Lost fic: Four assorted slash ficlets
Back in May, when it had been a year since the finale screened in the USA, lostsquee ran a Lost Finale Anniversary Comment Fic Meme.
These are the four ficlets I managed to do for it. Originally posted at the entry on lostsquee above, and now slotted into my fic journal to keep things tidy and satisfy my OCD.
1. Rulers of the Underworld: Boone/Charlie, for toestastegood. Prompt: rulers of the underworld
It's been way too much fun. Dealing with other people's dramas was never as much fun as watching it all happen while you're somewhere else entirely.
Charlie knows he shouldn't be enjoying this nearly as much as he is, but Boone's delight (and his silky smooth body) is hard not to appreciate. And Charlie's hard all right. Since they came together in death, they've been doing little other than coming together; apparently orgasms are almost never-ending in Hell. And since they're the only two in this little corner of it, they've been making the most of such pleasures, when they're not watching what happens back up above them.
Boone laughs wildly when Ben's daughter gets killed, and Charlie, briefly disturbed by the fact, finds himself laughing just as hard when Alex turns up down here with them for all of an hour before she stomps off in search of Danielle and Karl. Charlie points out the direction she needs to go and she frowns sadly at their attempts to keep a straight face.
"We… we shouldn't laugh," Charlie tells Boone eventually, when he can control his mirth.
"Why not?" Boone asks. "Keamy's a psychopath; of course he was going to kill her if Ben didn't come out! He refused; it makes perfect sense. But Charlie… his face!"
He's pealing with laughter again, and Charlie can't help but roll around on the ground with him again. Of course, it ends in sex; it always does with them.
And this happens many more times before Charlie realizes something: they're the rulers of this underworld. Everyone who arrives comes to them; to stand before Charlie and Boone before they make their way to wherever it suits them to lick their wounds and make their peace with whatever deities have abandoned them to this craziness.
Briefly, Charlie wonders why they are the chosen ones, but Boone's tongue curling into his ear distracts him again, and he rolls over to smooth his callused fingers over Boone's perfect skin and to engulf his co-ruler's hot tongue in his own mouth once more.
The next time Charlie gives it any thought is when Sun and Jin are suddenly in front of them and Charlie realizes they look beyond happy; they are in some kind of transcendental state that he and Boone have yet to achieve. When Sun smiles and tells him they are leaving - that they need no guidance - Charlie suddenly realizes that perhaps this 'Hell' he had believed he was in with Boone (no matter how much they're enjoying it, it seems wrong somehow) is not that at all.
It's purgatory; a place to learn the meaning of love. And Charlie has more than learned it with Boone; he wouldn't be parted from him now for all the riches or fame or heroin he sought with such abandon while he was alive.
And when he reaches that conclusion, he looks at his lover and sees the same recognition in Boone's eyes. They smile at each other stupidly for a few moments, and then watch as Sun and Jin fade from visibility in front of their eyes.
"Charlie," Boone says, serious for once, "Our time here is done."
"Yes," Charlie agrees, "We can move into the light."
"I don't know that it's the light from Heaven," Boone warns.
"I hope not, my love," Charlie grins as the underworld fades around them.
2. Charlie Be Damned: Desmond/Sayid, for janie_tangerine. Prompt: they remember each other in the alt verse
There was something familiar about the man, like his name was on the tip of Desmond's tongue, but he couldn't quite get it. He studied him across the barroom for several minutes, trying to place where he could have seen such a man before, but it just wouldn't come. Eventually, Desmond turned back to his drink and tried to think of something else as he waited.
Charlie was late, but Desmond was positive he'd show, and he had nothing else to do, so he continued to sip his beer and wait. Some minutes later, as Des reached absently for the bowl of peanuts nearby, his hand met someone else's and he felt a flash of memory: two naked bodies in a narrow bunk. The image of their intertwined limbs was so vivid that Desmond felt the smell hit the back of his throat: engine grease, sweat, salt and sex.
He turned to meet the shocked eyes of the man he'd been studying across the room.
The other body in the bunk.
