The Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia conspiracy continues! For her “18th birthday” Milo, 30, bought his fellow “Heroes” co-star and rumored girlfriend a $1,950 gold ring. The two deny dating and claim to be simply super good friends.

“According to an insider, Milo, 30, gave Hayden an 18-karat yellow-gold ring – worth $1,950 – from the famed jewelers as a belated birthday present, since she turned 18 in late August. The ring, called Somerset Heart, features a woven band and a heart, and according to the insider, is inscribed, “Sweet like Hayden.”

[In Touch Weekly via Perez Hilton]

The large age gap between the two has sparked a bit of an “ewww” factor at the mention of dating. After they appeared to be cozy at several different events the dating rumor mill began to turn. At the Governor’s Ball after party the NY Daily News reported that Milo cut Hayden’s meat at dinner. After the weird meat cutting the two danced as Hayden shook her money maker and “grazed Milo’s face with her hand.” Reps for both camps vehemently deny any romance between the two. Some find the belated birthday gift of a ring from Tiffany and Co. to speak for itself. Not to mention Milo’s comments before her birthday.

“Back in December, Hayden told USA Today that Milo was “like the big brother” on the set, explaining, “He’ll always raise an eye when he passes to let me know he’s watching, and that makes me laugh.” As for Ventimiglia, when the paper asked what he found “attractive” about the actress, he quipped, “Ask me Aug. 21 [Panettiere’s 18th birthday], and I’ll tell you a zillion things.”

Picture note by Celebitchy: Hayden and Milo Ventimiglia are shown at the “Heroes” Season One DVD release on 8/29/07, thanks to Splash News.