Chapter Text
"Hey, Miss (L/N)!" Jack calls out as he approaches you, polite as always.
"Hey there, Jack," you smile at him. Jack takes a seat next to you, looking out at the view as you sit near the cliff edge at Horseshoe Overlook.
"What are you reading there, (Y/N)?" Jack asks, peering at the open book on your lap.
"Oh, this is just a romance novel. I think it might be a little advance for you though, Jack," you tell him. Jack attempts to read the fine writing, giving up after a few seconds.
"Yeah, I can't read that. Uncle Hosea has been teachin' me to read but it's hard," Jack pouts as he picks at the grass, ripping it apart in his hands.
"You'll get there eventually," you tell him.
"What's your book about?" Jack asks you.
"It's about a man who's secretly in love with a woman, but he doesn't know how to tell her. I've only just started it so who knows what'll happen!"
Jack laughs to himself, grinning at you like he knows something you don't.
"What'cha laughing at, Jack?" you raise your eyebrow.
"That's funny! Cause it's you!"
"Huh?"
Jack pauses and looks at you, not understanding how you don't get what he's on about.
"It's just like you cause Kieran fancies you!"
Your eyes widen, looking at the boy in shock. Jack giggles again, trying to stop his laughter by covering his mouth with his hand.
"And how do you know that, Jack?" you ask him.
"Cause I seen him lookin' at you all lovey-dovey, and whenever you speak to him he's blushing like crazy!" Jack giggles yet again, "His face goes redder than a tomato!"
"Oh really?" you ask Jack, looking over your shoulder. You happen to catch Kieran staring at you, quickly looking away as if he was just staring around the camp.
"See!" Jack says, obviously pointing at Kieran who was now trying to find something to make himself look busy. "I'll prove it to you, watch."
Jack jumps to his feet and runs off before you can even click on to what he just said. You want to call out after him and urge him not to do it, but you also didn't want to make a scene. It's too late, Jack's already approaching Kieran who notices the boy, seeming rather nervous, especially since Jack has a mischievous grin on his face.
---
"Hi, Kieran!" Jack smiles as he approaches Kieran who's wandered over to his horse, trying to make himself look busy as he brushes Branwen. Kieran's thankful the boy isn't calling him an O'driscoll for once.
"Oh err, hey there, Jack," Kieran replies as he looks down at the boy, a grin still on his face. Kieran's more than nervous as he's just seen Jack speaking to you, the two of them looking at him before Jack wandered over here.
"Kieran?" Jack asks, pausing for a moment as Kieran blankly stares at him. "Do you fancy (Y/N)?" Jack bluntly asks.
"Erm, what?!" Kieran stutterers, almost dropping his brush. He stumbles over his words, trying his best not to answer the question though he can barely talk at all.
"It's okay," Jack tells him.
"What's okay?!" Kieran asks, becoming more skeptical at the boy's plan.
"I won't tell her you fancy her," Jack innocently smiles at him. "Bye, Kieran!" Jack gives him a small wave before running back across the camp.
Kieran can only watch as Jack runs back over to where you were sat.
'Little shit' Kieran thinks to himself as he watches Jack whisper something into your ear. You peer over your shoulder, looking at Kieran and then turning back to speak to Jack. Kieran wants to turn away and pretend like he's doing something but he's frozen, feeling humiliated that a child just managed to spill Kieran's biggest secret.
---
Later on that evening, Kierans sat by himself at the scout campfire, finishing off his stew as he places the bowl on the floor.
"Hey."
Kieran jolts upright, looking around to see you approach him, sitting down next to him.
'Shit,' Kieran thinks. "Hey, Miss," Kieran welcomes you. He picks at his nails, feeling nervous after what happened earlier.
"So..." you sigh, drawing Kieran's attention away from the fire. "I was speakin' to Jack earlier," you start.
"Oh, jheeze," Kieran shakes his head as he looks at the floor.
"What's a matter?" you ask him, acting like you don't know what's happened.
"Nothing, nothing. What'd you and Jack talk about?"
"Well..." you start as you look at Kieran, resting your chin on your hand, your arm propped up on your knee. "Little Jack told me that you're soft on someone, hm?"
"Oh, errr..." Kieran looks away from you, rubbing the back of his neck as he sits upright. "And... who would that be?" he slowly asks, instantly regretting it.
You don't reply, giving him a large smile, raising one eyebrow. Kieran stares at you, sweat building upon his forehead, his cheeks redder than a tomato. Kieran gulps.
"I was... I was gonna speak to you about that," Kieran quietly says.
"About what?" you tease. Kieran pauses again, taking his time to build up courage before he can answer.
"About me likin' you, Miss," Kieran tells you, the tip of his index fingers touching each other as he looks down at the floor.
"Oh, you like me? Cause Jack said that Arthur liked me!" You tell him.
"What?!" Kieran almost yells. You burst out into laughter, feeling sorry for this poor man.
"I'm kidding! I'm sorry, Kieran. I couldn't help it!" You continue laughing, your hand reaching out to rest on Kieran's knee. Kieran lets out a thankful chuckle, watching your hand grab ahold of him.
"So, errr..." Kieran mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck.
"It's okay, Kieran," you tell him as you calm yourself down. "I like you too," you tell him.
"You do?!" Kierans shocked, sitting upright as he stares at you like a spooked owl.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" You say as you shuffle closer to him, your hand still on his knee. Kieran slowly places his hand on top of yours once he's calmed himself down from the shock.
"I ain't gonna answer that. I'm just thankful you like me back," Kieran replies, a tone of nervousness still in his voice. You smile at him, and he smiles back.
The two of you spend the night by the fire talking about all sorts of stuff. By the end of the night, the two of you are cuddling. In the back of Kieran's mind, he's already planning on where to take you on your first date, despite not asking you yet.