Desmond let out a low sound of surprise and smiled awkwardly. "Sayid."
"Desmond."
Sayid continued to look stunned, although he'd evidently felt the same sense of recognition, but all Desmond could feel was a warmth growing inside him. They'd connected once, long ago and far away in another life. He didn't understand how that could be, but seeing Sayid again here, now, seemed suddenly more important than any meeting with Charlie.
"It's good to see you, brother."
"And you." Sayid's expression lightened and he smiled shyly as he brushed hair back off his face.
Desmond tamped down the desire to touch Sayid, and licked his own lips as he stood up.
"Here is not the place," Sayid indicated the clientele around them with his eyes, and Desmond felt a thrill of need rush right through him.
"No," Desmond agreed, nodding as the look in Sayid's eyes grew thoughtful. "I have a place not far from here."
Sayid nodded back and without another word they turned as one to walk out of the bar. Sayid's shoulder brushed against Desmond's as they exited into the night, sending another rush of memory through him. Everything had became clear in that first moment of contact, but the kiss in this vision almost caused Desmond's legs to fail.
"Charlie be damned," he murmured, pressing Sayid up to the wall in the quiet street in order to relive the kiss.
Sayid's lips were as soft, yet strong, as Desmond remembered. Winding his hands into Sayid's curly hair, Desmond sought the damp interior of Sayid's mouth with his tongue. Sayid's hands slid inside his jacket, winding around Desmond's waist, and he kissed back eagerly, the tip of his tongue circling Desmond's insistently.
When they finally drew apart, Sayid's voice was hoarse. "Where did you say your place was?"
"Not far," Desmond croaked, pulling back to adjust himself through his trousers. He cleared his throat and spoke again. "We can walk there."
"Just as well," Sayid replied, lust shining in his dark eyes. "I doubt we could manage a taxi ride without…"
"Come on, brother," Desmond grinned, taking Sayid's hand and leading him.
"Weren't you meeting someone?"
"I think I found him," Desmond answered, certain now that Charlie's absence had reason.
3. I'll be Starsky, You be Hutch: Sideways Sawyer/Miles, for pann_cake. Prompt: I'll be Starsky, you be Hutch
"Why am I Hutch? 'Cause he was blond?"
"No, because Starsky was way cooler."
Miles grinned. He knew Jim wanted an easy answer, but he isn't about to give him one. This was way more fun.
Jim snorted as he turned the wheel of the car and they slowly rolled down the alley. "Cooler, my ass! Hutch got all the chicks."
"Yeah, but he was an uptight asshole most of the time."
Jim glanced at Miles sideways before focusing back down the alleyway. "Uptight? Starsky was pretty uptight about that damned 'red tomato with the white stripe' as I recall."
Miles was about to give a perfect rejoinder when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. "There!"
Jim stopped the car and they both leapt out, guns at the ready. They'd been working together long enough that words weren't needed. Jim signalled Miles and they moved to either side of the alleyway door. Miles nodded, gun cocked.
Jim tried the door carefully, pushing it slowly inwards without moving from where he stood. No movement. Taking a deep breath, Miles nodded again and Jim stepped through the door, gun up and at the ready. Miles was right behind him.
"Shit!" Their perp was struggling to escape through a side window.
Without hesitating, Jim grabbed the guy by the feet and pulled him back, then Miles was on him and cuffing the bastard before he could move.
"Smart move, asshole," Miles told the guy, "Your mother know how you treat girls?"
"Fuck you, Starsky!" the asshole spat, struggling. "I was nowhere near that place."
Miles grinned despite himself and eased off the asshole's back while Jim dragged the guy to his feet and scowled into his face. "You do know if he's Starsky, then that makes me Hutch?"
"Whatever." The perp looked confused.
"Get him in the goddamned car, Starsk." Jim pushed the guy at Miles, who couldn't stop smirking.
~//~
Two hours later, in their local bar, Jim ordered them beer and reached for the peanuts. "Talk about moments."
"Moments?" Miles echoed, sliding into the seat next to his partner and waving Jim's hand away from the peanuts before he could eat them all.
