Title: In Admiration - Part 25

Fandom: Lost

Characters: Jack Shephard, Boone Carlyle

Prompt: #1 Beginnings

Author's Notes: Written for the LiveJournal community slash100 (underscore between "slash" and "100" – for some reason FFN deletes it)

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Jack was returning to the caves after delivering some more water to the beach camp when he saw Hurley hurrying over to him. "Dude, you're back. Scott was looking for you."

Putting his bag down, Jack shook his head, laughing a little. "I hope he wasn't." At Hurley's confused look, Jack clarified, "Scott's dead. Ethan killed him, remember?"

"Oh...right... So, uh, Steve's looking for you, then, not Zombie-Scott."

It seemed so much darker at the caves this late in this late in the day. Back at the beach it was still fairly light because the sun was on that side, but in the caves the tree cover was so dense that it was almost as dark as night, so night was fast approaching. Jack clapped a hand on Hurley's shoulder. "Have you seen Boone?"

"Yeah... He went out in the jungle with Locke."

Jack sighed, worried. They had no reason to be out there if they weren't hunting. "What did Steve need?" He asked, rummaging through his area of the caves for his own water bottle.

"He got bit by a snake. Didn't know if it was poisonous or not."

Jack looked up at Hurley, eyebrows drawn together. "Is he dead?"

"No."

"Then it wasn't poisonous." Jack found a new shirt, eager to get out of the sweat-soaked one he was currently wearing. He missed life when fresh socks were taken for granted. "I'm going to go clean up a bit."

Hurley snorted. "Good luck." He left, leaving Jack standing by himself just inside his cave. He put the shirt away, heading off in the jungle in the direction he'd so often seen Boone and John take off in, doubting he'd find them, but Jack didn't like sitting around and waiting.

He hadn't been walking for more than five minutes when he ran into Boone heading back towards the caves. He looked surprised to see Jack but quickly covered his surprise with a grin. "You looking for me?"

"Yes," Jack didn't bother lying. "It's getting late."

"I was with John."

"That's what worries me." They approached each other until they stood a foot apart, facing one another.

Boone leaned forward so when he spoke his lips ghosted over Jack's. "I didn't know I had a curfew."

"You don't, but you and Locke go into the jungle all day." Jack searched Boone's face, eyes meeting blue and noticing Boone quickly look to the ground. "Boone...if you aren't hunting then what are you doing out there?"

"Thinking."

"Thinking?"

Boone nodded, raising his gaze back up to meet Jack's. "I don't care if the others know."

Jack had a nagging feeling that Boone was bringing this up to not have to talk about what he does everyday with Locke, but he was willing to go with it and drop the subject for now. Boone was willing to take this step forward by being open about their relationship, and Jack wasn't going to reverse that by pushing him about John. "You sure?"

Boone smirked, bringing his right arm over Jack's shoulder to finger the hairs at the nape of Jack's neck. "You and the questions tonight. Yeah, I'm sure." Jack let Boone's hand push his head down, their lips locking in a slow kiss. Jack could feel Boone's fingers teasing along his hairline and the firm heat of his body pressed against Jack's own. His hands clung to Boone's arms, pleased at the strength he felt, one of Jack's hands tracing downwards, skimming across Boone's stomach to wrap his finger through a belt loop on Boone's jeans, pulling the younger man even closer. The sudden contact of their hips drew a startled gasp from Boone.

"Sorry," Jack mumbled, body and brain fighting between how much he wanted Boone and how much he wanted to prove to Boone that what they had was serious.

"Don't apologize, you just surprised me, and I lost my balance." Boone rested his hands flat against Jack's chest. "If you wanted to, we could-"

Jack interrupted with another kiss. "You only just decided to tell everyone else. We should take things one step at a time."

"Are you afraid of sex?" Boone asked, eyebrows raised, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

Jack gave Boone a look that he hoped wasn't too condescending. "You know that's not it."

"I know, I know. You want me to feel special." Jack got the feeling that Boone was inwardly rolling his eyes. "You're human, Jack, and on top of that you're male. I just need to bring you to a certain point where you won't be able to push away and apologize."

Jack laughed, not doubting Boone's words and his confidence in them. "Gives me something to look forward to, then." Jack placed a hand on Boone's back, gently guiding him back towards the caves. "We should get back."

Boone nodded in agreement, smiling from Jack's earlier comment. "Since everyone's gonna find out, I guess it makes us official now." Jack saw Boone's smile spread even wider, and he felt himself smiling, as well. The thought of actually being with Boone, not just the island version of dating him, was very appealing. "So how's this going to work?" he asked. "We get back to the caves and make an announcement?"

"Staple flyers to the trees, perhaps. Make banners. Send everyone cards."

"Knock down a few trees, make a billboard, and paint on it with berry juice?"

"That's an idea." Jack watched Boone pull a near-empty bottle out of his sack, offering it to Jack, who declined with a shake of his head, before finishing off the contents. "If we made it large enough, maybe someone would see it. We could put on an addendum on the bottom asking for help."

Boone sighed. "We're never getting off this island, are we?"

"I don't know."

They skirted around the perimeter of the caves, the light from the various campfires causing their shadows to dance on the trees. Jack couldn't really tell who was around, but they were at the point where it didn't matter anymore.

"I should get to the beach," Boone looked around, and Jack could tell even in the dim light that he was suddenly shy, hesitant.

"You should move to the caves. It's safer here."

Boone chuckled lightly. "You won't have sex, but you want to move in together."

Jack saw the humor in the situation, but his reasons weren't solely because of their involvement. "That's not what I meant, but that would have its advantages."

"I'll think about it," Boone replied.

Jack leaned down, kissing the corner of Boone's mouth, and Boone shifted so they were kissing each other fully on the mouth. Jack could feel the tension in Boone's body, how uncomfortable he was, and Jack hoped beyond hope that no one would have a problem and things would be easier. The sound of a wolf-whistle broke them apart, Jack noticing the pink tinge to Boone's face as he went off to the beach.

He turned towards the middle of the caves, seeing Hurley, Charlie, and Claire at the fire closest to him, Sayid and Shannon also nearby, and Sawyer smirking knowingly at a further fire. Well, Jack thought, that's one way for everyone to find out.

"So..." Hurley started awkwardly, "You guys are together?"

"Yeah, we are," Jack responded, unable to keep the challenge out of his voice.

Hurley's gaze moved between Jack and where Boone had disappeared down the path. "Well, he is hot."

Jack completely agreed.