A tan boy with dark hair walked along the shoreline. His shaggy locks hung down in his face as he scouted the beach for seashells. He intended to make a necklace of some sort for a particular redheaded choirboy. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps because the freckled boy was chief.
"Roger!" a cheery voice called from the trees. The dark boy glared at the familiar face.
"Maurice." The taller brunette grinned.
"What are you doing out here all on your lonesome?" he asked. "Wait, don't answer; you'll probably just snap at me like you always do." Roger sighed.
"I suppose there's no getting rid of you," the older boy muttered. Maurice grinned.
"So are you going to tell me what you're doing?"
"I'm making a present for the chief."
Maurice paused. "Jack or Ralph?" At the mere mention of the blonde's name Roger sent Maurice a deathly glare. Maurice looked down at him in fear. "Right. Jack. Of course. Who else is chief? Certainly not Ralph."
As Maurice babbled on about the many ways Jack Merridew is superior to Ralph, Roger continued on his quest to find the most beautiful sea shells for his leader.
Roger liked Jack. It was an odd relationship. The only other boy Roger tolerated was Maurice, and his feelings towards Jack were… quite different. And queer. He wanted to punch Jack in the face and beat the snot out of the older boy, but here he was, fantasizing about the look of gratitude on Jack's face when he presented his token of… love? and receiving a hug from the tall redhead. And perhaps a kiss too.
"Ooh, Roger, look at this one! You think he'd like it?" giggled Maurice. Roger's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of a colorful shell resembling an abalone.
"Whaddya think?" Maurice asked again. Roger simply nodded and took the shell from the taller child. At least Maurice was good for something.
The sunset on Castle Rock was a sight to behold. Roger thought it was the best view on the island, especially in the absence of a particular blonde boy and corpulent child. He didn't mind the twins, though, as long as they didn't speak to him.
Though he had kept the shell Maurice gave him, the gloomy introvert decided to make a wreath of flowers instead. He didn't like the idea as much, as flowers wilt and die (whereas the message Roger was trying to send Jack was "I'll always be there by your side"), but Maurice assured him Jack would like it.
Roger presented his gift to the chief just before the sun went down, Jack looked at him with curiosity, but the dark child ran away before the singer could ask him anything.