"We were just talking about Starsky and Hutch and that asshole calls you that."
"Oh yeah," Miles said, reaching for his beer as the bartender set it in front of him. "Kinda confirms it; Starsky was definitely cooler."
"How'd you figure that?" Jim replied, quirking an eyebrow sceptically.
"He didn't care whether you were Hutch or not, but he called me Starsky."
Jim snorted, taking a gulp from his beer, but said nothing.
"Oh, come on. You know he was cooler."
"Look, Miles, you wanna believe that, go ahead. I know exactly who'd give it to who."
Miles blinked as a burst of something hit him right in the gut at the words. "Who'd give it to who?" he echoed.
"You know what I mean."
"Do I? I thought this was about which of us would be who on a TV show."
Jim laughed uneasily. "That's exactly what it's about." He hid his face in his beer glass.
"And yet somehow, I'm not convinced." Miles frowned at Jim, reaching for more peanuts.
"Fuck off, asshole. I just meant…" Jim wiped a hand over his face, "Come on; Starsky was… Hutch's-"
"I know exactly what you meant, partner." Miles cut him off. "Since when did you look at them like that? And why does that make me uneasy?"
Jim stood up, downed the rest of his beer and scowled deeply as he threw money on the bar, but he said nothing. Miles waited, but Jim, usually so full of sarcastic comebacks, just growled as he left the bar. Miles watched him go, confusion swirling around in his head.
Swallowing hard, he chewed on the last peanuts in his hand and gulped at his beer. "Shit." He couldn't leave it like that. Miles threw another bill on the bar top and took off after Jim.
"So Hutch would give it to Starsky, would he?" he managed as he caught up with Jim in the parking lot.
"Considering how Starsky moons for him, if the bastard wanted it, yeah." Jim folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against his car, not looking at Miles.
"Moons? Is that what you call it?"
"What would you call it?"
"Admires, perhaps. Respects?"
Jim snorted. "Okay, if you say so."
"I'd say Hutch has quite a lot of respect and admiration for Starsky too, wouldn't you? Though Starsky might not have realized that."
Jim dropped his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "You could be right."
Miles moved closer. "So, Hutch, wanna explore that further?"
When Jim looked up, his eyes were sparkling with agreement. "Took you long enough."
4. No Objections: Juliet/Sawyer/Boone, for janie_tangerine. Prompt: whatever you want, really. It's just that during the finale Boone wasn't paired but he was sitting on the same bench as those two and I just really always wanted to read something with those three post finale. I don't even have a proper prompt, just go with whatever. XD
The light through the door faded as they all walked through and Boone turned to gaze about him. Things had changed and yet not. Sawyer and Juliet were with him, looking welcoming, and they appeared to be in a large and roomy apartment somewhere high up. Boone quirked a smile quizzically at the couple, and then walked to the picture window to gauge their whereabouts.
"This place is nice," Juliet said, approaching Boone from behind.
"I didn't know you before, but I have a feeling I'm about to get to know you a lot better," she murmured in his ear.
Boone swung around, his face flushing before he could stop it. "We're supposed to be with the ones we care most about, aren't we? How… how did this… happen?"
Sawyer smirked guiltily over Juliet's shoulder at him. "Those nights in the early days; those ones I told you meant nothing to me? Yeah, well…"
"But…" Boone was confused and his eyes flew to Juliet.
"James told me about you, Boone. A lot about you. I feel like I know you, and I… what matters to him matters to me. If it wasn't for you, he and I might not have the relationship we do."
"I had… have feelings for Jack too; you have to know that." Boone studied Sawyer's eyes, remembering the arguments and exchanged abuse when things had ended with them, and after, when he'd taken up with Jack.
"None of that matters," Sawyer said, taking Juliet's hand and drawing her nearer. "Whatever happens now… this is meant to be or we wouldn't all be here."
Boone wasn't sure he understood, but he nodded anyway. "What do we do?"
"Find our place," Juliet said, and kissed Sawyer's lips lightly. Boone didn't feel jealous, though he remembered kissing those lips too.
"Come here."
