Rylor

Rylor is the het ship between Ryan Atwood and Taylor Townsend from The O.C. fandom.

Season 3
Ryan and Taylor attended the same high school for three years, but chances are they never had any interactions. In any case, given that Taylor wanted the post of head of school activities for Marissa, Ryan's girlfriend (who, however, never took the job as seriously as she did) and that taking advantage of the fact that she had been involved in a firefight, she made sure to have her expelled it is almost certain that neither of them had a good opinion of the other.

Ryan is later expelled in turn by disciplinarian Jack Ass who is having an illicit relationship with Taylor. Summer and Seth, however, find out and Sandy (Seth's father and adoptive father of Ryan) then blackmails him forcing him to readmit Ryan and go to work elsewhere. Taylor doesn't seem to resent Ryan, but still forces him to attend a school event organized by her, telling him that he can't afford absences.

Taylor also forces him and Seth to help her prepare the gym for students to spend the night. Ryan is annoyed by this, but doesn't complain unlike Seth and Summer. Even later Ryan seems to tolerate Taylor better than his other friends. Ryan later realizes that Taylor has taken a crush on Seth and the girl even comes to ask him about the relationship with Summer of the latter.

The blond kindly tries to make her understand that she has no chance, but she doesn't seem to care. Though he seems a little uncomfortable with the situation, Ryan doesn't seem overly concerned.

Following Seth's statement, Ryan comes to consider Taylor a friend, but it is unknown how true this is. However, it's likely that after Taylor helps him, Summer, and Seth readmit Marissa, he really starts to feel that way. At least Taylor got close enough to go get her prom picture at Seth and Ryan's house. Taylor says she's happy that Ryan and Seth found a girl to take to prom (they broke up with Marissa and Summer). Marissa's date Kevin steals the money Taylor raised for the after party. Ryan when he hears her screaming worries about her and runs to her to ask her what's going on and when he finds out what happened to her he immediately suspects Kevin and tells her not to call the police because he will recover her money. Taylor asks him how he plans to do it, but he doesn't answer. However, in the end he succeeds in the enterprise and it is likely that Taylor is very grateful to him.

Season 4
The night after graduation, Ryan and Marissa are involved in a car accident caused by Kevin and while Ryan is saved, Marissa dies. This upsets him so much that he gives up going to college and stays to live in Orange County. Taylor instead goes to the Sorbonne, but being so far from her only friends she can't fight her emotional addiction and is seduced by a Frenchman, named Henri-Michel and after just two weeks of knowing him, she gets to marry him. After a while, the girl realizes that she has committed a stupid thing and returns to Orange County to then file for divorce. Knowing that her mother won't be supportive in the slightest, Taylor doesn't go back to her house, but hangs around Newport. Taylor at one point hides from the Cohens (Seth's parents and Ryan's adoptive parents), but when he finds out, Ryan pays no attention to having other things on his mind (Sandy took over the defense of Kevin that caused the accident that killed Marissa).

Taylor proves to be a good prophet: her mother becomes enraged when she discovers that her daughter has a divorce in progress at that age and fills her with abuse, ordering her not to come home anymore, so the girl can do nothing but go back to the Cohen. Kirsten Cohen doesn't have the heart to send her out onto the street, so she offers to put her up for a while, and find her accommodation.

"It' just that ... I'don't have anyone else. That's kind of why I married a Frenchman in the first place. My mom hates, I don't know my dad, and last year was the first I have friends. All of a sudden, I'm by myself in a foreign country and I meet this guy who says he loves me.  He wants take care of me. And one too many bottles of Chateau Margaux and a view from the Eiffel Tower and ... Why not? It's how Tom wooed Katie, why not me?"

- Taylor explains to Ryan how she ended up getting married. Ryan finds work in a bar and decides that he will go to university the following year, while Taylor, since Summer's father Neil moves to Seattle, moves into her friend's old room. Given that Henri-Michel refuses to grant her a divorce and wants to convince her to return to France with him, Taylor wants someone to be close to her for fear of giving in and since Seth went to Providence to find Summer, she falls back on Ryan. The young Atwood initially does not want to get in the middle of that story, but in the end he is convinced. Taylor's husband doesn't show up, but sends a lawyer who tells her that Henri-Michel won't grant her a divorce unless Taylor's infidelity is proven, so Taylor invents that Ryan is her lover (as the conversation takes place in French, he doesn't understand a word of what his former classmate and the lawyer are saying). Taylor then tries to get Ryan to sign a document written in French in which he declares that her claims are true, but he decides to make sure what the girl wants him to sign and she explains the situation, but he refuses to sign (probably not wanting to do something illegal). Taylor doesn't mind, but she complains of her loneliness and Ryan is affected. After talking with Sandy, the blond decides to help Taylor, joins her and gives her a kiss, so the lawyer is convinced that she was telling the truth and walks away. That night Taylor makes Ryan a dessert to thank him. The two then chat. This is how Taylor falls in love with Ryan, and invents an excuse to visit him. Seeing him shirtless she is enchanted by him and she again expresses her gratitude to him. The girl then asks Seth to arrange a date with his adoptive brother. The boy is not too convinced of her, and tries to dissuade her by telling her that Ryan has problems with insomnia, but Taylor sees it as an opportunity to hook him up. Young Townsend poses as an expert in sleep disorders, and Ryan welcomes her help (mostly because she doesn't take no for an answer). In the end he seems to appreciate her help and she is thrilled. Seth realizes what her friend is trying to do and forces her to stop, but she refuses. He later she prepares the room for him in a clear attempt to seduce him. Ryan begins to suspect Taylor's true intentions and she manages to dissuade him. Finally Ryan thanks Taylor and says he may be right about the cause of her insomnia (no more revenge on Kevin Volchok), but tells her he thinks he has to fix it himself. The girl feels bad about it, and she, depressed, complains about it with an acquaintance who suggests she sticks to Ryan as much as possible and take advantage of her beauty.

