Upside Down

By Jinx

Ryan dropped the comic he’d been reading when Seth burst through the doors of the pool house, slamming the door closed behind him and leaning against the covered glass.

It was late evening and they’d both gone to their respective rooms to finish their homework after dinner, nothing else planned since it was a school night. And, for the first time in several days, there had been no plans on a quick game of Grand Turismo before bed, either.

That, in and of itself, was strange for Seth not to suggest it, but Ryan let it go. Seth had been acting a bit strange the past few days… well, more strange than usual. But, Ryan figured Seth would tell him when he was ready.

It looked like Seth was ready now.

So, here was Seth, standing at the entrance of his room with a somewhat crazed look on his face. And while Ryan had seen Seth with a crazed look before, this was very, very different… partially scared-crazed and partially confused-crazed. It was definitely a change from his normal-crazed.

“Seth?”

Seth stood like a statue at the door, eyes wide, staring at Ryan like he’d never seen him before.

Ryan frowned concerned. “Seth?”

Seth stayed frozen to the spot.

A bit frightened now, Ryan moved the comic book away from him and slid off the bed. “Seth? You’re scaring me here.” He stood up and started moving towards the door, noticing Seth’s eyes widening with each step.

“I can’t believe I didn’t notice until now,” Ryan heard Seth whisper under his breath.

Ryan’s eyebrows drew together in concern. “Figure out what? What’s going on? Are you…”

He never finished his sentence.

The next thing Ryan knew, Seth had taken the few steps to meet him in the middle of the room and slipped his hands over Ryan’s cheeks.

“Seth?”

Ryan’s eyes widened as he watched Seth’s face get closer to his own. “Wha-?” And then his mouth was slowly covered with Seth’s, soft lips pressing gently against his own.

It was as if someone had turned off the switch to his brain because talking, let alone thinking, was now completely and utterly no longer important.

He felt an agile tongue slip into his mouth and he groaned, reaching out his hands to grasp Seth’s waist.

One of the hands on his face slid down to cup his jaw while the other moved around to tangle in his hair, fingers gripping the back of his head.

The kiss continued but never progressed any further than soft and tender. He felt the supple lips slowly pull back and that was totally unacceptable. As Seth pulled back, Ryan pushed in and followed the retreating lips until he was about to fall over onto Seth.

And, really, would that have been so bad?

But, wait. What had just happened? Seth had kissed him. Oh my god!

SETH HAD KISSED HIM!

Ryan leaned back and stared at Seth with shocked, round eyes.

“Um, Se-?”

Seth no longer looked scared-crazed or even confused-crazed. Not anymore. Seth’s face was soft and content; a slow, sexy (what?!) smile crinkling his eyes and curving the corners of his lips.

“Yeah,” Seth breathed faintly.

And what could Ryan say to that? Holy shit! His entire world had just been turned upside down!

He was in his room, reading a comic, minding his own business, and the next thing he knows, Seth is…

…barging into his room.

…kissing him without saying a word.

…

Hmm, and there’s a problem with this, his mind taunted?

Ryan returns Seth’s grin and pushes himself closer to Seth.

Yeah, his world has been turned upside down. And with Seth, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Finis

6/22/05