Seth x Summer

Seth x Summer is the het ship between Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts from The O.C. fandom.

Canon
Presumably, Seth and Summer met as children, when they were schoolmates. Seth fell in love with Summer with her upon hearing her read a poem that everyone believes she wrote to their class.

Summer: Was I really mean to you?

Seth: ''No. That would require you to speak to me. Or anyone speak to me.''

- The total lack of interaction between Seth and Summer over the years. Seth's love for Summer persists throughout his life. He often watches her, remembers everything about her, and feels bad about himself when she doesn't come to his Bar Mitzvah. But he never finds the courage to go after her her, so by the time they reach high school, Summer doesn't even know Seth exists, let alone about his feelings for her.

At one point, Seth gets a sailboat that he names after Summer, calling it Summer Breeze.

Ryan's arrival
Seth's father, Sandy Cohen, is a public defender. One of his clients is Ryan Atwood, a boy Seth's age, who tried to steal a car with his brother. Sandy manages to get him released, but Ryan's mother, Dawn, is unable to take care of him. When her partner throws Ryan out of the house, she does not object strongly. Ryan has nowhere to go and therefore has no choice but to ask Sandy for help, who had told Ryan to call him if he needed help. Not having the heart to leave him in the middle of the street, Sandy decides to take Ryan to his house for the weekend.

Seth is a lonely, introverted boy. He is addicted to comic books and is not athletic, meaning he has no friends. But he and Ryan hit it off right away, with Seth even telling his new friend about his crush on Summer.

Marissa Cooper, Seth's neighbor and Summer's best friend, is immediately impressed by Ryan and invites him to a party that he brings Seth along to. Summer is also attracted to Ryan, which upsets Seth when he finds out. However, he pretty much gets over it when Ryan defends him from bullies.

When Sandy brings Ryan back to his mother, the two find the house deserted, so he decides to keep Ryan at home for a while longer. Seth later goes to see Marissa and runs into Summer by chance, staring at her and complaining when Marissa doesn't make him look good in front of her. Summer and Seth later go to a casino-themed party, and she decides to use him as a "lucky charm" since she wins craps twice with him close by. Seth is delighted that she wants him near her, but she can never remember his name.

Eventually, Seth's parents decide to adopt Ryan. This makes Seth very happy, and he immediately asks his new brother for advice on Summer.

At the debutante ball, Summer finds herself paired with Seth. She is annoyed by this turn of events, while her partner is elated. At her friend Holly's pre-party for the ball, Summer tries to bribe her to switch chaperones with her, but Holly refuses. Summer doesn't even want to talk to Seth, which disappoints him. At the prom, Seth befriends Anna, a comic-loving girl who recently moved to Orange County. Summer finally manages to replace Seth with Luke, Holly's chaperone, which makes him very sad, but Anna helps him understand that he doesn't have to be Summer's doormat. Summer find herself alone when Luke leaves after arguing with Marissa. She tries to get Seth to be her date again, but he refuses. Some time later, Seth and Ryan accidentally run into Summer and Marissa. Summer asks Seth to take her to his grandfather's birthday party and Seth gladly accepts. His grandfather, Caleb Nichol, is one of the most powerful men in Newport, and Summer wants to go to his party to meet rich and influential people. Seth later brags to his family that he landed a date with Summer Roberts.

Seth: This whole night, all you've done is use me to meet rich older guys.

Summer: ''That's not true. Okay. Maybe a little.''

Seth: Do you have any idea how pathetic it is to listen to you talk about mergers, while some guy just stares at your boobs?

Summer: Which guy was staring at my boobs?

Seth: ''Who cares? The point is, if that guy doesen't know you, he doesn't care about who you really are. He has no idea that every day of third grade you shared your lunch with a skinny squirrel whose nuts were stolen by a fat squirrel.''

Summer: I hated that mean squirrel.

Seth: None of those guys were there when you read your poem aloud in class, and your hand was shaking because you were nervous.

Summer: ''Poem? What poem?''

Seth: "I wish I was a mermaid."

Summer: ''You remember that? That was, like, sixth grade.''

Seth: "I wish I was a mermaid. And... was friends with all the fish. A shiny teal and seashells, that's...

-Seth makes Summer realize how well he knows her and how deep his feelings are for her. After a while, Seth gets tired of introducing Summer to people. When she asks him why, he complains about her exploiting him. Seth explains that no one there knows her like him and recounts moments from their childhood. Summer is surprised that he knows her so well and kisses him. She tells Seth that he doesn't need to introduce her to anyone else, but later go back to ignoring him.

