Closer, Mr. and Mrs. Atwood

[Marissa Cooper]

Marissa kept a folded blanket tucked under her arm as she and Ryan walked along the beach in search of the concealed spot they had once visited together. Once she had gotten home with the news that she had been offered the job with Elle magazine the two had decided to go out on a celebratory date--their first real date in almost four years, to be specific. Of course, the Cohens were more than willing to watch over the twins in favor of helping the couple celebrate and rebuild their relationship. Marissa had been excited about the date all day, feeling a lot like she had when she and Ryan had first started dating. She couldn't understand why she felt like a little schoolgirl again.

Marissa only felt mildly uncomfortable as they walked by the lifeguard stand. She had been trying to make a habit out of exposing herself to it little by little with hopes of one day being able to sit there unafraid. It helped that Ryan was there, too--she glanced over at it in passing and found herself walking closer to him, an eerie feeling washing over her for just a moment. "I never thought I'd be able to walk anywhere near here again," she commented, shoving the memories in the back of her head. She really didn't mind that their date was on the beach. In fact, it felt good to be able to walk by the tower, and she was glad to have a chance to have newer, better memories on the beach.

[Ryan Atwood]

the first date in at least four long years, and now ryan was really looking forward to it. of course, his appearance wasn't exactly the most concerned about item in his mind, it was where they were going to go. there was a spot of beach that he wanted to take her to - they spent time there and even had beach sex there once - but the matter (or object) of the lifeguard stand was the only thing that made ryan nervous about it. sure, it had been about four years since the entire incident, but it still was hard for the both of them, and especially for marissa (or so he imagined). sandy and kirsten had suggested the whole idea to him in the first place, after first offering their services to watch the twins while they went out to celebrate marissa's new job (if she had gotten it), or just an attempt to make things work (which went both ways as well).

so all day, ryan had been slaving away on what they were going to bring to eat (even if he wasn't bringing it with his physically), and when sandy came by, ryan gave him the food and told him just what to do, and a few hours later, he was ready for the date. he hadn't felt like this in so long - the exact time frame was unremembered by ryan, but he knew it was a long time ago, and it had to do with marissa. as they walked along the beach, ryan felt marissa's body move closer to his as they walked past the stand, and he reached a hand out for hers, hearing her comment about walking by there. "you're doing great," he promised her as they kept on walking towards the spot.

[Marissa Cooper]

"you're doing great,"

Marissa's lips tugged into a small smile at Ryan's assurance. She was glad that she finally felt like she could let him know what was going on; it made it so much easier to put Paul behind her. She looked back at the stand over her shoulder for a moment, determined that after this day she wouldn't let it bother her again, and then gave Ryan's hand a small squeeze. "Yeah... I've got you to thank for that." It was no coincidence that it was easier to deal with when she had Ryan around.

It was only a few more minutes before they reached their spot. She gave one side of the blanket to Ryan so they could lay it down more easily. She left her flip flops in the sand and crawled onto the blanket, sitting down and patting the spot next to her expectantly. "Sit," she demanded jokingly.

[Ryan Atwood]

once they were at the spot, ryan helped marissa (as he was instructed silently) lay the blanket out, and before he could seat himself upon his own accord, she patted the ground next to him and demanded that he sit, even if it was jokingly. almost scrambling down onto the ground, he seated himself next to his wife - something he now could say once again happily - and gave one of his infamous half-smiles in her direction. "fine, fine, i'm sitting," he informed her as if she didn't know, and settled himself in more comfortably so that he wasn't cramped in his position.

reaching for her hand once again, he laced his fingers together with hers gently, playing with them slightly. "i'm sorry. about ... what i said before you left. i don't know what came over me," he said quietly, hoping that saying that wouldn't make anything like that awkward when - or if - it happened again. but he knew that wasn't the truth, but he figured that was what she wanted to hear. after all, when he said it ... he had a reverse deja-vous, and almost regretted saying those words at that moment.

[Marissa Cooper]

Marissa let Ryan take her hand and leaned her head against his shoulder, just watching him play around with their hands and listening to the waves. She liked how that was the only thing they could hear. It just seemed like a perfect moment--it'd be the perfect time for her to tell Ryan that she loved him too... what better place than the spot where they had once had sex? But Ryan beat her to it, speaking first.

