Finally Done :)
Title: Love in Dispute, Part 6 of 6

Author: Kb79

Rating: Pg-13 for adult language and content

Pairing:Ryan/Seth

Disclaimer: They Belong to FOX, not me.

Spoilers: Up to The Escape, though my versions of what happened in TJ differ a tad...

Description: Just a continuation of before. And the author tries to bring closure to a story that was pretty much forgotten.

Last 5 Parts

Love In Dispute

"Cohen." Summer sat down on the twin bed and shook the sleeping boy softly. "Cohen."

Seth opened blood shot, watery eyes and looked up at the beautiful brunette perched next to him. "Summer?" He asked hoarsely, staring confused at his friend in the impossibly mini-shorts and tank top.

"Hi Seth." Summer smiled sadly down at him. She couldn't decide if he looked or sounded worse.

Seth started to sit up, straightening his tee shirt, and making sure the blanket was still up over his waist. "Hi..." He looked around. "What are you doing here? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you, but you are on my top ten list of people I don't expect to see in my bedroom when I wake up in the morning."

"Your mouth keeps running no matter what, doesn't it?" Summer questioned jokingly. "Even when you have a broken heart?"

Seth's eyes narrowed then. "Where'd you get the idea I had a broken heart?" His voice dropped a few levels and he sounded uncharacteristically cold.

Summer didn't take offense at Seth's tone. Between his eyes and blotchy face it was obvious he had a really bad night. "Well, when I picked up Marissa last night she told me the whole story about how you caught them kissing, so that was my first clue that you might be upset. But seeing you this morning, when you've so obviously spent most of the night in tears, I'm feeling pretty safe in my first assumption that you have a broken heart. Am I completely off the mark?"

Seth knew that somewhere inside him there was manly pride that should be rebelling against everything Summer was accusing him of. But she was dead on. And she, above everyone else understood what he and Ryan had together, they had their parents support, but it was Summer who really understood the two of them. Seth stared into Summer's face. "I broke up with him Summer. I had too. He was cheating on me with Marissa that whole time. He was lying to me. He kept telling me they were just friends, but I caught them last night. Can you blame me for having a broken heart?"

"If that all was true I wouldn't be able to blame you. But Seth, it's not." Summer said slowly, shifting a little closer to him on the bed.

"What do you mean it's not true?" Seth looked incredulously at her. "I saw them kiss! I was there the whole time!"

Summer wrapped an arm around Seth's waist and gave him a squeeze. "Don't you go raising your voice at me! I wasn't the one kissing your boyfriend. You need to calm down, because you need to be rationale in order for you absorb what I'm going to say. Deep breath now." Summer waited until she felt Seth take a breath and only began again when she felt some of the tension escape from his body. "Ryan was not cheating on you last night and he has not been cheating on you these past couple of weeks. He has not been lying to you. This whole time he had been with Marissa it has been as friends. Last night was the first time anything past friends happened."

"But last night still happened." Seth leaned into Summer, letting her put her arm around him further.

"Yes it did. But did you let the two of them explain what was going on last night? Or did you just break up with Ryan and storm off?" Summer asked knowingly.

"Broke up with Ryan and stormed off." Seth muttered.

"Thought so." Summer shook her head. "Do you want to know what you would have heard if you had let the two of them explain themselves?"

Seth nodded yes slowly.

"Like I said, last night was the first time anything happened. And you didn't see what you thought you saw. Ryan was not cheating on you, because Ryan didn't kiss Marissa. Marissa kissed Ryan. You may not have noticed last night, but Marissa was quite drunk. And that's the reason she was all over him, being flirty and silly. Ryan was just taking care of her; it was nothing else. He didn't know she was going to kiss him and he sure as hell didn't want her too." Summer explained everything in a clear cut, no nonsense way. "Do you see now? Would you have broken up with him if you knew the whole story?"

