Not Bad, Not Bad At All
First Panel
"Come on, just a few lines?" Seth pleaded; nearly distracted as he watched Ryan peel off the shirt he'd been wearing for his shift at the Crab Shack. He was so excited he was practically bouncing.
It was such a delicious discovery; Seth had to remind himself to thank Marissa for digging it up. Heh, "digging it up" was a very appropriate term.
"No," was Ryan's succinct reply. It was tempered with his trademark sexy "don't fuck with me" glower, which made Seth catch his breath, and want to do exactly that. Not that Ryan would be offering if Seth continued to press the issue. Sometimes, however, he wasn't the smartest Cohen in the clan.
"Please, Ryan? I think it's really cool. I had no idea you were musical. I mean musical musical. And hey, it's Snoopy. Everyone likes Snoopy. It's not like I'm asking you to put on a dress and sing 'I feel pretty'. Though if you did, that'd be, um, interesting.'"
Ryan shot him a look that would have shriveled the most fearless of superheroes, and it had the same affect on Seth. He used the only countermove he knew, and made his best puppy dog eyes at Ryan; the expression had earned him weeks worth of extended bed times and double scoops of ice cream. He hoped Ryan found it as irresistible as his mother did, (but not in the same way.)
"Yeah, that's cute Seth, but it's still not going to get me to sing." Ryan said. He was laughing, so Seth knew he wasn't really pissed even if Seth was being kind of a pest. Ryan was a lot more tolerant than people gave him credit for. Case in point, he didn't freak the night Seth admitted his feelings for him weren't exactly brotherly.
"You don't really want to argue about this, do you?" Ryan asked incredulously. "Your parents aren't due home for at least another hour, and there are much better things we could be doing." Ryan patted the space next to him on the futon.
Seth had no argument to counter that. Or at least he'd hold off until later. He was no idiot. He gave one last bounce and plopped himself on top of Ryan, pushing him down for some very enthusiastic kissing.
Second Panel
When Kirsten called "her boys" (a phrase that made the tips of Ryan's ears turn red, but Seth could tell he secretly liked) in for dinner, Seth said, "Hey, Ryan, it's Suppertime" Seth could tell Ryan was clueless.
Ryan said, "Yes, I can tell by the large plates of Chicken Cacciatore. Though really, I'd call this more of a dinner, than supper."
"Yeah, supper would be something like Red Baron pizza." Seth felt Ryan kick him under the table. "Ow!" Obviously, he caught on fast.
"Are you all right, honey?" Kirsten asked.
"Fine, Mom. Bit my tongue."
"Maybe that would shut you up," Ryan said, sotto voce.
"Oooh, I'm in the doghouse Seth said, laughing.
"Not funny, Seth," Ryan answered.
"Is something going on between you two?" Sandy wondered.
"Marissa told Seth something about me I'd rather not discuss. It's nothing important." Ryan looked a little embarrassed.
"Ryan's entitled to have his privacy Seth. You shouldn't be nosy." Kirsten admonished him.
"You mean snoopy, Mom." Seth snickered.
"I know what I mean just fine, Seth. Now stop squabbling. I swear you two sound just like my sister and me when we were growing up. Now apologize to Ryan, and promise you'll treat him more like a brother."
"If that's what he wants," Seth said, running a hand up Ryan's thigh under the table. "Sorry, Ryan. I just got up on the wrong side of the blanket, I think." That got a weird look from his parents.
"I think the term is wrong side of the bed, dear." Kirsten corrected.
"Yeah, okay. I think we should all sally forth past this before a line is drawn.
"Seth, what's with all the cliches? Have you been watching Smallville again?" Sandy wanted to know. "You know that crap will rot your brain."
"Geez, Dad. How about I go up to my room and listen to Beethoven and read Peter Rabbit. Besides, I need to clean it. It's a pigpen."
"Since when have you cared about the state of your room, Seth?" Sandy asked. "Is this a new sign of maturity?"
"Hardly. This is getting old, Seth," Ryan said, exasperated.
"You know how to make me stop." Seth grinned at Ryan.
Ryan just sighed, while Kirsten and Sandy looked puzzled.