"i'm sorry. about ... what i said before you left. i don't know what came over me,"

Well, that pretty much took the wind out of Marissa's sails. So what, he was taking it back? Did he not quite love her yet? Or was he saying it just to relieve tension? Marissa wasn't entirely sure, but whatever Ryan meant by it it felt discouraging. "Oh, Marissa said softly, trying not to sound disappointed. She wasn't sure anymore whether she should say she loved him now or not. Would it be a bad idea? "Well... I hope what came over you was the truth because I love you." There it was, out in the open. She finally got the courage to say it.

[Ryan Atwood]

"Well... I hope what came over you was the truth because I love you."

open mouth, insert foot. now what was he supposed to say? he really meant it, he just was saying that because he didn't think marissa felt the same way he did until about ... three seconds ago. well, he could just start trying to dig his way out of the hole he had dug right about now. "i meant ... saying it when i did. when we were ... they way we were. but it was the truth - and it still is," he replied quietly, keeping his hand entwined with hers.

she hoped it was the truth? of course it was the truth. it always was and always had been the truth, ever since he could remember from meeting marissa cooper, he was in love with her. "but yeah, it's the truth. it always has been. that i love you," he admitted, feeling it to be ... wrong to just say that and not give her the same ... he just didn't want her to feel how he did when she didn't say anything back to him.

[Marissa Cooper]

"but yeah, it's the truth. it always has been. that i love you,"

Marissa lifted her head off of Ryan's shoulder and looked him in the eye, a silent tension growing between the two of them--not necessarily a highly sexual one, but it was definitely pulling Marissa closer until her lips captured Ryan's in a slow, deep kiss. Or at least that's how it started out. Marissa shifted, letting go of Ryan's hand and turning to face Ryan, now kneeling in front of him with her hands cupping his face and holding her body close to his. This just felt so right. They might have gone nearly four years barely speaking to each other but with the way Marissa was feeling now, it definitely didn't feel like they were only just getting back together again.

[Ryan Atwood]

when marissa turned to face him, his eyes found hers as she somehow pressed her lips against his and he returned the kiss - very voluntarily, mind you - and he definitely wasn't resisting when she climbed onto his lap and continued the kiss, making it more than just a simple kiss with her actions. his hands found their way to her waist almost automatically and without any trouble, merely resting there to hold her as close to his body as possible. of course, given the situation, ryan should've been feeling like this was a step in rebuilding a relationship, but that wasn't how he felt. he wasn't sure how marissa was feeling about this, but in his heart, he was feeling as if this was a reunion from a long-term separation, and they were just two lovers finally together again.

no, it wasn't sexual tension between them - although it probably would happen - but it was a ... romantic tension. finally breaking away to breathe, ryan's lips still were basically attached as he spoke three simple words, "always and forever," he breathed gently before reconnecting their lips into another kiss.

[Marissa Cooper]

Once Ryan started kissing Marissa back, she moved closer, both to make kissing Ryan more comfortable and so she would have more contact with him. She scooted towards him, moving her legs on either side of his body. She was essentially sitting in his lap, straddling him.

"always and forever,"

Marissa couldn't help but laugh a little into the kiss. She, too, had to admit that she had loved Ryan to some extent during the four years they had barely spoken, although it wasn't as strong and it might have been a different sort of love mixed in equally with resentment. It did sound a little odd that they had survived four years of cold relationship, though. "So if starting tomorrow I stop talking to you for another four years you'll still love me?" she quizzed, only half seriously as she pulled away for just a moment and anchored her fingers in the hair at the back of his head.

[Ryan Atwood]

"So if starting tomorrow I stop talking to you for another four years you'll still love me?"

okay, so maybe that was a bit ... harsh for him, but he could deal with it. nodding his head, ryan kissed her once again. "it'd be the opposite of the past four years," he replied as if it was a bit of a joke. you know, with an almost unknown twinkle in his eye. "i mean, it was barely talking, but no sex. if there was no talking and some sex, i think it'd be liveable," he joked before turning to the serious note after detecting the tone in her own question. "but yes. even through everything else. oliver, theresa, all of the stuff that pulled us apart - i was still in love with you. nothing will change that," he replied, knowing it might sting a bit to bring up things like that, but the point was to show that he had still loved her, not to throw it into her face.

but before anything else could happen, ryan's cell phone started vibrating, and he moved a hand into his pocket, withdrawing the cell phone and answering it, hoping it was sandy. "yeah. you can just leave it where we agreed. thanks sandy," he spoke into the phone and hanging up before turning back to marissa. "dinner, or shall we continue?"

