Hurley was bored. Massively bored.
So he did what he always did when he was bored. He went to talk to Sawyer.
"Hey," he said, standing outside the other man's tent. "Hey, dude. Dude!"
No response. Typical, Hurley thought. The guy just loved to see people grovel.
"Yo, Sawyer!"
"Hold on to your britches, Staypuff," the familiar, growling voice came from behind him. "Nobody wants to see that. Now, what can I do you for?"
Hurley turned around, on the verge of hugging the other man. Just listening to insults was more interesting than what he'd been doing for the rest of the day (namely, staring at a piece of sand that sparkled more than the rest in the sun.) He smiled broadly at Sawyer, and was rewarded with a very confused look.
"I'm bored," he announced. "So what are we going to do today?"
"Whoa now, big guy," Sawyer held up his hands. Hurley noticed for the first time that the other man was completely and utterly naked. He instantly jerked his head up to intensely contemplate the sky. He heard Sawyer's low chuckle, and the rustle of clothing that he hoped meant the other was getting dressed. "I ain't your playmate or nothing."
"Yeah, I know," Hurley said. "But I just thought, I dunno, maybe we could do something. Play poker, go hunt down tree frogs, play a round of golf."
"Sorry, Pillsbury," Sawyer smiled, and yanked on his pants. "I don't do fun."
Hurley sighed. Well, there went that idea. He started to walk away when inspiration hit him. "Hey, Sawyer," he said, turning around. "Would you do something if Kate were here?"
A gleam appeared in Sawyer's eyes. Hurley almost had to lack. For a wildly successful and intelligent conman, sometimes the redneck was ridiculously predictable.
"Well, round up the troops, Hugo," he said, and grabbed for a shirt. "I think I might have just the game for the masses."
"Hurley, what's wrong?" Jack asked, startled at the sight of a sweaty and panting Hurley running into the hatch.
"Jack. . .Jack. . ." Hurley stuttered a little, worrying Jack enough that he stood up from the computer and headed over to the man. He lifted a hand to his forehead, wincing a little as his fingers made contact with sweaty skin. Hurley batted his hand away.
"It's not me," he said. "Sawyer. . ."
Jack grabbed his medical bag. If Sawyer was the injured party, it meant something big. Myopia, cut artery, bullet wound, fever. . .it was never just a heat rash with that man.
"Okay, Hurley, show me where he is."
With a nod, Hurley headed out the door. Jack noticed that he was moving significantly slower now, almost as if he wasn't actually worried anymore. Then again, he might just be tired, the doctor reasoned. For somebody of Hurley's weight, living on an island as hot as this one must have been extremely difficult. Still, he wished the man would hurry up. Jack didn't particularly like Sawyer, but neither did he want him to die.
When they reached the beach, a large crowd of people was gathered around Sawyer's tent. Jack's heart skipped a beat, and he forced himself to slowly count to five. For this many people to be concerned about Sawyer, of all people, it had to be a serious injury.
He pushed his way through the crowd, muttering "coming through. . .doctor here. . excuse me. . .must get to the patient. . ."
When he finally got to the front of the horde of people, he was amazed to see a smirking Sawyer, reclined against an airplane seat, a book dangling from the tips of his fingers.
"Well if it ain't the doc," he said. "Glad you were finally able to make it."
"What's wrong, Sawyer?" Jack asked, wanting to cut straight to the chase and get the encounter over with as quickly as possible.
"Why, there ain't nothing wrong," Sawyer responded. "Just wanted to have a little get-together, eat some cookies, have some tea."
Jack turned to glare at Hurley. "You ran and got me from the hatch for this? You made me leave Locke in charge for some kind of game?"
"I was bored," Hurley said with a shrug.
"Come on, Jack, a little fun couldn't hurt," Kate said. He turned to look at her. She was as beautiful as ever, in a green tank top and jeans. His heart ached a little just to look at her. She was smiling, and as he watched, her hand brushed the top of Sawyer's shoulder. Sawyer smirked a little more.
"Okay, fine, let's play," Jack said.
"Alrightee," Sawyer stood up, and brushed off his jeans. "Everyone in a circle, all nice-like," he said. The survivors obediently did as he said. Hurley especially looked excited. "Now pop a squat," Sawyer said, before doing just that. Everyone sat. The action closed in the circle, leaving just Kate standing. Sawyer grinned up at her.
"Here, cupcake, you can share a seat with me," he said, and patted his lap. Kate laughed and shook her head, before sitting in the sand just outside the circle. She shoved Charlie on her left a little, and elbowed Sawyer until she had maneuvered her way in. It was a tight fit, but neither Sawyer nor Charlie minded.
"So, Sawyer, what are we playing?" Claire asked. She was holding Aaron tight in her arms, rocking him back and forth slightly. He cooed along to the movement, short little laughs that had begun only a day ago.
"We're playing a little game I like to call Ten Fingers," Sawyer replied. He looked over at Kate. "You may remember this one, Freckles."