There was something in Sawyer's eyes that drew Boone in, though he was nervous. He didn't know Juliet, and clearly there was a bond between her and Sawyer that didn't feature Boone. Her inclusion of him so effortlessly had him worried that he would only disappoint both of them somehow; after all his only previous relationships with women had been less than ideal, even if what he'd discovered with Sawyer and then Jack hadn't been altogether free of drama.
"It's okay, kid, we can take it slow."
Sawyer was so very different now; much more assured and open than Boone remembered. Was that down to Juliet, he wondered. She smiled at him again and Boone took the few steps between them. She reached for his hands and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"James?" Juliet turned to Sawyer.
"It's been a while, Boone, but I haven't forgotten anything."
Sawyer winked and moved towards him. His arms were as comforting as they'd been the first night they'd wrapped around him in the jungle and his lips as warm. The moment seemed to last for longer than it was possible for two people to kiss without needing to draw air, and Boone felt the worry lift.
Finally, he drew back and touched his lips where Sawyer had kissed. His eyes couldn't leave Sawyer's though and the gentleness he saw in them brought him close to tears.
"Hey," Juliet's voice was soft, but it broke the spell.
Boone blinked and looked at her. She reached out a hand for each of the men. Sawyer took hers without hesitation, but Boone studied her eyes before doing so.
"James loves you; always has. I've always known that."
Boone nodded dumbly, and glanced back at Sawyer. He held out a hand to Boone, and Boone completed the circle. "I love Blondie too, though. I hope you get that."
"I get it, Sawyer. We're both important to you and if we don't become important to each other because of it, we could end up in some other half-world until we do. That's it, isn't it?"
Sawyer quirked a grin and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That's about the size of it, Metro."
It was good to know he hadn't completely changed. Boone laughed lightly and offered Juliet a sheepish smile. "Do we have to sleep together too?"
"Oh, I hope so," Juliet replied, her voice lowering. The timbre of it sent a thrill of desire thrumming through Boone's blood, making his grin widen.
"What say we get started right about now?" Sawyer's dimples deepened invitingly.
Boone knew then that he had absolutely no objections.
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These are the four ficlets I managed to do for it. Originally posted at the entry on lostsquee above, and now slotted into my fic journal to keep things tidy and satisfy my OCD.
1. Rulers of the Underworld: Boone/Charlie, for toestastegood. Prompt: rulers of the underworld
It's been way too much fun. Dealing with other people's dramas was never as much fun as watching it all happen while you're somewhere else entirely.
Charlie knows he shouldn't be enjoying this nearly as much as he is, but Boone's delight (and his silky smooth body) is hard not to appreciate. And Charlie's hard all right. Since they came together in death, they've been doing little other than coming together; apparently orgasms are almost never-ending in Hell. And since they're the only two in this little corner of it, they've been making the most of such pleasures, when they're not watching what happens back up above them.
Boone laughs wildly when Ben's daughter gets killed, and Charlie, briefly disturbed by the fact, finds himself laughing just as hard when Alex turns up down here with them for all of an hour before she stomps off in search of Danielle and Karl. Charlie points out the direction she needs to go and she frowns sadly at their attempts to keep a straight face.
"We… we shouldn't laugh," Charlie tells Boone eventually, when he can control his mirth.
"Why not?" Boone asks. "Keamy's a psychopath; of course he was going to kill her if Ben didn't come out! He refused; it makes perfect sense. But Charlie… his face!"
He's pealing with laughter again, and Charlie can't help but roll around on the ground with him again. Of course, it ends in sex; it always does with them.
And this happens many more times before Charlie realizes something: they're the rulers of this underworld. Everyone who arrives comes to them; to stand before Charlie and Boone before they make their way to wherever it suits them to lick their wounds and make their peace with whatever deities have abandoned them to this craziness.
Briefly, Charlie wonders why they are the chosen ones, but Boone's tongue curling into his ear distracts him again, and he rolls over to smooth his callused fingers over Boone's perfect skin and to engulf his co-ruler's hot tongue in his own mouth once more.