Seth was quiet for a few minutes, pondering everything Summer had said. Marissa had been drunk. He hadn't thought of that. That would explain why they had been all over each other. Poor Ryan probably had to practically carry her from place to place. He knew how sloppy Marissa could get sometimes. And was it really possible that Ryan hadn't been an active participant in that kiss? Could Marissa have really forced it on him? "But all the other times that they were alone and I wasn't there to see them, how do I know nothing was going on any of those times?"

"Because I'm telling you nothing went on Seth. Ryan's in love with you; not Marissa. She's been complaining for weeks now that he hasn't so much as looked her in anyway but friendly or brotherly admiration. She told me all about last night and she tells me all about all the other nights. Ryan has not been cheating on you; he's not interested in her anymore. Don't you think I would have come to you with that kind of info?"

"Then why didn't he tell her about the two of us?" Seth sounded torn.

Summer heaved a sigh that shook them both on the bed. "That I can't tell you. I can only assume he didn't want to put any more shock on her shoulders so close to her getting out of hospital. It totally backfired though. Waiting caused more harm than good. Marissa is really messed up over all of this. Part of her is upset that the guy she likes had turned out to be in a relationship with another guy. And the other part of her is upset because she messed up your relationship."

Seth gave his own sigh. "That's not her fault though. She didn't know. If she had known she would have never kissed Ryan."

Summer nodded in agreement.

"Is she all weirded out by the whole Ryan and I being together thing?"

Summer gave a small shrug of the shoulders. "At first, when she was furious about finding out the way she did, she was saying she was disgusted by it. But I think that was just the shock talking. She's not the type to hate people just because of their sexual orientation. And she's still really upset with Ryan right now, but she knows he's hurting and she doesn't want that. I'm pretty sure that once she sees the two of you together, she'll see what I see and everything will be fine."

"What you see?" Seth looked puzzled.

Summer shifted sideways so that she could wrap both arms around Seth and give him a proper hug. "I'm hoping when she sees the two of you together, she'll see how perfect the two of you are as a couple. I'm hoping she'll see the obvious love you two have for one another, how much you mean to each other, and how good you are together. And I'm hoping, when she sees all of that, she'll realize that Ryan's heart now belongs to you, your heart belongs to him, and the best thing she can do is accept that fact, move on, and be the good friend to the two of you, that you two have always been to her."

Seth was moved to tears by the time Summer was finished with her little speech. It was amazing how the girl that everyone viewed as shallow and petty could have such a remarkable grasp on human emotion. And the way she said all of that about Ryan and himself... Well it was causing Seth's broken heart to ache, because if she believed it too... If she could see all of that... Then why were they apart?

Summer felt a few warm drops hit her bare shoulder. "Aww, Seth, come on. It's all going to work out."

"Dude... I waited years to get you in my room Summer, and now that it finally happened, you're here to help save me save my relationship with Ryan. That isn't exactly how the fantasy used to go all those years." Seth said over Summer's shoulder, trying to change the mood of the conversation and make a joke as he sniffled back more tears.

Summer gave a sad chuckle and just gave her friend a tighter squeeze. "You never stop Cohen and it never fails to amaze me." She started to pull away and gave him an awkward pat on the back. "Get up now. I sent Marissa over to talk to Ryan and I want to go make sure she hasn't killed him or anything. Shower and dress, than join us in the pool house."

Seth's spirits began to raise a little as he listened to Summer give him orders. "You think Ryan will want to see me after what I did to him yesterday?"

She was almost to the door. "I know he will. Now go get cleaned up and brush your teeth, you have horrible morning breath." Summer gave a smart smile before ducking out the door.

Seth groaned as he listened to her head down the stairs. But he gathered all his strength and made his way towards the bathroom.

Marissa stepped into the entrance of the Cohen's pool house and gazed for a long minute as the sun streamed down through the tall windows and bathed the handsome boy with golden light as he laid spread out on his stomach in bed. She took in his hard, tanned, compact frame, which while adorned only in a pair of boxers was a sight enough to send any woman's heart all a flutter. Marissa stared at the smooth tightness of his back and the heavy muscles in his thighs and felt a warm tingle start right below her stomach.