[Marissa Cooper]

"but yes. even through everything else. oliver, theresa, all of the stuff that pulled us apart - i was still in love with you. nothing will change that,"

And after four years Ryan still knew what to say to turn Marissa's insides to putty. The reminder of their previous flaws might have stung a little, but much stronger was the message behind it. She felt a sheepish grin grow on her face at Ryan's words. If she didn't love him so much she might resent that he was so good at affecting the way she felt. She didn't resent it, though, and rather than voicing how what Ryan said made her feel she kissed him again and let her lips do the talking. Unfortunately, they hadn't gotten the chance to say much, because Marissa felt Ryan's phone vibrating in his pocket. It was probably Sandy.

Marissa detached her lips from Ryan's but stayed on his lap as he talked to Sandy, occupying herself by massaging the knuckles of his free hand with her thumbs. She could just barely hear Sandy's side of the conversation through the cell phone. "dinner, or shall we continue?"

Marissa arched an eyebrow jokingly at Ryan's question. "Continue what, exactly?" she asked, resisting the urge to just start kissing him again. "I think somebody is a little confident he's getting some tonight." Actually, it was a perfectly reasonable assumption... and Marissa knew that she, at least, probably wouldn't be able to make it through the date staying at their current PG level. Especially not when the only time they had actually had sex lately didn't really count for much since they had been fighting.

[Ryan Atwood]

instead of a verbal response (either positive or negative, ryan really wasn't sure how she'd react to it), ryan got a very positive nonverbal response from marissa in the form of her lips crashing up against his. however, before he could continue the kiss for much longer, the phone call with sandy interrupted them and he answered, and blah blah blah.

"Continue what, exactly?""I think somebody is a little confident he's getting some tonight."

plastering an 'innocent' look upon his face, ryan looked around as if to suggest that it was someone else. "huh? i was all for the kissing. more kissing i say," he joked, re-wrapping his arms around her body to pull her even closer than she was currently. okay, so maybe he was counting a bit on having sex tonight, but he knew that because they were alone, and the atmosphere that was happening all over again, it was going to be hard to have a very ... child-friendly environment.

[Marissa Cooper]

"huh? i was all for the kissing. more kissing i say,"

Marissa let Ryan pull her in closer, a doubtful smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, uh huh," she said, voicing her doubts. Pulling her closer was a little bit of a giveaway. Not that she was complaining, of course--she definitely wasn't complaining. "Somehow I don't quite believe you," she said, draping her arms on his shoulders and lowering her head to kiss Ryan, trailing down from right below his ear to the spot where his neck met his shoulders. Fine, Ryan could 'claim' that he only wanted the kissing, but she was pretty sure that she'd be able to change his mind.

[Ryan Atwood]

from marissa's reaction - namely where her lips were going - ryan had a feeling that dinner was going to have to wait, especially with where she was going. although his arms were very much around marissa's waist, his hands slid underneath the hemline of her shirt, resting on the bare skin of her lower back as he lolled his head to the side in an attempt to give marissa more access to the skin of his neck. seeing as how the last time they had sex, it wasn't really the best of circumstances, ryan wasn't going to slow her down if she wanted this. even though he was all for the kissing, he definitely wasn't an objector to anything else she had up her sleeve - or lack thereof.

"of course, if the opportune moment arose ..." he trailed off in a low voice as her lips continued to make contact with his skin, moving down his neck to the spot she always seemed to make vulnerable, a gift any other woman ryan had been with didn't possess. perhaps it was all a part of her charm as marissa cooper, his wife. god, it always felt so good to say that, even if it was just inside his head and heart.

[Marissa Cooper]

"of course, if the opportune moment arose ..."

Judging by the hands that Marissa could now feel on her bare back and the fact that Ryan was giving her better access to his neck, the opportune moment he spoke of had already arose--or else was well on its way. "What if the opportune moment arose?" Marissa asked as though she honestly had no idea, her lips brushing against the skin on his neck. "Then what?" She kissed her way right back up Ryan's neck, taking her time as she made her way to his lips which she dotted with a few light kisses.