On the last weekend before the holiday ends, Seth tells his parents he's going to a comic convention so he can go to Tijuana. Many of his schoolmates are making this trip, including Summer, who agrees to go with him. Seth hopes to be able to kiss Summer while on the vacation. Summer and Seth start teasing each other, but due to a quarrel, they end up off the road and have to stay in a motel overnight. The two find themselves having to share a bed, and Summer orders Seth not to hit on her, and he obliges. The next morning, while they are having breakfast, Seth tries to get Summer to admit she likes him, but she rudely denies it. Despite all this, once they arrive at their destination, Summer and Seth seem to get along well.

After Marissa finds out that her parents are getting a divorce and that Luke is cheating on her with her friend Holly, she overdoses and ends up in the hospital. Perhaps hoping that this shared trauma has brought them closer, Seth finally finds the courage to ask Summer out. But Summer sees Seth being teased by some of her friends and tries to politely refuse. Seth, however, takes the hint and bitterly states that he won't ask her for anything more. Summer seems sorry to have hurt him. Knowing that Marissa's mother wants to have her interned, Summer decides to ask for Ryan's help. Not being able to find him, she asks Seth for help, and he admits that he feels unable to face Marissa's horrible mother. Despite the situation, the boy still tries to flirt with Summer, to which she still responds negatively, but without as much malice. Summer, Seth, and Ryan then work together to get their friend out of the hospital, which allows Summer and Seth to get to know each other better.

Eventually, Marissa convinces her mother to let her stay with her father. Meanwhile, Summer seems to be growing fond of Seth. However, back at school, Summer goes back to ignoring Seth, but he is now confident he will be able to woo her.

Summer's jealousy and the triangle
Anna, the girl Seth met at prom, has started attending their school. When she and Seth see each other again, they hug, which makes Summer jealous. Seth asks Anna for help making Summer fall in love with him, but Anna's constant presence at Seth's side begins to make Summer nervous. She later sees Anna kissing Seth and seems to feel badly about it. When Seth comes to say hello, she says that she wants someone to ride the roller coaster with her, and he immediately volunteers.

Seth realizes he's always talking about Summer, boring Ryan and Anna, so he decides to invite Anna to a charity party organized by his grandfather, Caleb, promising not to mention Summer. When he tells Summer he's going to the party with Anna, Summer immediately tells him that another guy has invited her and walks away, bumping into Anna on purpose as she goes.

Summer: ''Oh, God! No.''

Seth: What's happening here?

Summer: I like Seth Cohen.

Seth: You--You what now?

Summer: ''Nothing. I wasn't talking to you. But if you tell anyone what you heard here, I'll kill you.''

- Summer (more or less) admits her feelings for Seth. Summer becomes increasingly jealous and complains to Marissa about how close Seth and Anna are, and Marissa immediately realizes that her friend has fallen in love with Seth. Summer finds Seth when he is alone and kisses him, admitting that she has a crush on him. Seth is shocked, but Summer walks away, saying that if he tells anyone what just happened, she'll kill him.

On Thanksgiving, Anna comes over to Seth's house, but Summer also comes uninvited. Seth attempts to navigate his awkward situation, trying to keep the girls from finding out about each other's presence. Summer kisses Seth again, but finds herself unable to explain why she is attracted to him. Seth tries to go further with her, but she refuses. Eventually, Summer and Anna both find out that the other is there and become furious with Seth. ''Seth: Hi, you guys. Can I speak to you for a minute, please? Because I owe you both an enormous apology. I guess, technically, I owe you two apologies, each one tailored to specific wrongs visited upon the specific person. But since you two seem to be a package deal --''

Summer: Cohen!

Seth: Right. ''I'm sorry. And I'm sorry. And I'm also sorry that I apologized to her first. It just, chronologically, I --''

Anna: Cohen.

Seth: ''Right. Stupid, I know. Well, let me start by saying nothing in my life, nothing, prepared me for the events of that fateful Thanksgiving day. But I'm not gonna make any excuses for what I did. I just wanna say one thing in my defense, which is: you can't really blame me for wanting the company of either of you two. And I know that I hurt your feelings and I feel bad about that. I do, but please believe me when I say that it wasn't intentional, okay? I would never do anything to ruin our friendship, or "-ships." I know I have no right to ask, I just hope that some day you can both forgive me. Okay. So, yeah, thanks for your time.''

- Seth apologizes to Anna and Summer.

Fearing the wrath of Anna and Summer, Seth pretends to be ill to skip school, but is soon caught and forced to go. Both girls are still hurt and angry, but after a few days, Seth apologizes and the two forgive him, but go back to competing for him.

Summer: Hi.

Seth: Hey.

Summer: That apology, aside from being the first being the first I've received from a boy, was also the nicest.

Seth: ''Well. Well, I meant it, so, good.''

Summer: So, what are you doing Saturday?

