Jalph One-Shots

#4. Guilt

||Summary: Jack feels guilty about the shelters.

AN: I can't remember if this part was in the book (I believe it was, but I'm unsure), but I saw the deleted scene of it for the 1963 film and thought it was perfect to add to for a Jalph one-shot.

Lots of fluff.||

~

A frustrated sigh left the fair boy's lips as he attempted to build some shelter himself. But so far, he had no luck. God, if only Jack could spend one day helping with the shelters rather than obsessing over a silly little pig. It would definitely make up for the fire he let out, which Ralph was still upset about.
Suddenly, he heard the crunching of leaves and sticks on the ground and turned around, expecting to see Piggy or Simon. But to his surprise, it was Jack. "Oh! It's you. Hello." He greeted in his typical friendly manner.
Oddly enough, Jack was silent and only stared at him. Awkwardly, Ralph began to try and make the shelter. Jack just stood there and watched, holding his spear in one hand.
After a few moments of struggling, Ralph sighed and gave up, falling onto the sand on his stomach. "I'll never get it done! Look at it!"
Jack placed his spear down onto the ground and laid on his stomach beside the smaller boy. He got out his survival knife and began to stab it into the sand.
Ralph glanced over at the redhead and then focused his attention on a twig he began to play with. "You wouldn't get help for the shelters, I suppose."
"We need meat!" Jack finally spoke, stabbing his knife into the sand, harshly.
Ralph sighed and looked at him. "We need shelters."
Jack sat up. "Are you accusing me--"
"All I'm saying is that we need to work better, that's all!" Jack said nothing, drawing lines into the sand with his blade. "Don't you want to be rescued?" Ralph asked. No answer. "All you can talk about is pig, pig, pig!"
"We want meat!" Jack growled, stabbing his knife into the sand again.
"And I work all day with nothing but Simon! And you come home, and you don't even notice the shelters!" Ralph continued.
"I work too!" Snapped Jack, glaring at the fair boy.
"But you like your work!" Ralph stood up. "You enjoy yourself hunting! While I--" Now Jack stood, cutting him off. They stared at each other silently for a moment before Ralph turned and began to walk away.
Jack sighed to himself and began to follow him, feeling a pinch of guilt. He grabbed the fair boy's skinny wrist. "I'll do a bit before I have a bathe."
Ralph turned his head to look at him and shook his head, sighing. "Don't bother." The fair boy then walked off. Jack said nothing. All he could do was stare.

~

The sun soon began to set, Ralph's fair hair losing its magnificent glow from the light. The boy sat on the sand, away from the other boys for once. He hugged his legs to his chest, staring at the orange-red sky. The hue reminded him of Jack's fiery hair. He couldn't get over their conversation earlier today. Something about Jack offering to do some work made him feel different towards the boy. Maybe it was because he actually showed somewhat of a softer side to him. Ralph didn't know.
He sighed and let his eyes fall shut, listening to the calming sound of the waves rolling in the water. He would have fallen asleep to this if he hadn't heard the faint footsteps from behind him. He turned his head and froze at the sight of Jack approaching him. What did he want now?
"I have some meat left..." He said. He held out a piece of the cooked pig. "Do you want it?"
Ralph shook his head. "I'm fine. Thank you." He said before looking back towards the sea.
Jack shrugged and tossed the food to the side. Ralph was surprised he didn't devour the piece himself. The taller boy sat next to him, staring down at the sand. "I meant it, you know..." He said.
Ralph looked at him, confused. "Meant what?"
"About helping a bit..."
"It's fine..." He spoke quietly.
"No, it isn't." Jack sighed, turning to Ralph. "I let the fire out and I haven't been helping as much as I thought I was..."
Ralph blinked. Was this the same Jack speaking? "I....Why do you care all of the sudden?"
The redhead looked down. "I let you down...I never wanted to do that..."
"Oh...well...it's fine." Ralph sighed a bit. "You can help me a little tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything else today."
Jack nodded slightly. "Will it just be us?" He asked suddenly.
The blonde rose a brow. "I guess so...why?"
He shook his head. "No reason. Just wasn't sure if Fatty would be joining us."
Ralph frowned. "Why do you hate Piggy so much?"
"He's annoying. He follows you around like a little puppy dog!"
"Because no one else will treat him nicely." Said Ralph, staring at Jack in disbelief. He sighed. "Guess you haven't changed..."
Jack blinked and looked at Ralph. "What? What do you mean?"
"You haven't changed! You're still the same Bullying Jack Merridew." He huffed out in annoyance.
"Well maybe if Piggy would learn to keep his hands off my territory, I would be nicer." Jack snapped.
Ralph's eyes widened. His territory? Ralph was his territory? Since when? "Your...what?" Ralph blinked a few times, bewildered.
Jack froze, realizing what he had said. "Nothing..." He spoke quickly.
The fair boy stared at the other for a while before letting a wide smile spread across his features. "You like me, don't you?" He teased, grinning slightly.
Jack glared. "I never said such a thing!"
"But you implied it." He responded, his grin widening.
"Just shut up. It's not important." He muttered.
Ralph smiled and leant forward, pressing a quick kiss to the freckled cheek of Jack's. "You know...You're pretty cute when you're not going on about pigs..."
Jack snorted and smiled back. "You're rather cute when you don't go on about the bloody fire."
Ralph giggled and laid his head against the redheads shoulder. He stayed silent, then, snuggling close to Jack's warm body. "Jack?" He spoke.
"Hm?" He turned his head to look at Ralph.
"Promise me that you won't leave me?" He looked up at him.
"Promise." He nodded and leaned in, pressing a small and gentle kiss to Ralph's lips.

~

Late at night, Jack and Ralph cuddled together on the sand. Ralph's head lay on the somewhat muscular chest of Jack's. Jack had draped his arm around the fair boy's small body and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Ralph looked up. "Hey, you can sing C-Sharp, can't you?" He asked suddenly.
Jack rose a brow at the sudden question. "Yes, I can. Why do you ask?"
All of the sudden, Ralph gave an innocent and childish smile. "Sing me something?"
Jack rolled his eyes, smiling. "All right. What do you want me to sing?"
The chief shrugged. "Anything."
Jack nodded and thought for a second before he began to sing Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love With You. This relaxed Ralph and made him feel calm for once. He closed his eyes, falling asleep to Jack's soothing voice.

~

As the next day rolled on by, Simon and Roger stumbled upon the sleeping Jack Merridew and Ralph, the two still fast asleep. Simon tilted his head. "They made up, I guess?"
Roger smirked. "Oh, they made up all right."
"Huh?" Simon blinked.
"Nothing." Roger grinned. "Come on." The two boys walked off. Only Roger could tell what their relationship was now.