The next time Charlie gives it any thought is when Sun and Jin are suddenly in front of them and Charlie realizes they look beyond happy; they are in some kind of transcendental state that he and Boone have yet to achieve. When Sun smiles and tells him they are leaving - that they need no guidance - Charlie suddenly realizes that perhaps this 'Hell' he had believed he was in with Boone (no matter how much they're enjoying it, it seems wrong somehow) is not that at all.
It's purgatory; a place to learn the meaning of love. And Charlie has more than learned it with Boone; he wouldn't be parted from him now for all the riches or fame or heroin he sought with such abandon while he was alive.
And when he reaches that conclusion, he looks at his lover and sees the same recognition in Boone's eyes. They smile at each other stupidly for a few moments, and then watch as Sun and Jin fade from visibility in front of their eyes.
"Charlie," Boone says, serious for once, "Our time here is done."
"Yes," Charlie agrees, "We can move into the light."
"I don't know that it's the light from Heaven," Boone warns.
"I hope not, my love," Charlie grins as the underworld fades around them.
2. Charlie Be Damned: Desmond/Sayid, for janie_tangerine. Prompt: they remember each other in the alt verse
There was something familiar about the man, like his name was on the tip of Desmond's tongue, but he couldn't quite get it. He studied him across the barroom for several minutes, trying to place where he could have seen such a man before, but it just wouldn't come. Eventually, Desmond turned back to his drink and tried to think of something else as he waited.
Charlie was late, but Desmond was positive he'd show, and he had nothing else to do, so he continued to sip his beer and wait. Some minutes later, as Des reached absently for the bowl of peanuts nearby, his hand met someone else's and he felt a flash of memory: two naked bodies in a narrow bunk. The image of their intertwined limbs was so vivid that Desmond felt the smell hit the back of his throat: engine grease, sweat, salt and sex.
He turned to meet the shocked eyes of the man he'd been studying across the room.
The other body in the bunk.
Desmond let out a low sound of surprise and smiled awkwardly. "Sayid."
"Desmond."
Sayid continued to look stunned, although he'd evidently felt the same sense of recognition, but all Desmond could feel was a warmth growing inside him. They'd connected once, long ago and far away in another life. He didn't understand how that could be, but seeing Sayid again here, now, seemed suddenly more important than any meeting with Charlie.
"It's good to see you, brother."
"And you." Sayid's expression lightened and he smiled shyly as he brushed hair back off his face.
Desmond tamped down the desire to touch Sayid, and licked his own lips as he stood up.
"Here is not the place," Sayid indicated the clientele around them with his eyes, and Desmond felt a thrill of need rush right through him.
"No," Desmond agreed, nodding as the look in Sayid's eyes grew thoughtful. "I have a place not far from here."
Sayid nodded back and without another word they turned as one to walk out of the bar. Sayid's shoulder brushed against Desmond's as they exited into the night, sending another rush of memory through him. Everything had became clear in that first moment of contact, but the kiss in this vision almost caused Desmond's legs to fail.
"Charlie be damned," he murmured, pressing Sayid up to the wall in the quiet street in order to relive the kiss.
Sayid's lips were as soft, yet strong, as Desmond remembered. Winding his hands into Sayid's curly hair, Desmond sought the damp interior of Sayid's mouth with his tongue. Sayid's hands slid inside his jacket, winding around Desmond's waist, and he kissed back eagerly, the tip of his tongue circling Desmond's insistently.
When they finally drew apart, Sayid's voice was hoarse. "Where did you say your place was?"
"Not far," Desmond croaked, pulling back to adjust himself through his trousers. He cleared his throat and spoke again. "We can walk there."
"Just as well," Sayid replied, lust shining in his dark eyes. "I doubt we could manage a taxi ride without…"
"Come on, brother," Desmond grinned, taking Sayid's hand and leading him.
"Weren't you meeting someone?"
"I think I found him," Desmond answered, certain now that Charlie's absence had reason.
3. I'll be Starsky, You be Hutch: Sideways Sawyer/Miles, for pann_cake. Prompt: I'll be Starsky, you be Hutch
"Why am I Hutch? 'Cause he was blond?"