- Summer forgives Seth. Summer then thanks Seth for his apology and asks him to go out on Saturday, which he immediately accepts. When Chrismukkah (Seth's hybrid of Christmas and Hannukah) arrives, Seth prepares two identical gifts for Summer and Anna. Both girls want to go to Caleb's Christmas party with Seth, but he doesn't want to ruin anyone's holidays, so he decides not to go with anyone and just meet them at the party. Both girls go against this agreement and show up at Seth's house, both wanting him to escort them to the party. Luckily, Seth manages to prevent a fight from breaking out. When they are left alone, Summer tries to seduce Seth by dressing up as Wonder Woman, but when she learns that Anna has made a comic for Seth, she is upset and the two are interrupted by the latter's arrival, and Summer tells Seth that he has to choose one of them.

Seth doesn't know who to choose between Anna and Summer and tells both of them that he wants a relationship of friendship, but neither of them wants it and each refuses his gift. Summer goes with Marissa to a New Year's Eve party, where she meets Anna and she pretends that she no longer cares about Seth. In reality, Summer hasn't got over Seth at all, as she gets to ask a random guy to choose between her and Anna to try and get over it. Summer also comes to kiss him, but she doesn't like it, because he's not Seth who at that point gets together with Anna. Seth decides to tell Summer about his choice, but doesn't put off looking for a way not to hurt her. Anna offers to do it for him, but he refuses, wanting to talk to her in person. Summer, however, reveals that she has it all figured out, but she seems to take it well and she agrees to remain friends with them. In reality, Summer is angry about what happened and when the group goes for a weekend out of town in Palm Springs she gets in between the two constantly.

Seth soon begins to tire of his relationship with Anna as they are too much alike. Summer, for her part, starts dating a guy named Danny, considering it funny, but she is obviously trying to replace Seth who is annoyed by the new relationship of the brunette. Summer and Danny's relationship ends soon, perhaps also due to possibly unconscious sabotage by Seth.

Unable to spend time with Marissa, Summer continues to hang on to Seth and Summer. All in all, Seth seems to appreciate Summer's presence and this leads him to neglect Anna, so the blonde realizes that Seth has never really taken Summer out of his head and leaves him.

Become a couple
Seth: ''Actually, Anna and I broke up. And I wanted to see what you're doing tomorrow.''

Summer: So you guys broke up.

Seth: Yeah.

Summer: ''Coffee. You're single now and you want to know what I'm doing for Valentine's.''

Seth: Yeah.

Summer: So Anna dumps you and you think you can choose me and I'd still interested in you?

Seth: ''First of all, what makes you think that Anna dumped me? Never mind. Second of all kind off. Yes.''

Summer: ''Yeah. No. No way. I'm not gonna be your sloppy seconds, ass-face.''

- Summer finds out that Anna and Seth broke up. As Valentine's Day is near now, Seth asks Summer about his plans and finds out that he and young Stern broke up for a moment.Summer looks impressed, but then angrily comments that she's not a spare.

Seth: ''Wait, wait. Before you kick me out, can you please give me a second to explain? Okay listen. Summer... it's not like now me and Anna broke up I'm now choosing you. Okay? Beaucase the whole reason that we broke up is beaucase for me it's always been you, Summer. It's always been you. I've tright to fight it, and I've tried to deny it. And I can't. I can't do it. You're undeniable.''

- Seth declares his eternal love to Summer. After school Seth goes to Summer's house and explains that she is not a makeshift for him, but that in reality he and Anna broke up because for him she has always existed and only she and that for him it is everything. Summer is impressed and kisses him and the two then end up having sex for the first time.

Immediately after he leaves. Later the boy will admit to Ryan that he is not sure if he was able to satisfy her. The boy then asks his father for help, but it doesn't help him much and so he decides to try again. The boy then asks his father for help, but it doesn't help him much and so he decides to try again. Summer lets him do it, but it gets pretty messed up. Seth is persuaded that Summer will no longer want him at this point and at the Valentine's Day gala he tells her, stating that maybe in a few years he will be ready, but that in the meantime he will just disappear.

Summer: The other night when we... had sex.

Seth: Yeah.

Summer: You weren't the only virgin in the room.

Seth: ''There was someone else in the room? Like, filming us?''

Summer: ''Me, jackass. I'm a virgin. Or I was a virgin,''

Seth: Why didn't you tell me?

Summer: ''I don't know. I guess I felt like I had this reputation to uphold and I figured you think less of me.''

Seth: ''No. Are you kidding? Not at all. I'm just-- I'm shocked. God. Never in a million years would I think that you, of that people, not that-- That is not what's importan here. That was a huge moment in our lives and we just blew past it.''

Summer: Really quickly.

Seth: ''Hey, not that quickly. Pretty quickly, yes. And it was a big deal.''

Summer: ''I think that it should've been special. And we rushed it.''