"Hey, Dad," Seth went on. "I think something's wrong with the speakers in the den. I was listening to your old Woodstock soundtrack and they kept making this 'waw-waw-wo-waw-wo' sound. It was weird."
"I'll take a look at -"
"All right! I give up. I admit it. I was Snoopy. Now stop with the God Damn Peanuts puns." Ryan interjected. "Sorry, didn't mean to swear."
Seth gave a victory whoop. "Yes! I knew it. No one can resist my punishment."
"I'm still not going to sing," Ryan said smugly.
"We'd love to hear this story, wouldn't we honey?" Sandy said.
"Tell them about your musical days, Sandy" Kirsten looked at Seth. "Your father was so handsome, and he sang beautifully."
Sandy blushed. "When I was in college, I was Sky Masterson in 'Guys and Dolls.' It was a lot of fun. Good memories." He leaned in and kissed Kirsten on the cheek. "Got me the girl."
"So tell us about your stage experience, Ryan. I never would have guessed you for a theatre maven." Kirsten was curious.
"We did 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" at my school when I was in Eighth Grade. I was Snoopy." Ryan explained.
"That's such a cute show," Kirsten said. "Seth really liked it when we took him to see it when he was a little boy. In fact, he went to kindergarten for a week with ears made out of black construction paper, and insisted we call him Snoopy."
"I did not!" Seth was indignant.
"I'm afraid so, son. We've got pictures to prove it." Sandy confirmed.
"I'd really like to see those," Ryan said.
Damn. Seth knew Ryan would have blackmail fodder for weeks. Just when he was losing his dork reputation. Oh well, as long as he got Ryan, it would all be worth it.
Third Panel
Sandy and Kirsten had a fundraiser to go to, later that night, and Seth found himself in the pool house again.
"You're not really mad, are you Ryan?" From the way Ryan was kissing him, and pressing him into the bed, he figured not. But it didn't hurt to be sure.
"No, it's okay." Ryan smiled at Seth. He peeled off his shirt, and motioned for Seth to do the same. "You were just being your usual annoying ---"
"Hot" Seth put in, using his teeth to unbutton Ryan's jeans. He could use his mouth for more than talking.
"If you say so." Ryan was already breathing hard, argument long forgotten.
Still, it was a new skill for Seth, and not as easy to learn as the controls on his Playstation 2 had been. He was intuitive, but probably not a prodigy.
He wasn't going to admit that Summer had taught him how to give a blowjob, after she'd figured out that the reason he wanted to just be friends was Ryan. She'd laughed, and said "Thank God. I knew it couldn't be me. So, you want Chino. I can't argue with your taste. He's got a certain 'slumming with the pool boy' appeal."
"Just because he lives in the pool house..."
"Whatever. Do you want to learn this or not?" Summer had said, dismissively.
Seth had been mortified when she got out a condom and a banana. Still, it helped. He knew what to do, he thought. Lots of tongue, and lots of pressure. Relax his throat muscles so he wouldn't gag. Lips over his teeth so he wouldn't scrape too hard, but some guys liked a little grazing.
"Really, it doesn't matter so much how you're doing it as that you're doing it. Guys just love blowjobs. Even bad ones. But you'd know that. Or maybe you wouldn't." Seth knew she enjoyed rubbing his inexperience in.
Ryan certainly wasn't complaining. From the way he was moaning, and gripping Seth's shoulders, it sure seemed like he was enjoying himself. And Seth really liked it when Ryan started running his fingers through Seth's curls. Not pulling, but making it clear what he wanted.
Seth was inordinately proud of himself for not letting Ryan push him away when he came. It wasn't nearly as bad as he'd expected, and the way Ryan had yelled made it all worth it.
He was a little less proud of himself a few moments later. Ryan made a move to reciprocate. Seth had no objections. But it only took Ryan kneeling in front of him, and unzipping him before Seth lost control and came all over Ryan, and his own pants.
"It's okay. Happened to me the first time anyone ever did that," Ryan said. "We'll try that again later."
Seth woke a little while later, alone, but reassured by the familiar clatter of Ryan in the shower. He could faintly hear singing. Ryan had a strong, clear voice, aided by the acoustics of hand-glazed tile and imported marble.
"Happiness is morning and evening,
daytime and night time too.
For happiness is anyone, or anything at all,
that's loved by you."