"No, because Starsky was way cooler."
Miles grinned. He knew Jim wanted an easy answer, but he isn't about to give him one. This was way more fun.
Jim snorted as he turned the wheel of the car and they slowly rolled down the alley. "Cooler, my ass! Hutch got all the chicks."
"Yeah, but he was an uptight asshole most of the time."
Jim glanced at Miles sideways before focusing back down the alleyway. "Uptight? Starsky was pretty uptight about that damned 'red tomato with the white stripe' as I recall."
Miles was about to give a perfect rejoinder when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. "There!"
Jim stopped the car and they both leapt out, guns at the ready. They'd been working together long enough that words weren't needed. Jim signalled Miles and they moved to either side of the alleyway door. Miles nodded, gun cocked.
Jim tried the door carefully, pushing it slowly inwards without moving from where he stood. No movement. Taking a deep breath, Miles nodded again and Jim stepped through the door, gun up and at the ready. Miles was right behind him.
"Shit!" Their perp was struggling to escape through a side window.
Without hesitating, Jim grabbed the guy by the feet and pulled him back, then Miles was on him and cuffing the bastard before he could move.
"Smart move, asshole," Miles told the guy, "Your mother know how you treat girls?"
"Fuck you, Starsky!" the asshole spat, struggling. "I was nowhere near that place."
Miles grinned despite himself and eased off the asshole's back while Jim dragged the guy to his feet and scowled into his face. "You do know if he's Starsky, then that makes me Hutch?"
"Whatever." The perp looked confused.
"Get him in the goddamned car, Starsk." Jim pushed the guy at Miles, who couldn't stop smirking.
~//~
Two hours later, in their local bar, Jim ordered them beer and reached for the peanuts. "Talk about moments."
"Moments?" Miles echoed, sliding into the seat next to his partner and waving Jim's hand away from the peanuts before he could eat them all.
"We were just talking about Starsky and Hutch and that asshole calls you that."
"Oh yeah," Miles said, reaching for his beer as the bartender set it in front of him. "Kinda confirms it; Starsky was definitely cooler."
"How'd you figure that?" Jim replied, quirking an eyebrow sceptically.
"He didn't care whether you were Hutch or not, but he called me Starsky."
Jim snorted, taking a gulp from his beer, but said nothing.
"Oh, come on. You know he was cooler."
"Look, Miles, you wanna believe that, go ahead. I know exactly who'd give it to who."
Miles blinked as a burst of something hit him right in the gut at the words. "Who'd give it to who?" he echoed.
"You know what I mean."
"Do I? I thought this was about which of us would be who on a TV show."
Jim laughed uneasily. "That's exactly what it's about." He hid his face in his beer glass.
"And yet somehow, I'm not convinced." Miles frowned at Jim, reaching for more peanuts.
"Fuck off, asshole. I just meant…" Jim wiped a hand over his face, "Come on; Starsky was… Hutch's-"
"I know exactly what you meant, partner." Miles cut him off. "Since when did you look at them like that? And why does that make me uneasy?"
Jim stood up, downed the rest of his beer and scowled deeply as he threw money on the bar, but he said nothing. Miles waited, but Jim, usually so full of sarcastic comebacks, just growled as he left the bar. Miles watched him go, confusion swirling around in his head.
Swallowing hard, he chewed on the last peanuts in his hand and gulped at his beer. "Shit." He couldn't leave it like that. Miles threw another bill on the bar top and took off after Jim.
"So Hutch would give it to Starsky, would he?" he managed as he caught up with Jim in the parking lot.
"Considering how Starsky moons for him, if the bastard wanted it, yeah." Jim folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against his car, not looking at Miles.
"Moons? Is that what you call it?"
"What would you call it?"
"Admires, perhaps. Respects?"
Jim snorted. "Okay, if you say so."
"I'd say Hutch has quite a lot of respect and admiration for Starsky too, wouldn't you? Though Starsky might not have realized that."
Jim dropped his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "You could be right."
