"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"

[hackthis_archive]

romanticalgirl gave me my first birthday present, and it’s still twenty days away! *adores muchly*

In other news:

rageprufrock lives up to her name and vents on some of the trials and tribulations of trying to write, while my girl tries to convince me that popslash really is the wave of the future. Which is wrong. Just because I heart Chad Hugo, that’s no reason to fuck with me.

I will spork you. Or perhaps write you something. Who knows?

I’m trying to dig out my HP muses for impudent_rabbit but I’m beginning to think they’ve gone into hiding. Too many muggles running amok probably.

The O.C.
By Any Other Name



Seth’s drooling on Ryan’s shoulder, and it’s not cute. Really.

Wet, sticky and cold, yes. Strangely reminiscent of control issues that Ryan had with his first girlfriend, absolutely. But cute, no.

No.

Ryan would never think of Seth as cute, because guys aren’t cute, even Seth. He’s just Seth, with his rambling diatribes and wide brown eyes and minute knowledge of all things JSA-oriented.

Seth’s just this guy. A friend. A hobby. So, it’s okay if he fascinates Ryan.

It’s okay if Seth takes up Ryan’s time and thoughts, because that’s what hobbies do. They breathe shallowly through parted lips and have really long eyelashes... or no. They don’t. But hobbies take patience, and then they come into Ryan’s room/house/personal space and take over.

Yes, hobbies do things like that.

Seth does things like that.

So there’s nothing wrong with Ryan letting Seth jump on his bed and read the Arts & Leisure section in his chair. And if they study together and hang out together and spend most of their non-school assigned time together, no one could find fault with that, either.

They couldn’t even find fault with Seth crawling across comforter and settling down next to Ryan, with no space between them, because hobbies are important to a lot of people.

Seth can twitch beside Ryan while he tries to read Great Expectations, and Ryan doesn’t have to point out that Seth has his own homework that he should do. It’s okay if Ryan tunes out Seth’s prattling commentary on Miss Havisham’s hygienic issues, and instead focuses on the heat generated by the body next to him. And when Seth eventually falls asleep on his shoulder, and Ryan doesn’t automatically pull away, that’s okay, too.

It’s just Seth, and he’s just taking a nap, and even if he’s doing it on Ryan’s shoulder, which might be questionable in the ranks of masculinity and all things heterosexual, it’s still just them.

It’s just a hobby, regardless of the sniffling that makes Ryan’s lips twitch and the smirk that appears when Seth rubs his nose with his fist because it itches.

All these things are okay because they’re friends, and *they* are a hobby.

If that’s what people are calling it, now.

Because Seth may not see it, but Ryan does.

And apparently, so does Sandy.

So, if Seth is Ryan’s hobby, and hobbies are about watching lanky boys with red mouths breathe next to you when you’re supposed to be studying, then Ryan wonders what people without hobbies do and how they manage to get along.

More importantly, Ryan wonders what happens when hobbies become something more.

Seth, as an obsession, could be a whole new game.

-finis-

Comments

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

This makes me very happy. And calm, actually, which is good. I needed that.

My icon also makes me happy, and seems oddly appropriate. So I'm using it.*g*

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

*scratches head* You sure?

I'm not sure I like it. I may take it down.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I changed the last line, I think it works better now.

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

I like the new last line. It does work better, and the "obsession" line sounds a little less ominous.

If youwant to take it down, go for it, but it's a cute, sweet story that makes me smile, and apparently others, so why not leave it up?

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Dude, I can't take you seriously when your icon has me cracking up something fierce. It's like Bucky's about to hoc a lugie. Also, ew. But funny. Yes, the new line works better, I agree. I'm just one big study in doing it as I go along.

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

Yes, the icon cracks me up every time I look at it. I can't help it. I may use it for every serious post I make for a while, just because.

I'm just one big study in doing it as I go along.

sing it.

[velena.livejournal.com]

Bucky icons! Bwaha. Awesome.

[lyra-sena.livejournal.com]

I agree. As usual, I caught it on the first posting, lol. This new last line flows more smoothly by taking us to the next level, where it seems his thoughts were heading anyway.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I agree. As usual, I caught it on the first posting, lol. This new last line flows more smoothly by taking us to the next level, where it seems his thoughts were heading anyway.

*grins* I told you I tend to tweak things after posting.

[lyra-sena.livejournal.com]

*G*. along those lines, I just sent you an email. You're welcome to get annoyed by it, because it's unsolicited advice.

U STILL ROX!!! OMG!!!2111!!UR TEH SHIT!!!