Seth: ''What if we were to slow it down a little bit? Maybe start from the beginning?''

Summer: What do you men?

[Seth puts on some music]

Summer: You are so cheesy Cohen.

Seth: Come on, I'm sweeping you off your feet.

Summer: Well the sad part is you kind of are.

- Seth and Summer clear up.

After the party, Summer joins Seth at his house and tells him that she too lost her virginity when they had sex and that she didn't tell him she was still a virgin to please him more. Seth reassures her that this is not the case and the two realize they have been in too much of a hurry, and decide to try to slow down and start over.

"I just don't know why he likes me. I mean, he's way smarter. And we have like, less than notingh in common. And he's justa gonna get bored with me, beaucase, pretty much, all boys do. If everybody knows we're dating they'll know when he breaks up with me, which he will. I mean, dumped by Seth Cohen? It's real good for my reputation" - Summer admits she doesn't feel enough for Seth.

Summer agrees to work at a kissing booth to raise money for the water polo team and doesn't tell anyone to stay with Seth who fears she is ashamed of him. Eventually Seth decides that he will avoid Summer until she admits to everyone that she is his girlfriend. In the end, Summer admits to Anna that she is sure that Seth will one day break away from her and leave her and that if we know that they are together everyone will understand it and that therefore in addition to the pain she will have to endure the teasing.

Seth: I need to talk to you.

Summer: I'll IM you later.

Seth: ''Okay. Let's talk up here.''

Summer: ''Oh, my God. No''.

Seth: Summer I know you 're scared.

Summer: Yeah, of you.

Seth: ''You kiss these other guys, but you won't kiss me? Acknowledege me now or lose me forever''.

Brad: You're dating this emo geek?

Seth: ''Yes, Brad, she's dating this emo geek. Yeah that's right. I'm a big dork and I listen to emo. And I'm dating her.''

Summer: Why are you doing this?

Seth: ''Beaucase, Summer, I like you this much. And if you feel the same way about me, then... someone will have to give me a hand down. It's high up here and I could fall and that would be embarassing. More embarassing.''

[Summer joins him]

Summer: I can't believe this.

Seth: It's all over but the public make-out session.

- Summer and Seth go public with their relationship. Knowing this, Anna decides to encourage Seth to make the young Roberts understand how much he loves her. Seth then joins Summer at the stall and climbs onto it, declaring his love for her in front of the whole school. Summer is moved by it, reaches him and kisses him. When Anna decides to return to Pittsburgh to live with relatives, Seth is upset thinking that it is because of him that the blonde made this decision. Summer discovers her boyfriend's guilt and comforts him as best she can.

Summer later gets jealous, but Seth convinces her that there is nothing romantic about his desire to have Anna stay in Newport and the young Roberts tells him to go see her. Seth does not convince Anna not to leave, but they greet each other without rancor.

Summer and Marissa accidentally run into one of the actors starring in Summer's favorite TV series and get an invitation to her birthday party to which they decide to go with Ryan and Seth. The latter is jealous of the actor and it gets worse when she realizes that he looks like him and therefore seriously fears he might seduce Summer. It is worth noting that Summer is also jealous when a girl talks to Seth.

Eventually, Seth's suspicions turn out to be right, because the actor tries it out with Summer, but she angrily rejects him.

Marissa discovers that her mother was having a sexual relationship with her ex-boyfriend Luke and runs away in horror. Seth goes to ask about Summer, but her girlfriend has none. Heard that Seth's grandmother is coming to town for Seder (Passover) and Summer would like to meet her, but Seth thinks it's not a good idea as her grandmother is politically and socially active and Summer has never been interested in things of this type. The girl senses this and believes that Seth is ashamed of her, but he assures her that he wants to protect her. Summer goes to the Cohen house anyway and gets mad at Seth when she finds out that Sophie Cohen is very nice, but later the true nature of Sophie Cohen emerges that she was trying to hide because she contracted lung cancer. Summer in the meantime is committed to learning what it takes to join the dinner.

Marissa moves in with her father and Summer decides to get her bedroom ready, and convincing Seth to help her. While they are rearranging, Summer finds the 2002 yearbook and seeing it decides to leaf through it. This makes it jump out of her that she has been ignoring Seth for years and regrets it.

Seth later accidentally discovers that Summer is very attached to her father than Robert and asks to meet him. Summer has never introduced a boyfriend to her father and thinks it is a very important thing to do, but she accepts.

Fanon
Seth x Summer is one of the most popular ships of The O.C. . Even though they both dated other people throughout the show it was always clear that they never stopped loving each other. It rivals Ryan x Marissa and Rylor as the show's most popular ship.

There are numerous videos and fanfictions dedicated to this couple.

Fandom
FAN FICTION


 * Seth/Summer on Fanfiction.net