Reading Between the Lines

by Dreamality

Another series of short vignettes based on "Confidence Man."

Disclaimer: Lost and all related characters, settings, plots, etc. belong to J.J. Abrams and ABC. I claim no ownership and make no money from this venture.

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Connecting (Sayid POV)

"He says we have a connection."

Jack saw the connection but refused to recognize it. Sayid, on the other hand, saw the connection and knew there was no denying it. It was impossible to miss. Every time Sawyer saw her, his eyes took on a new glint and they roamed to places Sayid would never dream of glancing at. Her own looks in return did not remain wholly innocent. Behind the defensiveness, Sayid saw her eyes smoldering.

While Sawyer argued that doctors attracted the ladies, bad boys had their own unique appeal. The rough-and-tumble, don't-answer-to-no-one, make-my-own-rules-and-break-'em-too boys had their own harems, their own following. Sayid did not know Kate well enough to judge whether she was the type to be a part of such a harem, but he saw the connection.

Jack was a doctor. Sawyer was a bad boy. What quality did Sayid have to offer? What could he possibly do to make Kate, elusive, mysterious, closed-off Kate, see him as more than a respectful man with a good mind?

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Hate (Sawyer POV)

"You try too hard, Sawyer… Nobody's that disgusting."

If only you knew, Kate. If only you knew the thoughts I had as a child, after I watched Daddy kill Mommy and then shoot himself, too. The thoughts I had when I realized that there was a man on this Earth walking free and clean after tearing apart my family and destroying my life.

If only you knew, Kate, of the things I did even after I swore revenge on that man. Of how I never grew up to be the good boy everyone expected me to be. Of how I ended up just like that man. Just like Sawyer.

Most little boys dream of following in Daddy's footsteps. I did, too, for awhile, until I realized what a fool my father was. When I realized that there were so many other fools out there, just like him, with pretty wives, big bank accounts, and tiny brains (among other things), I chose a different path. I followed Sawyer's example.

I hated myself. Still do, in fact, even as you stand there hating me. If only you knew, Kate, that none of this is an act. I hate myself, and you hate me, and somewhere out there, far away from this damned island, there's a little boy who hates me and a fool of a husband who ain't too pleased with me. His pretty little trophy wife probably ain't too happy either, come to think of it. So there's a family out there all angry and messed up, all because of a man called Sawyer.

Maybe that little boy's writing himself a letter to give to me someday. Maybe I didn't destroy his family quite as completely as Sawyer destroyed mine, but I came damn near close enough to it. Nobody's that disgusting? Is that so, Freckles?

If only you knew, Kate.

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Battle Scars (Hurley POV)

"Fat guy's hoarding all the food? Is that what you think?"

Hurley's dealt with people like this all his life. It's nothing new, and the scars they gave him run deep, yet the pain is still just as fresh. Fresher, even, because it's Charlie saying the words.

Charlie, the one he thought was nice. Charlie, the one who Hurley thought he might be able to put a little trust in. Charlie, the one he could relate to. Jack was above him. Sayid was… Hurley couldn't figure Sayid out, really. Sawyer was just a jackass, and the others, well, none of them seemed too excited about buddying up with a guy like him. But Charlie didn't seem to mind, Charlie didn't seem to notice or care that as big as Hurley was on the outside, his brain didn't exactly match in proportion.

Then Charlie had to go and ruin it with a few insinuating remarks. Yeah, Hurley knew he was big. He'd seen enough mirrors in his life to have gotten the memo a long time ago. And yeah, he did like to eat. Food was the friend he turned to when all his friends turned their backs on him, which only aggravated his problem. By then it became an addiction, his drug, and Charlie couldn't understand that. No one as skinny as that guy could understand Hurley's problem.

But he wasn't a thief. He wasn't like Sawyer. He didn't have a secret stash, because in all honesty Hurley wasn't too worried about his survival. What did he have to return to? A life of ridicule and loneliness, that's what, and he'd rather die on a deserted island after losing a few pounds than return to that kind of life.

If Charlie wanted to make accusations, that was his own business, but Hurley just didn't want to be grouped in the same category as Sawyer. After all, Sawyer may see Hurley as nothing but a "lardo," but who was the one who had the secret stash of peanuts?

Charlie apologized, and Hurley shook the whole situation off, but he couldn't help but feel the pain whenever he noticed Charlie not looking into his eyes, as he did so much with Claire, but rather staring at his belt.

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To Be Continued…