To be

by M. F. Luder (mfluder@ec-red.com)

Title: The way things are
Author: M. F. Luder
Email: mfluder@ec-red.com
Pairing: Ryan/Seth
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Nah, I'm not really like that *winks*
Category: Five Drabbles turned into a series. Some romance, just sweetness. *shrugs*
Summary: To taste, to touch, to see, to smell, to hear.
Author's note: Actually, I wrote this for the_oc_100 . The challenge was the five senses, so I did them all. *g*

To taste

Ryan thinks he's losing his mind when he wonders how Seth tastes.

Ryan shakes his head, looking down at his orange juice while Seth takes spoonfuls of cereal next to him.

Ryan closes his eyes.

Seth probably tastes of chocolate and strawberry, but Ryan doesn't know why he thinks that. He might taste like mint and sugar.

Ryan would never know. It's stupid, really, because Ryan will never know.

He gazes to his left, to Seth, and Seth's looking right at him, bright smile on his lips.

Ryan smiles tightly, nods, then looks down at his juice.

Sugar and strawberry.

*****

To touch

He makes up excuses to touch Ryan. It's very simple, because he tells himself it's brotherly love.

Seth touches Ryan's shoulder as good morning; his lower back when they walk into school; his upper arm during battles of video games; his leg when they are laying on the bed, studying.

Brotherly love.

It's not like Seth looks forward to those little touches, loving every second of it. Seth's not like that. Ryan's not like that.

It's brotherly love, not love.

Then, Ryan turns around, giving Seth a smile, a real one, and Seth wonders about the truth of his statement.

*****

To see

Ryan knows Seth better than anyone.

Still, he doesn't see Seth gaze after him when Ryan turns around, when Ryan leaves a room.

Ryan chuckles at Seth's jokes, listening to Seth's stories during dinner. He knows how to read Seth.

But he doesn't realize the little things, the way Seth would turn around, look away, when Ryan was with Marissa.

Ryan lies by Seth's side, on Seth's bed, arms and legs touching, both silent.

Yet, it's not obvious the way Seth hangs to Ryan's every word, like it's the last one Ryan will pronounce.

Ryan doesn't see that. He should.

*****

To smell

Ryan doesn't wear cologne. Ryan owns a couple, presents from Kirsten and Seth, but doesn't wear them.

At breakfast, before going to school, Ryan smells like soap and toothpaste, sweet and clean.

Seth uses Old Spice, sometimes, to smell nice. Never for Ryan to notice. That'd be childish, and stupid, so he doesn't. Not for that reason.

After swimming, Seth smells like chloride, but Ryan smells like oranges and freshly cut grass. Seth doesn't understand how.

But when they study after midnight, and Seth places his head on Ryan's shoulder, is all coffee and cookies. For Seth, it's like home.

*****

To hear

Ryan only hears Seth's breaking at one am, as they study History, both sitting on the bed.

"Tired?"

Ryan looks up, then nods. "Yeah."

Seth stretches, running a hand through his hair, and it curls at odd places.

He looks too perfect for Ryan not to lean over and kiss him on the lips. Seth gasps underneath, but kisses him back. Ryan's eyes open in surprise, at himself, then close in bliss.

Pulling apart, Seth's looking at him, grinning. "I love you."

Hearing those words make it more real, and Ryan likes it like that, real. "I love you too."

Home - Archive - Submissions - Gallery - Last Updated - WebMistress