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"It's a damn plant."
"It’s part of a vine," Claire corrected, laying the makeshift ring into the palm of his right hand. She beamed. "And it's just a temporary one until Sayid can finish making your permanent one."
Sawyer held it up to examine it more closely. He squinted through his glasses. Vine his ass. He was pretty certain it was just the stem of a plant. And there was also that tickling in the back of his mind at how familiar it looked. But-
He shrugged. "Thanks. But I still ain't wearing it."
"At least try it on, dude.” Hurley nodded and scratched at his chin. “Jack would. We’re taking his to him next.” Claire nodded too and planted her hands on her hips.
Hell. Seriously? He rolled his eyes and blew out a sharp breath. He looked from Hurley's ‘innocent’ face to Claire's pleading one, and then made the split second decision he would come to regret. He slipped it on.
It was weird. He tilted his hand from left to right and back. But maybe he sorta liked the way the bright green of it looked when the light hit it just so. It also looked like it belonged there. Maybe-
"It’s starting to itch."
-
“Son of a-“
"I know Hurley and Claire are very sorry,” Jack interrupted. "But they couldn't have known." He ignored Sawyer's glare and pressed a wet rag to the small red welts decorating his left ring finger. His right hand was already wrapped in a loose bandage. It wasn't spreading, so that was good. No trouble breathing. The exposed area wasn't swelling either. Just a mild reaction. Though, he didn't dare use the word mild out loud. And as luck would have it, Sawyer had some ointment tucked away for this very thing. And gloves Jack could use just in case.
"They're not the ones apparently allergic to whatever the hell it is,” he growled in response. He watched Jack’s ministrations with a critical eye, but didn’t complain. Winced plenty, though. And every once in a while grit his teeth.
"Their intentions were good." Jack spread some ointment on the welts and reached for another bandage. He carefully started winding it around the infected finger, and out of the corner of his eye noticed Sawyer trying to scratch the palm of his hand by rubbing it against his jeans. " Stop that. You said you recognized it."
Sawyer huffed, but stopped. "Thought I did." He waved his hand in a general direction of the other tents. "It's not poison oak or poison ivy though, otherwise those two dummies would be miserable as well. And as a bonus, I would be a little bit happier as well too.”
Jack licked his lips to suppress his smile. Or to stop himself from admonishing him. It wouldn’t do to make Sawyer anymore aggrieved than he already was. He slipped the gloves off and rested a hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it gently and caught his eyes. "Since everything I need is already here, we'll stay in your tent tonight instead of mine so I can look after you.”
Sawyer nodded, and the tension in his body started melting away. He laid back against a blanket and his flimsy pillow. He closed his eyes. His hands hovered in the air before he finally rested them against his stomach. "I'll be complaining the entire time, just so you know, Doc.” He managed a small grin. “Probably won't get any sleep." He wiggled his fingers restlessly,
Jack would need to find a way to distract him from the itching until the ointment could really take effect. He leaned over him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. Slipped a hand through his hair. "We’ll manage."