.
“Ah, yes. The ladies. I hear ya.” Seth says faking a smile.
“Well, uh, do you wanna-“ Ryan turns to Donnie. “Donnie is it cool-“
“No, no, no, no, no, no. Please, no. You guys, go. I- Cause I have to. I was going to do stuff. Uhm. But Donnie, hey, it’s really good to meet you.” Seth shook Donnie’s hand again. He couldn’t stop Ryan from going out for some fun with an old friend. An old friend who was kinda hot…and why did he just think that? Straight. Yep that’s what he was. Gotta keep reminding himself.
“All right, man. Lets go, son.” Donnie said taking off towards the girls.
“Yeah.” Ryan said following him with his eyes.
“See ya. So then, I’ll just see you at home. Uh, tomorrow. Or tonight. Or just – I don’t know – Just go.” Seth was hoping tonight though. Actually very early tonight because Ryan was gonna have a horrible time and want to come home.
Ryan started to walk away then asked again, “You sure you don’t want to –“
“No. NO. Just-“ Seth waved him off. ‘Leave please leave if you’re gonna go.’ Seth thinks, this already too hard for him to deal with.
“All right.” Ryan said waving.
“All right.” Seth waved back. “Have fun.”
He could feel his heart falling in his chest and had to look away. He got on his skateboard and rode away. Now he just has to find something to do to finish off the day.
No big deal. He has stuff. Um…yeah…He sighed. He’s got nothing.
This would definitely have to be the worse and longest day of his life so far. And that’s saying a lot.
~~~
“Well girls see you around.” Donnie said putting an arm around Ryan. The girls waved and smiled good bye and walked away. Ryan looked at Donnie quizzically.
“I thought-“
Donnie rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You don’t want to hang out with them. Besides they’re just two girls I know because they come around a lot. Friends of, uh, friends.”
“So then…” Ryan started confused. Not that he wanted to hang out with the girls he just didn’t understand Donnie’s angle.
“I told you’re buddy that because he didn’t look the type to rain on the parade, you know what I’m saying?”
Donnie started walking and with his arm still around Ryan, he did as well. “Why?”
Donnie sighed. “For a guy from Chino you aren’t following very well. We’re uh, alike you and me. I could tell, moment you stepped into the shack.”
Ryan thought he had an idea but wasn’t quite sure. He gave him a ‘Alike how?’ look. Donnie turned them into an alley between two buildings. The space was small leaving little room between them. “You don’t have to pretend with me, kid. I saw the way you looked at your friend.”
Donnie pushed Ryan’s back up against the wall getting closer to him. “But why chase after something you can’t have.”
His head moved close to Ryan’s and he could feel Donnie’s breath ghost over his lips. “When you can take something you have.”
Donnie’s lips met Ryan’s own and he was too shocked to do much at first. But with Donnie’s tongue tracing his lower lip and one of the brunettes hands stroking his chest he couldn’t help it. Too much reigned desire from spending his days with Seth pored out of him and he was responding with fervor.
When they finally pulled back for air Ryan leaned his head against the brick wall behind him. “Knew we had something in common, man.” Donnie said bringing their bodies together. Ryan gasped as the brunette’s arousal came in contact with his own.
He couldn’t believe it. It’d been a long time since he’d had any sexual encounter. And even longer since he’d had one with a guy.
Donnie rubbed himself against Ryan slowly. “He’s pretty cute that, uh, what was his name? Oh right, Seth.”
Ryan grasped Donnie’s shoulder with one hand the other roamed over the brunette’s body. “You want him don’t you?”
Ryan nodded. “I’m sure…you do.” Donnie panted smiling. “But then, uh, why wouldn’t…you. I’m sure you…thought of it…before.”
Ryan moaned closing his eyes. “All those…soft curls…wrapped around your…fingers. Those…chocolate…puppy eyes…gazing into…your own.”
Donnie’s hands ran down the length of Ryan’s body sending shivers down his spine. Every sensation pooling in his groin like a dozen butterflies.
“He’s a cherry. You…can uh…tell. Want to teach…him. Make him…feel good?”
Ryan nodded again not trusting his throat. I mean they were still technically in public, they couldn’t risk getting caught, which made the experience that much better.
“Touch him…kiss him.” Ryan’s mind betrayed him showing al those beautiful forbidden thoughts. “But you…can’t…can you?”
Ryan shook his head, half as an answer to Donnie’s question and half as a way to dislodge the pictures in his head.
Donnie sucked at Ryan’s neck, licking and nibbling on his collarbone. “Didn’t think…so.” He pushed away from Ryan and leaned against the opposite wall trying to catch his breath.
Ryan tried not to let the whine out of his throat. It was better that they stopped.
“Can’t finish this here.” Donnie said standing and fixing himself. “So what do you say?”
Ryan wasn’t sure what he should do…but he knew what he wanted too. “Where to?”
TBC