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

I hope your email to her was in teeny-speak. Everyone should get one of those out of *nowhere*. *winks*

[lyra-sena.livejournal.com]

*giggles* No, it wasn't teeny speak. I'll have to sock her with one of those at a later date...

OMG!!11elven!!ZAhrA!!UROXORS!!FANGIRLDIEZZ!!!

[niqaeli]

Man, that was sweet and kinda sad. Very nice.

But now that Seth-on-NyQuil bunny is shuffling about, like the undead thing it is. It's snuffling at my legs, dammit. Do you know what a zombie plotbunny's noise feels like??

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

But now that Seth-on-NyQuil bunny is shuffling about, like the undead thing it is. It's snuffling at my legs, dammit. Do you know what a zombie plotbunny's noise feels like

Actually, I *do* know that noise, it's the same noise that neglected muses make when you add another fandom to the mix. It's a lament/voodoo curse-type thing.

[niqaeli]

Guess you do.

It's still really disturbing. *shudder*

[lyra-sena.livejournal.com]

oh so cute! Seth is too adorable when he rubs his nose with his fist. I love Ryan's justification, the way that he's a little unsure at the end.

I also like seeing this from Ryan's POV, which is rare in this still young fandom. I still find him hard to pin down, because he tries so hard to mold himself into what everyone wants him to be.

Love your writing as usual. Wistful with a touch of humor, tactile details told in a lean way that evokes emotion.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I also like seeing this from Ryan's POV, which is rare in this still young fandom. I still find him hard to pin down, because he tries so hard to mold himself into what everyone wants him to be.

Seth's my automatic default for OC fiction, but I want to know Ryan better, so I'm trying to fill in the numerous holes in his characterization by writing about him. This is a surefire way to get Jossed, but whatever. I'm glad you liked this!

[barely-bean.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwwwwww

*insert eloquent feedback*

*snugglies*

[lugonn.livejournal.com]

Nice. I like when we see some stuff from the series thrown in (Sandy noticed their closeness).

[sundaysunday.livejournal.com]

Excellent, as usual. I ran out of feedback for you yonks ago.

*requests more Seth POV*

*notes birthdate*

*scurries off to open Word*

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

WOOBIE!!!!

*runs around shrieking*

JEFF! JEFF! JEFF! JEFF!

what? was there something else happening here?

[imaginarytiff.livejournal.com]

Wet, sticky and cold, yes. Strangely reminiscent of control issues that Ryan had with his first girlfriend, absolutely.

Hee!

This is great, and I heart the (new) last line!

[mikhale.livejournal.com]

Take it down and sporks will fly.

Along with fire hydrants, refrigerators and soiled boxers.

Will take note of Zahra's birthday and give her fics because she rocks my fic world.

[on-the-cusp.livejournal.com]

[breaks out into gooseflesh and falls out of her chair]

mkay, since i've never actually -seen- the o.c. i didn't exactly comment... at all... on telegraph avenue (even though i needed new updates of that story like an addict needs their next score, and it was not pretty when i wanted it and it was not there), but i couldn't not comment now.

i think that writing telegraph avenue has really given you an amazing grasp on who they are to you, because this fic just seems. more dynamic somehow, vaguely more filled in than the (still wonderful, don't get me wrong) pieces that came before TA. i am hoping for a sequel, hoping for the story of obsession, but i doubt it'll come out. [sighs]

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

i think that writing telegraph avenue has really given you an amazing grasp on who they are to you, because this fic just seems. more dynamic somehow, vaguely more filled in than the (still wonderful, don't get me wrong) pieces that came before TA. i am hoping for a sequel, hoping for the story of obsession, but i doubt it'll come out. [sighs]

I hadn't really thought about TA in those terms, but now that I consider it, you're probably right. Considering all the time I spent with Seth I know him as well as, and probably better, than people I've been writing for much longer.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

First off, popslash is the wave of the present. Put down the spork and eat your mac and cheese.


Seth’s just this guy. A friend. A hobby.

A hobby? Wow. Can I sign up for that?

Miss Havisham’s hygienic issues

That used to trip me out, too. Whoa, Dickens is fucked up.

Next fic: obsession!

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Seth’s just this guy. A friend. A hobby.

A hobby? Wow. Can I sign up for that?

Dude, I was all, "why don't I have hobbies like *that*?"

Miss Havisham’s hygienic issues

That used to trip me out, too. Whoa, Dickens is fucked up.

I heart Dickens and Shakespeare cos they were both fucked *up*.

[velena.livejournal.com]

Yum, this was delicious, as always. I like how simple the story was, and yet it was rich with detail. I don't know what else to say, except SethandRyanOMGSOHOT. Yes.