The Span of a Week [The OC; Ryan/Kirsten]
TITLE: The Span of a Week
PART 1/5: The Birthday Boy
FANDOM: The OC
PAIRING: Ryan/Kirsten
SPOILERS: Season three
RATING: PG this chapter
SUMMARY:
*****
01. "So, I hope your birthday was fun for you," Kirsten said as they strolled into the house together.
Ryan smiled, trying to juggle his presents, and looked over his shoulder toward where Sandy and Seth were busy trying to lug in all the photoshopped images of Ryan in different careers. "Ah, yeah, it was great. Thank you."
"Here, let me help you with those." She took a pile of gifts from his arms and quirked an eyebrow. "Where do you want these?"
"Poolhouse would be great, thanks." Ryan nodded graciously for Kirsten to walk in front of him, and she flashed him a sweet smile of gratitude.
Once inside the poolhouse, Ryan and Kirsten dumped the presents onto his bed and sighed. Kirsten planted her hands on her hips and tossed a glance at them. "Have you opened all of them yet?"
"Not yet. I think Summer or someone got me a Foreman grill, which is... weird. Then I think a lot of them are CDs and DVDs and stuff."
"Ah. Well... I'll let you open your presents in peace."
Just as she brushed past him, Ryan grabbed her hand. "Kirsten, wait."
He tugged gently on her hand and brought her back to meet his eyes. He searched them for a moment, saw a slow smile spread across her lips, and he nodded. "Thank you." It reminded him very much of the first time they said goodbye to each other, when he was heading back to Chino.
A vertical crease gently indented the skin between her eyebrows. "For what?"
"For your advice, earlier. You're right. It's time to..." He swallowed when he remembered the look in her eyes as she'd dispensed said advice. "Be an adult."
Kirsten gave him a darling smile in return. "I'm glad you're taking that to heart. It means a lot to me."
She hugged him then, wrapping her arms completely around his neck and squeezing, and Ryan closed his eyes and hugged back, twining his arms around her waist. "Happy birthday," she murmured in his ear, and Ryan felt an involuntary shiver wrack his body. She always did that to him.
He rubbed her back gently. "Thank you."
When Kirsten pulled away, she kissed his cheek warmly and Ryan tilted his head toward her, as he did during the rare moments she would bestow upon him a kiss. In his mind, that was the best birthday present he could've asked for. His hand slid to the small of her back, palm resting against it with fingers spread.
He felt the tension snap through her in an instant, and she pulled away slowly, searching his eyes. His searched right back, and for a moment neither of them spoke a word. They each just tried to read each other with their eyes, something they were both highly skilled at doing. There had been three years of tension, hindered by the legal ties shoved between them like brick walls -- Kirsten's marriage and her guardianship over Ryan. But he was eighteen now. Kirsten was no longer considered his guardian nor was he any longer a minor, her marriage with Sandy was weakening more and more by the day, and that spark that was there since the beginning seemingly lit a flame as soon as he woke up this morning.
Ryan finally swallowed, nodded and thanked her again, reluctantly removing his hand from her back and taking a step away from her. He watched as she cut her eyes to the side, and he thought he saw a small smile flit across her lips. At least he wasn't the only one feeling the tension.
By the time they each had gained their composure, and put enough space between them, Seth bounded into the poolhouse and plopped onto the bed, demanding that Ryan finish opening his presents. Whatever had just happened between him and Kirsten would have to be addressed some other time.
TBC IN PART 2/5: The Burning
{x-posted to rystenlove}
PART 1/5: The Birthday Boy
FANDOM: The OC
PAIRING: Ryan/Kirsten
SPOILERS: Season three
RATING: PG this chapter
SUMMARY:
*****
01. "So, I hope your birthday was fun for you," Kirsten said as they strolled into the house together.
Ryan smiled, trying to juggle his presents, and looked over his shoulder toward where Sandy and Seth were busy trying to lug in all the photoshopped images of Ryan in different careers. "Ah, yeah, it was great. Thank you."
"Here, let me help you with those." She took a pile of gifts from his arms and quirked an eyebrow. "Where do you want these?"
"Poolhouse would be great, thanks." Ryan nodded graciously for Kirsten to walk in front of him, and she flashed him a sweet smile of gratitude.
Once inside the poolhouse, Ryan and Kirsten dumped the presents onto his bed and sighed. Kirsten planted her hands on her hips and tossed a glance at them. "Have you opened all of them yet?"
"Not yet. I think Summer or someone got me a Foreman grill, which is... weird. Then I think a lot of them are CDs and DVDs and stuff."
"Ah. Well... I'll let you open your presents in peace."
Just as she brushed past him, Ryan grabbed her hand. "Kirsten, wait."
He tugged gently on her hand and brought her back to meet his eyes. He searched them for a moment, saw a slow smile spread across her lips, and he nodded. "Thank you." It reminded him very much of the first time they said goodbye to each other, when he was heading back to Chino.
A vertical crease gently indented the skin between her eyebrows. "For what?"
"For your advice, earlier. You're right. It's time to..." He swallowed when he remembered the look in her eyes as she'd dispensed said advice. "Be an adult."
Kirsten gave him a darling smile in return. "I'm glad you're taking that to heart. It means a lot to me."
She hugged him then, wrapping her arms completely around his neck and squeezing, and Ryan closed his eyes and hugged back, twining his arms around her waist. "Happy birthday," she murmured in his ear, and Ryan felt an involuntary shiver wrack his body. She always did that to him.
He rubbed her back gently. "Thank you."
When Kirsten pulled away, she kissed his cheek warmly and Ryan tilted his head toward her, as he did during the rare moments she would bestow upon him a kiss. In his mind, that was the best birthday present he could've asked for. His hand slid to the small of her back, palm resting against it with fingers spread.
He felt the tension snap through her in an instant, and she pulled away slowly, searching his eyes. His searched right back, and for a moment neither of them spoke a word. They each just tried to read each other with their eyes, something they were both highly skilled at doing. There had been three years of tension, hindered by the legal ties shoved between them like brick walls -- Kirsten's marriage and her guardianship over Ryan. But he was eighteen now. Kirsten was no longer considered his guardian nor was he any longer a minor, her marriage with Sandy was weakening more and more by the day, and that spark that was there since the beginning seemingly lit a flame as soon as he woke up this morning.
Ryan finally swallowed, nodded and thanked her again, reluctantly removing his hand from her back and taking a step away from her. He watched as she cut her eyes to the side, and he thought he saw a small smile flit across her lips. At least he wasn't the only one feeling the tension.
By the time they each had gained their composure, and put enough space between them, Seth bounded into the poolhouse and plopped onto the bed, demanding that Ryan finish opening his presents. Whatever had just happened between him and Kirsten would have to be addressed some other time.
TBC IN PART 2/5: The Burning
{x-posted to rystenlove}