crack_van | FIC: These Grown-Up Complications by k (PG13)

Title: These Grown-Up Complications
Fandom: The OC
Pairing/Characters: Seth/Ryan
Author on LJ:

callmesandy
Author Website: lower case k collected
Why this must be read:

Ryan was really good at kissing. No wonder Marissa had kept not breaking up with him all that time.

A bit of futurefic, but near-future fic. Seth and Ryan get into a relationship, but it's not all hearts and puppies. Really, is it ever? k explores this part of their relationship by pointing out that Ryan isn't perfect, and just because Ryan and Seth are friends doesn't mean they would make the perfect couple. I like the relationship in the story all the more for its imperfections, because it's a far more real Ryan to me.

The story also raises a point about Ryan's anger issues that I don't think were ever fully explored in the first season. Ryan's first reaction, for at least the first ten episodes, is to attack when provoked. Or when he's pissed, or when he's protecting someone. If he's mad, he expresses his anger physically. This impacted his relationship with Marissa, and it's not hard to believe it would affect his relationship with Seth--only in a slightly different manner, because I don't think Ryan would ever hurt Seth. It's why he clamps down so tightly, I think.

Anyway, enough musings. Read the story.

These Grown-Up Complications