Title: In Admiration - Part 8
Fandom: Lost
Characters: Jack Shephard, Boone Carlyle
Prompt: #38 Dinner
Author's Notes: Written for the LiveJournal community slash100 (underscore between "slash" and "100" – for some reason FFN deletes it)
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"It looks like you forgot how to put on a T-shirt," Boone smirked at Jack, taking over the seat Kate had recently vacated. He had waited until Kate left to approach Jack. Whenever she was around, Boone had the distinct impression he was intruding. "How's your shoulder?"
"It'll be bruised, but things could have been a lot worse," Boone nodded in agreement, fully knowing that worst case scenario would have left them without a doctor. "So have you decided to stay at the caves after all?"
Boone shook his head, mentally forcing himself to stop analyzing the hopeful look in Jack's gaze. "I wasn't up to walking back to the beach alone and in the dark. Think there's been enough excitement today without me getting eaten on the way back."
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that," Jack replied, and Boone quickly looked into the fire, hoping the jumping flames would hide the blush he could feel appearing across his face. He needed to get a hold of himself. Boone felt like he was acting like a school girl with a crush. "You hear anything from Locke about dinner?"
"I heard Hurley talking about digging through suitcases for barbeque sauce, but I haven't heard anything about the boar being done. I saw Charlie over there; he might know."
"Have you talked to him?"
"Who, Charlie?"
"Locke."
"He doesn't really stick around long enough to talk to. From what I heard, though, he's either going to be key to our survival or kill everyone in their sleep."
Boone smiled at the laugh that got out of Jack. "Who's been saying that?"
He shrugged in response. "I just heard from Shannon. Even stuck on an island she manages to be the gossip queen."
"Is she going to be upset that you're staying here for the night?"
"She can get over it." Boone nodded in the direction of the cave that collapsed. "She'll probably be more upset that I didn't get myself trapped."
"You two don't seem to get along very well."
"Do you have a sister?" Boone looked over at Jack to see him shaking his head. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell Jack. Boone wasn't even sure if it was worth bringing up that he and Shannon technically weren't brother and sister. Definitely didn't want to mention what had happened in Sydney. "It's...complicated."
Boone was grateful that Jack didn't push the subject. He was admittedly quite attracted to Jack, and Boone was certain nothing would ruin any shot he might have quicker than telling Jack how he and Shannon ended up sleeping together the night before the flight. Boone didn't like to think of himself as bisexual, not finding the term accurate enough for his situation. What Boone would label himself, even he wasn't sure, but he knew he liked girls, and if he happened to be attracted to a guy, well, he could work with that too.
The problem of all problems, though, the bigger problem than whatever was going on between Boone and Shannon, was the fact that Jack was completely, totally straight. Boone previously had been able to, in a sense, convert straight guys, most notably in college, but that was without interference. On the island, there was Kate, and as long as she kept flirting with Jack, she would always be between him and Boone.
Boone looked over and across the fire he was sitting at with Jack to look at the rest of the caves. His gaze eventually fell upon Kate, who was sitting besides Charlie. Boone couldn't see Charlie's face since he had his hood drawn up, but from the way Charlie's body was curled protectively around his guitar, it looked to Boone as if Charlie just wanted to get left alone.
Boone decided to act on a whim. If Jack wasn't actually interested in Kate, he still might have a chance. "When she showed up at the caves, she started digging like a maniac to get you out."
"Kate was?" Jack had an amused glint in his eyes, and Boone wasn't sure how to interpret that, so he chose not to. "She seems to like leaving an impression on people."
"I think when you say 'people' it's mostly you. It's like you guys got an alliance or something."
Jack quirked an eyebrow, which Boone found incredibly sexy. "This isn't Survivor."
"In a stricter sense it is," Boone grinned a little at the irony. "Only I'll be really pissed off if we got into that plane crash to win a million dollars and a Jeep."
Boone watched entranced as Jack's mouth curved into a smile when he laughed. Boone found himself trying to figure out how Jack would react if he just leaned over and kissed him. Worst case scenario was he'd be completely disgusted and beat Boone up for it, but Boone doubted he would do that in front of everyone at the caves. Not to mention it would be difficult with his arm in the sling. Being in public also meant, unfortunately, a lot of potential embarrassment whether the advance was welcome or not.
"Hey, dudes, Locke said the boar's done if you guys are hungry."
"Thanks, Hurley," Jack replied, and the other man nodded briefly before heading over to where Kate and Charlie sat to give them the same news. "Ready for more pork chops and ribs?"
Boone sighed. "It breaks up the monotony of salad and seafood."
Jack stood slowly, probably being mindful not to move his arm too much for balance. "Hey, Boone? Thanks."
Boone gave the other man a questioning stare. "For what?"
Jack shrugged, or at least did as close to a shrug as he could manage without jostling his sore shoulder. "Helping dig me out back there. The company. You're the only one around here that doesn't expect me to be the leader or have the answers all the time. It's appreciated." Boone just nodded, allowing his gaze to linger on Jack as he walked over towards where Locke was starting to dole out pieces of cooked meat.