'Great, the little fag still turns me on!' Marissa thought to herself as she turned right back around and exited the pool house. But then she froze, leaning against the outside wall. 'No! That's Ryan. Its just Ryan. He's your friend. You can't run from him just because he's in love with Seth. He still needs you to be his friend. You... you still need him to be your friend.'

Marissa went back in the pool house and walked all the way in this time, sitting down on the bed that just last night she had kissed Ryan on. She shook her head to clear that distressing thought. Closer up, she studied Ryan's face and watched him sleep for a few minutes. Even in slumber he looked just as distraught as he had last night. He must have sensed someone was there, could tell someone was watching him, because he began to rouse from his deep sleep, stirring as his eyes began to flutter. Ryan caught a glance of the girl next to him and his baby blues shot open, panic filling them slightly.

"Good morning Ryan." Marissa said softly, trying her hardest to sound friendly... or at least non-threatening.

"Mariss... ah." Still a little panicked, staring up at the thin girl; Ryan's choked voice got stuck in his throat. He slowly, hesitantly, pulled himself up out of the vulnerable reclined position into a seated one, looking like someone trying not to make any sudden movements as they fled a wild animal attack.

Marissa reached out and put her cool, light hand on top of Ryan's warm, hard one. "It's okay Ryan, I'm here to apologize."

Ryan looked down at the perfectly manicured hand resting on his own rough one. And his first night with Seth, roughly a month ago, came flooding back to him. How could he have ever considered this to be what he wanted in life? After experiencing Seth's touch and feeling the truth and the love there; knowing that none of it was an act, that it was all real and pure... Well Ryan just couldn't even fathom why at one time Marissa's touch, which shell claimed to be caring, when cracked was nothing more than a show that lured you into a false sense of security; could have even been considered a candidate for what Ryan wanted in life.

Marissa was needy and relied on others to keep her a float. And maybe Seth needed him and maybe he needed Seth, but they both could function on their own. Though, the truth was, they were just that much stronger together. Sure Ryan liked Marissa, but he loved Seth. He felt Marissa squeeze his hand lightly and he was brought back to the matter at hand. He finally let his eyes meet her gaze. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Marissa tightened her hand over Ryan's again. "Yes I do. I need to apologize for monopolizing all of your time lately, for expecting you to fix everything for me... I need to apologize for kissing you last night and effectively causing your breakup with Seth... And most of all I need to apologize for not giving you a chance to explain last night and speaking to you the way I did."

"No. Apology. Necessary. I'm your friend, if you need me, I'll be there for you and I'll do whatever you need me to do. And as for the other stuff, if I had told you earlier, none of it would have happened." Ryan dropped his head downwards when he had said his piece.

"I can't argue with you there Ryan. You really should have let me know about you and Seth way before yesterday." Marissa continued cautiously, as Ryan's voice sounded more dead than she could ever remember it sounding before. "But I can also understand how you wanted to wait until I felt better. It kinda bit us both in the backside. But last night I was in shock from the anger and the embarrassment and the confusion and the jealously. I completely overreacted and I really feel bad about calling you what I did. And you were right, you had just lost your boy friend, you didn't need your friends walking out on you as well. Can you forgive me Ryan? I love you and if I can't have you as a boyfriend, I refuse to lose you all together, let me be the friend I wasn't being last night. Please forgive me?"

Ryan's chest got tight at Marissa's speech. It was exactly what he needed to hear... last night. Was it too late? "Can you forgive me for not telling you earlier?"

"Of course Ryan." Marissa smiled softly, but warmly. "I won't lie, it may take me a little while to get used to the idea of you and Seth together, but you two have my support."

Ryan took a moment to steady himself, closing his eyes and drawing a deep breath before looking back up at Marissa. "But we aren't together anymore Marissa. There's nothing to support. He left me..."