The young Townsend decides to follow this advice and shows up at a fundraiser organized by the Cohens with a very beautiful dress and Ryan seems struck by her charm. The two then dance and reminisce about high school, joking that they were enemies at first. Seth sees them and goes to talk to Ryan, and during the talk he says that there will never be anything between him and Taylor; she hears it, feels bad and she goes away.

Ryan: Taylor, Taylor. ''Hold on. Let me explain.''

Taylor: ''I think you were pretty clear, Ryan. And yes, I lied when you asked me if I liked you but... What was I thinking? I mean, you and me? It's just-- I must be totally crazy.''

Ryan: You're not crazy, okay?

Taylor: Ryan, I pretend to be a sleep therapist to seduce you.

Ryan: That was crazy.

Taylor: Don't worry. Next week, I'll be obsessed with a guy who gives me change for parking.

Ryan: ''What I said has absolutely nothing to do with you, okay? It's just...''

Taylor: ''What? For the longest time all you could feel was your desire to kill Volchok? Now that's gone, so you feel empty? Can't fell anything? Least of all for me?''

Ryan: How do you keep doing that?

Taylor: Doing what?

Ryan: That. You keep telling me what I'm thinking before I feel it.

Taylor: ''Beacause I think about you. You know, I want you to be happy. And I think that, if you gave it a chance, you might feel something too.''

Ryan: Taylor...

Taylor: Are you gonna tell me that you really lime me as a friend?

Ryan: ''Maybe. [Taylor leaves] How does she do that?'' - Ryan and Taylor argue.

Ryan then follows her and tries to explain, but she already knows everything he intends to tell her and says she would like to see him happy and that she is sure he has a lot to offer a woman, but when she realizes that he fears ruining their friendship goes away.

Ryan: ''Hold on. Look, I gotta say something. I think you've got this idea that you're this strange person that has to trick people into liking her. It's not true. You're amazing.''

Taylor: Oh, my God, you just did it to me.

Ryan: Did what?

Taylor: ''Said exactly what I was feeling. Well, except for the "amazing" part.''

Ryan: ''Well, it's true. And honestly, you know, I wish I did feel something.''

Taylor: Kiss me.

Ryan: What?

Taylor: ''I think there's something there. And I think that, if you, kiss me, you feel it too.''

Ryan: I think we already did that.

Taylor: No. ''You kissed me. I didn't kiss you. Come on, just... If you don't feel anything, I will never mention it again. That's the best deal you'll ever get. Asks Seth. Just one kiss.''

Ryan'': One kiss. One kiss.''

Taylor: Okay.

Ryan: Okay.

[They kiss, Ryan says nothing, Taylor leaves]

- Ryan and Taylor's test kiss Taylor tries to give Ryan some herbal tea to sleep through Seth, but after talking to Sandy he urges her not to give up and she gives it to him in person. The two then clarify and this time it is Ryan who immediately understands what Taylor thinks and says that he considers her a beautiful person and that he is sorry for not feeling anything for her. At that point Taylor asks him for a kiss, telling him that if he doesn't feel anything he will let it go, but after the kiss he says nothing and Taylor goes away sad. Once she's gone Ryan realizes he likes her. Later, thanks to the herbal tea, Ryan falls asleep.

Fanon
Rylor is a very popular ship one of The O.C.'s most popular ships. It's the main rival of Marissa x Ryan.

While many fans hated Marissa's death, many thought Marissa was a mess and would never change and got tired of the constant push and pull between her and Ryan and/or realized how much their relationship had always been toxic. Taylor is considered a much better companion for Ryan, because even if she has caused him some problems, this has not been a constant of their relationship as the one with Marissa, on the contrary, in many cases Taylor has proved to be an excellent support for Ryan by giving him that stability he's always needed. There are videos and fanfiction dedicated to this ship.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Ryan/Taylor on Fanfiction.net