Miles moved closer. "So, Hutch, wanna explore that further?"
When Jim looked up, his eyes were sparkling with agreement. "Took you long enough."
4. No Objections: Juliet/Sawyer/Boone, for janie_tangerine. Prompt: whatever you want, really. It's just that during the finale Boone wasn't paired but he was sitting on the same bench as those two and I just really always wanted to read something with those three post finale. I don't even have a proper prompt, just go with whatever. XD
The light through the door faded as they all walked through and Boone turned to gaze about him. Things had changed and yet not. Sawyer and Juliet were with him, looking welcoming, and they appeared to be in a large and roomy apartment somewhere high up. Boone quirked a smile quizzically at the couple, and then walked to the picture window to gauge their whereabouts.
"This place is nice," Juliet said, approaching Boone from behind.
"I didn't know you before, but I have a feeling I'm about to get to know you a lot better," she murmured in his ear.
Boone swung around, his face flushing before he could stop it. "We're supposed to be with the ones we care most about, aren't we? How… how did this… happen?"
Sawyer smirked guiltily over Juliet's shoulder at him. "Those nights in the early days; those ones I told you meant nothing to me? Yeah, well…"
"But…" Boone was confused and his eyes flew to Juliet.
"James told me about you, Boone. A lot about you. I feel like I know you, and I… what matters to him matters to me. If it wasn't for you, he and I might not have the relationship we do."
"I had… have feelings for Jack too; you have to know that." Boone studied Sawyer's eyes, remembering the arguments and exchanged abuse when things had ended with them, and after, when he'd taken up with Jack.
"None of that matters," Sawyer said, taking Juliet's hand and drawing her nearer. "Whatever happens now… this is meant to be or we wouldn't all be here."
Boone wasn't sure he understood, but he nodded anyway. "What do we do?"
"Find our place," Juliet said, and kissed Sawyer's lips lightly. Boone didn't feel jealous, though he remembered kissing those lips too.
"Come here."
There was something in Sawyer's eyes that drew Boone in, though he was nervous. He didn't know Juliet, and clearly there was a bond between her and Sawyer that didn't feature Boone. Her inclusion of him so effortlessly had him worried that he would only disappoint both of them somehow; after all his only previous relationships with women had been less than ideal, even if what he'd discovered with Sawyer and then Jack hadn't been altogether free of drama.
"It's okay, kid, we can take it slow."
Sawyer was so very different now; much more assured and open than Boone remembered. Was that down to Juliet, he wondered. She smiled at him again and Boone took the few steps between them. She reached for his hands and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"James?" Juliet turned to Sawyer.
"It's been a while, Boone, but I haven't forgotten anything."
Sawyer winked and moved towards him. His arms were as comforting as they'd been the first night they'd wrapped around him in the jungle and his lips as warm. The moment seemed to last for longer than it was possible for two people to kiss without needing to draw air, and Boone felt the worry lift.
Finally, he drew back and touched his lips where Sawyer had kissed. His eyes couldn't leave Sawyer's though and the gentleness he saw in them brought him close to tears.
"Hey," Juliet's voice was soft, but it broke the spell.
Boone blinked and looked at her. She reached out a hand for each of the men. Sawyer took hers without hesitation, but Boone studied her eyes before doing so.
"James loves you; always has. I've always known that."
Boone nodded dumbly, and glanced back at Sawyer. He held out a hand to Boone, and Boone completed the circle. "I love Blondie too, though. I hope you get that."
"I get it, Sawyer. We're both important to you and if we don't become important to each other because of it, we could end up in some other half-world until we do. That's it, isn't it?"
Sawyer quirked a grin and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That's about the size of it, Metro."
It was good to know he hadn't completely changed. Boone laughed lightly and offered Juliet a sheepish smile. "Do we have to sleep together too?"
"Oh, I hope so," Juliet replied, her voice lowering. The timbre of it sent a thrill of desire thrumming through Boone's blood, making his grin widen.
"What say we get started right about now?" Sawyer's dimples deepened invitingly.
Boone knew then that he had absolutely no objections.
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