Marissa scooted even closer to him then. Ryan's voice no longer sounded dead, the heartache and despair were clearer now. She reached over and held him against her the way he had often held her against himself. "Maybe it's time I tried to fix something for you."

Summer let herself into the pool house and saw Ryan and Marissa embraced on the bed. She wondered for a moment if the wool had not only been pulled over on Seth's eyes, but hers as well. But then she noticed how they weren't so much embraced as Ryan was slumped against Marissa as he held on to him.

"I take it apologies were made and accepted?" Summer questioned as she walked over to the pair.

Both Marissa and Ryan turned towards Summer when they heard her speak. They separated and sat facing her on the bed. Ryan nodded yes.

"Yeah, Ryan accepted my apology." Marissa answered softly.

"And did you accept his?" Summer inquired again, giving them both an impatient look. "True, it was a little more pressing that you apologized for your behavior last night, but I hope Ryan apologized for not telling you."

"He did Summer. And I accepted it. It's all worked out between the two of us." Marissa tried to assure her best friend.

"Is it? Is it really?" Summer came all the way in and took a seat on one of the chairs in the pool house. "You've already talked about Ryan and Seth's relationship? You understand it? You've accepted that they're in love and you're okay with it? You're going to continue to be their friend?"

Marissa squirmed a little under the bombardment of questions. "Well, I know they're... or they were... I guess I understand... I'm okay with... Of course I'll still be their friend!"

"Well at least you're sure of that one thing." Summer added; sarcasm tingeing her tone.

"Summer." There was a warning in Ryan's voice.

"No, no Ryan. It's okay, she's right. It's one thing to say I'm okay with you and Seth, that I understand it all. But I guess maybe I really don't. I'm not going to give you trouble about it or anything, but Seth's been in love with Summer for years... and you and I... well I kinda thought we had something as well. I just don't understand how two seemingly straight guys can suddenly be in love with each other, when a month ago they were into girls." Marissa admitted, looking a little nervous and a little embarrassed. She shifted on the bed so that she could look at both Summer and Ryan.

"Straight, gay, bi, at 16 years of age it's rarely set in stone." Summer interjected, leaning back in the lounge chair as she watched the other two.

Marissa gave a frustrated little shrug. "I know, but that's a pretty general answer. I'm not interested in all teenagers questioning their sexuality, I want to understand what brought Ryan and Seth together, so that I can understand what they have together."

Ryan looked up at Marissa and Summer and saw that they were both staring at him. He guessed they expected him to field this one. "It just happened one night, ya know?" There was no way he was giving exact details of the night they got together.

"No, we don't" Summer pressured. Well, she did know a little more than that. Seth had given her some details of that night. How Ryan had been upset, how Seth had found out that Ryan was bi, and how sparks had flown like the fourth of July when the two of them finally touched.

Ryan held back the desire to growl at the two of them to back off, that it was none of their business. But he knew Summer was just trying to help, she just wanted to make sure that Ryan and Marissa had everything out in the open so that they could still be friends. But she must not understand how hard this was. How was he supposed to explain out loud how he felt about Seth, how they two of them got together? They liked each other. They were together. Wasn't that enough? Why did girls always need the nit picky little details in order to understand? And to be brutally honest, they weren't together anymore; so what the fuck did it matter? "I don't talk about this kinda shit, okay?"

"No, it's not okay..." Summer began.

But Ryan cut her off. "Stop with the lectures, alright? We broke up! We aren't together anymore. What does it matter now how we got together? What we had? It's over!" And with his last outburst he closed his eyes and dropped his head between his shoulder blades.

Summer didn't "continue the lecture" because at that moment she heard a stirring behind her and turned just in time to see a small section of skater sneaker before it disappeared behind the section of wall behind her. Seth had come down finally and had probably gotten intimidated when he heard Ryan yelling. Summer sighed. This was going to be harder than she had planned.

Marissa had been at the perfect angle to see Seth sneak down from the main house and then hide before coming in. Ryan was too far to the right and with his eyes closed, missed him completely. She slid next to him and curled an arm around his lower back, gripping him to her softly, but firmly. "It hurts, doesn't it? Too talk about him? Don't bother answering, I know it does. Whether you want to admit it or not. And I bet you want him back, don't you? Though I bet you won't admit that either. Summer and I want to help get the two of you back together. But in order to do that, we are going to need your help. We're going to need to know a little about your relationship. So help us out Ryan, so we can help you out."

Ryan opened his eyes and lowered his head back to the normal position. "How is telling you all of that going to help the two of us get back together?"

Marissa looked over at Summer who gave a little nod with her head towards the wall. Marissa caught her meaning; she knew that Seth was outside as well. She turned back to Ryan. "Just trust us."

Ryan weighed his options. They wanted him to spill his guts on a personal matter, something he just didn't do, ever. But the reward could be getting his Seth back. Which he knew deep down inside he'd do anything to achieve. He just hoped they knew better than to expect anything poetic or long winded from him. "How we got together really isn't that important. We're just close. And one night we were hanging out and we just got a step closer. There really isn't much more to it than that."

Marissa gave him another little squeeze, knowing how difficult this was for him. "Alright. Is it just a physical thing? Or is it an emotional thing as well?"

Ryan knew she was trying to be supportive. But he was feeling really prickly at the moment and just wished she'd get her bony body off of his. "It's both."

Marissa was beginning to feel like she was pulling teeth. And the more one word answers Ryan gave, the more embarrassing awkward questions she had to ask. "So you two were... intimate?"

Ryan actually groaned this time. This was beginning to feel like he was discussing this in front of his teachers or parents, that's how uncomfortable it was getting for him. "Yes!" He couldn't take it anymore. "We had sex! The night of Caleb's party? When you told me I was too late? That night I gave Seth his first blowjob and he jerked me off. We didn't actually fuck until Tijuana. Do you want details of that? Who the top and bottom were?"

If Marissa wasn't more than aware that Ryan responded to discomfort with anger and violence; she would have been hurt by that. But she understood. "Yeah, details are good. But I don't need to know physical details. Tell me how it felt to be with Seth like that. Were you surprised? I mean all the sudden you were with your best friend in a whole new dynamic. I mean if all the sudden I was kissing and touching Summer, I'd be a little shocked."

"Yeah, well you and Summer don't have what Seth and I had." Ryan said, calming.

"Obviously not. At least I don't think so. What is it that the two of you have? What makes what you two have different than say what you and I have as friends?" Marissa loosened her grip on Ryan and moved a little to the side.

Ryan gave another shrug. "I love him. I mean, I love you too, but I'm in love with him. He's... he's everything I've never had before."

Neither Marissa nor Summer said anything when Ryan paused this time. They could see there was something bubbling inside of him and they were hoping he'd let the rest of it out on his own, without their continued prompting.

Ryan looked at the two of them staring at him and knew that they were waiting for him to continue. He was getting tired of this. But he figured they weren't going to quit until they knew it all. He sighed gruffly. "Seth... well he... I don't trust people. I don't. I have trouble with that. You try living my life and not have trouble with it. I trust Seth. I know that nothing he ever does is with the intent to hurt me. Not even when he broke up with me last night. He didn't leave me because he knew it would hurt me, he did it because he thought I'd rather be with Marissa and he was setting me free. He was giving me the easy out. He was putting me in front of himself. Not what he wanted, not what would make him happy, but what he thought I wanted. I've never had someone do something like that for me. I don't know what you call it. Unconditional love or something; I don't know what it's called. Seth treats me better than I've ever been treated in my entire life. He really does care about me, there's never any alternate motive to whatever he does. When he kisses me or touches me, it's just because he loves me, nothing else. And his touch..."

Marissa and Summer gazed in near rapture at the boy as he trailed off for a moment. His voice, which had started off rough and near monotone, as it usually was when ever he was upset, had gone soft and smooth. It had dropped a few levels as well, making him sound as though he was talking about something revered. Or like someone talking in a place of worship or a library. They had never seen Ryan like this before. It was almost beautiful. They could hear the love Ryan had for Seth. They could practically feel it.

"His touch is really what drew me in to begin with." Ryan began again, staring off as he spoke, no longer focused on the girls, but not exactly focused on anything else either. "There's a spark when we touch. A reaction between the two of us. It just seems to scream that it's meant to be. Like our genetic make up or something knew that we were supposed to be together, even if our brains might never have thought of it. But when we touched that first time, it was like it all flew into place. Everything we were supposed to have together just clicked and we both knew that this was what we needed, wanted in life. It was perfect..."

Marissa had tears in her eyes so thick she couldn't see. But Summer was beaming. She knew Ryan had it in him. She wished she could go over there and hug the shit out of him, but he was lost in his own world right now and she was a little scared to see what would happen if someone were to shock him out of it. Especially when he came to his senses and realized everything he had just said and in front of whom he had said it.

"Was perfect. Not anymore. Because I'm a fucking idiot and blew it. I didn't tell Marissa the truth and I didn't treat Seth the way he deserved to be treated. So I lost it all." Ryan's voice had gone from soft to sad.

"Not lost Ry... just missing for a few hours." A fourth voice entered the conversation.

Ryan looked up and saw Seth standing next to Summer. "Seth?"

"Hi Ry."

Marissa and Summer looked at each other and smiled. Marissa wiped at her damp cheeks with the back of her hand and nodded her head towards the door. But Summer shook her's no. She was staying until she was sure the two of them were back together and all right.

"How much of that did you hear?" Ryan asked, a touch of worry in his voice, but hope on his face.

"Everything from stop the lecture." Seth smiled, warmly down at Ryan. "Sometime later you'll have to teach me how you were able to give Summer an order and have her listen instead of tearing your head off."

"You heard all of that?" Ryan questioned again, seeming not to believe his own ears.

Seth nodded yes.

"And?" Summer asked.

"Summer!" Marissa exclaimed; getting up off the bed and rushing over to the other girl. "Forgive her, we're leaving now."

"Are not! I'm not going anywhere until I'm sure these two get everything worked out!" Summer insisted, not budging from her seat.

"They'll be fine. It'd obvious to anyone that Ryan's in love with Seth. Even a brain dead person could see it. And being Seth's a pretty smart guy, I'm sure he can see that. So I think they'll be fine." Marissa tried to assure. "And I'm going to guess Seth still loves Ryan, because he came down here after you talked to him this morning. Plus, after hearing what Ryan had to say, how could he not be in love with him?"

"Well it's not that easy Coop. They can't just go on and pretend like this all never happened. Trust had to be built again. They need to make sure they can be the same as they were, or even if they want it to be like it was before. There's a lot of work to be done." Summer lectured to Marissa.

Marissa sighed. "Can't they just skip that? Can't they just like kiss now or something?"

Seth turned towards the two of them with an odd smirk on his face. "I thank you both for all your help, but Marissa's right. I think it's time for you to leave now. We're both going to be fine. We'll call you later and let you know all the seedy details."

Marissa gave Summer a 'See, I was right' look and the two of them exited, Marissa dragging Summer behind her.

When they were gone Seth turned to Ryan. "Can you forgive me for not giving you a chance to explain yourself last night?"

Ryan was still staring up at Seth in a bit of awe. He nodded yes slowly.

Seth narrowed his eyes a little. "Are you sure? I mean I completely jumped to conclusions and outed you in front Marissa and broke up with you. You can forgive me for all of that?"

Ryan nodded yes again. "Maybe you didn't hear everything I said. I love you Seth. I'm in love with you. If you can forgive me for everything with Marissa, I can definitely forgive you for last night."

Seth smiled huge and walked right to Ryan, standing directly in front of him. "Good! In that case, I suggest we take Marissa's advice and kiss or something." And he bent down with the intent of attaching his mouth to Ryan's.

But Ryan put out a hand out and placed it on Seth chest, stopping his actions. "I however agree with Summer. I think we still have a bunch of things to work out. We can't just pretend this all never happened. We've done a lot of things out of order or backwards in this relationship, I think we should do this right. We can't just jump right back into having sex and everything. We've got to work back up to that stuff."

Seth looked a little confused. "What, you want to like start all over again?"

Ryan gave a shrug. "Yeah, I guess so."

Seth paused to think for a moment. "Alright. But if we're going to do this the right way this time, I think you should take me out on a date."

Ryan, who was starting to recover from the shock, narrowed his eyes at Seth. "A date?"

Seth held his ground. "Yes, a date, like normal couples do. Movie, dinner, something like that."

"You really want this?" Ryan looked really apprehensive.

Seth nodded.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Be ready at 8. I'll pick you up at the main house."

Seth eyes glowed and he bounced a little on the balls of his feet. "Ooo! What are we doing?"

"You'll see." Ryan answered flatly.

"A surprise? I love surprises!"

"I know."

"Do I need to dress up?"

"Look nice."

Seth was nearly giddy with excitement as he bounded up from his crouched position in front of Ryan. He was looking ready to bounce around the room when a thought hit him so hard it was nearly visible. He turned back towards Ryan quickly. "Are we, are we back together?"

Ryan looked seriously back at him. "Do you want to be?"

Seth nodded yes vigorously. "Of course. Do I, do I need to ask you again, ya know, to uhm, be my boyfriend?"

A small sparkle shown in Ryan's blue eyes. "Can I ask this time?"

Seth gave a mock sigh. "Yeah sure, I guess you can be the man this time. I'll be the girl."

Ryan stood up and gave him a small smack on the side of the head. "How many times do I have to keep telling you there are no girls involved in this relationship?"

Seth pouted. "Not the question I was expecting."

Ryan rolled his eyes again playfully. But then he grabbed Seth's chin and pulled him in close. He gave him the smallest, softest kiss he could dare give, knowing anything more would have him throwing Seth onto the bed and just screwing the whole starting over thing to shreds. He looked Seth right in the eye as he broke away. "Seth, will you be my boyfriend again?"

A few hours later a showered, shaved, nicely dressed Ryan stood nervously in the Cohen's kitchen waiting for Seth to come downstairs. If the kid didn't hurry up soon, he was going to revoke the 'there's no girls in this relationship' comment. Sandy hung out in the kitchen, nearly beaming, every once in a while stating how he knew the two of them would work it out. Kirsten had given him a short confusing apology that he had just smiled and nodded at, before she gave him a big hug and ran off to find the camera. Ryan felt really awkward standing here, more awkward than he had ever felt standing in the Cohen's kitchen. He contributed it to the fact that he was in a nice pair of khaki slacks and a button down shirt, clothes Kirsten had bought him but that he had never planned to wear until his plan for the date seemed to require them. He wanted for Seth and he to be able to talk. And he knew that everything and anything could distract Seth. And that included his normal wardrobe. He knew this because Seth had once told him he didn't have a single outfit that didn't make him want to jump him. Ryan assumed it was because most of his things were sort of form fitting. And he didn't want that tonight, so the baggy slacks and loose fitting oxford fit the bill. Even if he felt odd in them. He was also feeling a little weird clutching the large basket that Kirsten had lent him for the evening.

Ryan had thought all day about what kind of date he and Seth should go one. He didn't want to do the movies, because he was hoping to talk and that wasn't the place for it. Dinner sounded good, but once again, having a personal conversation in any of the local restaurants could be dangerous. So he decided to take Seth on a picnic. He had spent an hour or so scouring the beach, looking for the perfect spot. And after he had found it he had gone into town to the snooty high-class deli and stocked up on a whole bunch of Seth's favorite things for dinner. So here he now stood, clutching a picnic basket, ready to walk Seth out to the private spot he had found, and dressed like a complete and utter geek.

Seth finally came downstairs and Ryan's heart seemed to find it's way into his throat. His boyfriend suddenly looked years older in a pair of gray slacks that actually fit him well for once instead of being overly baggy and a lightweight form fitting black v-neck sweater. Ryan's palms suddenly went sweaty and he barely had the voice to complain alongside with Seth as Kirsten forced them into a few pictures before they left.

But leave they did and were soon walking barefoot along the beach.

"We're going on a picnic?" Seth asked, eying the basket.

"Yup." Ryan answered as he led them both to the private area between two large dunes he had noticed earlier during the day.

"Kinda minty, don't you think?" Seth teased, helping Ryan spread out the blanket over the sand.

Instead of answering, Ryan started to unpack the basket. When they were settled on the blanket, side-by-side, he passed Seth a drink and gave him a small, nervous smile. "You look really nice tonight Seth."

Seth gave a chuckle. "Thanks. I wish I could say the same for you, but well... Sorry Ryan, you can pull off wife beaters and short sleeve button down like no one I've ever met, but you look completely out of place in Dockers and an oxford."

Ryan looked down at his horrible outfit. "Your mom liked it."

Seth laughed again. "She would."

Ryan laughed a little too, before passing around some of the food.

They were on desert before conversation started to get past light, frivolous things like school and soccer practice. Ryan was picking at a chocolate covered strawberry and gazing into Seth's face when he started in on something a little more serious. "I just want to apologize again for everything that happened with Marissa. I shouldn't have neglected you so much and I should have told her about us. I swear it was just because I didn't want to upset her, not because I was embarrassed of what we have."

Seth put down his plate and reached out for Ryan. He latched onto the hand not holding the strawberry. "I know. I shouldn't have flipped out last night. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain yourself. But enough with the apologies. We've done the whole forgiveness thing. You don't need to apologize anymore. I kinda have to agree with Marissa. After hearing what you said today, it would be kind of impossible not to forgive you and be head over heels in love with you."

A slight blush flushed Ryan's face as he squeezed Seth hand back. "I still can't believe you heard all of that. Hell, I can barely believe I said all of it."

Seth grew very serious as he pulled the two of them closer. "I loved it. Hearing what you had to say made me wonder how I ever could have doubted how you felt about me. But now that I have heard it, no matter what happens between the two of us, I'll never doubt it again."

Ryan stared down at where his hand was joined with Seth's and froze for a moment. Then he chucked the strawberry over his shoulder and advanced on Seth. He guided him down onto the part of the blanket that wasn't covered in food and quickly attacked the other boy's mouth with his own.

Overjoyed, Seth quickly wrapped his arms around Ryan and returned the kiss with as much enthusiasm as it had been started. They stayed like that kissing and caressing for a few long minutes before Seth broke for air and asked; "What happened to taking our time, starting all over?"

Ryan stared deep into Seth's face before breaking into a big grin. "We'll start all over tomorrow." And he dove back into the kiss. And the rest is history.

The End.

This was going to end in sex. But as I really wasn't excited about finishing this story and have kind of fell off the Seth/Ryan Love Train... no sex. Sorry. At least I brought some closure. I hate to be one of those writers who never finishes a story. Though I am in other fandoms so... eh. I realize a bunch of the trust shit and starting over again crap mimics what went on last night's episode, but I swear I had it written before I watched it.

Blatant stealing of certain parts of a scene involving a Ferris wheel, Ryan, and a different skinny love interest. Also blatant stealing and butchering of certain lines from the best scene on TV ever involving the best couple on TV ever, Willow & Tara. I apologize to any fanatical BtVS fans who for some reason might end up reading this and beg that they do not lynch me.