Kate thought back to the "game" they had played in the jungle, while in search of a boar and Sawyer's past. "You know," she said, putting her hands back to stand up. "I'm not sure this is such a good idea." As she struggled to stand, she abruptly realized why placing herself between Sawyer and Charlie had not been a good idea. She was caught so tightly between their outer thighs that she couldn't even wriggle her eye to a standing position. She caught Jack's eyes across the circle as he watched her struggle. At least he wasn't laughing, she reflected, as Sawyer was beginning to.
"Are there rules?" Hurley asked. He was sitting forward eagerly, his eyes lit up. Finally the boredom would end!
"Everybody put up your hands," Sawyer said. "Now, it's simple. We go around the circle, and everyone says something they've never done. Now, if you have done it, you put down a finger. Got it, chiefs?"
Everybody murmured their assent, and Hurley's hand shot into the air. "Can I start?" he asked. Sawyer nodded his head. Hurley thought for a moment. There were a lot of things he'd never done that he was pretty sure others had. . .but most of them were embarrassing.
"I've never. . .gone to medical school," he finally said triumphantly. Jack rolled his eyes and put down a finger as everybody laughed. Realizing that it was now his turn, Jack thought for a moment, looking around the circle. His eyes lighted on Sawyer, sitting so close to Kate. It wouldn't be right, he thought to himself. It wouldn't be noble. . .but then again, when it came to Kate, he was willing to play a little dirty.
"I've never had an STD," he said. Sawyer growled and put down a finger. A little surprisingly, so did Charlie, a flush rising to his face.
"Well, you know," he said haltingly. "Rock star and all that."
Charlie thought for a moment, not really sure what it was that he hadn't done. His checkered past definitely wasn't making it easy. He looked around at everyone in the circle, and then the idea came to him. "I've never run from the cops," he said.
Sawyer rolled his eyes and dropped another finger, as did Kate, though she was looking a bit abashed. Mr. Eko, Ana-Lucia, and Jin all put down fingers as well.
"I will go next," Mr. Eko said firmly. "I have never doubted my faith."
Sawyer pumped his fist in the air as, for the first time, he was able to keep a finger up. Everybody else put one down. "Y'all have problems with God?" the redneck asked in surprise.
"I've never done drugs," said Claire. When Charlie was the only one to put down a finger, she sighed and said "that includes marijuana." Everybody put down a finger.
"I've never been to Disneyworld," Sawyer said with a twinkle in his eye. Kate went right back at him, saying,
"I've never worn pink."
"I've never been pregnant," Hurley said when it was his turn again. Three of the women complained as they put down their fingers. Hurley just grinned.
"I've never worn underwear," Steve announced. Everybody stared at him, amazed that he was still around.
"I've never gotten a tattoo," said Sawyer.
"I've never cheated on a woman," said Sayid.
By this point, a few of the survivors were fast running out of fingers. Jack was down to two, and Sawyer and Kate only had three.
"Gee, doc, looks like you might be more jaded than the convicts," Sawyer drawled. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Just because I've been to med school. . ."he began.
"And cheated," Kate said softly. Though the doctor had tried to be discreet while putting down his finger on that one, she had definitely noticed. Jack hung his head for a moment. When it came up, he saw the smug look back on Sawyer's face. That was it, he though angrily, time for the big guns.
"I've never killed anyone."
Sawyer, Kate, Jin, Sayid, Ana-Lucia, Steve, Libby, Mr. Eko, and Hurley all put down fingers. Jack stared at them all in disbelief. They'd all killed someone? That was just crazy!
"I've never eaten a green pepper," Sayid said. Everyone stared at him.
"That ain't even interesting, Al-Jazeera!" Sawyer complained. Sayid just shrugged his shoulders as every single person put down a finger.
It was Kate's turn. She looked at Jack and Sawyer, knowing that she had to get one of them out. It was every man for himself now. But, at the same time, she knew that this wasn't just a game anymore. Whatever she said would be seen as a choice by the two men. She looked at Sawyer, and took a deep breath, knowing one thing that would keep him in the game.
"I've never been in love," she said, and put down a finger.
All of the survivors complained as they put down a finger. Sawyer continued holding his one remaining one up for a moment, gazing into her eyes. Then, very slowly, he looked down and dropped the finger.
"All right!" Hurley exclaimed. "We have our losers! Jack, Kate, and Sawyer are out!"
"I am as well," Sayid said, but everyone ignored him. Charlie happily held up his one remaining finger.
"I'm still in!" he exclaimed. "I'm still in!"
"Give it up, everybody," Claire said with a laugh. "Aaron still has all ten fingers."
"Sawyer. . ." Kate said, walking over to where the man stood next to the fire, idly kicking small bits of sand at it. He looked up at her, the cold mask firmly in place.
"Hey, Freckles, what can I do ya for?"
She didn't say anything, just went up and put her hand on his arm. They stood that way for the rest of the night, staring off at the fire, each immersed in his own thoughts.
Hurley, meanwhile, was feeling satiated as he went back to his tent that night. The first Game Day of Craphole Island had gone off rather well, in his opinion. As he lay down on the sand, he began to wonder. What other games were out there?
And then he remembered back to his girlhood games day.
He wondered if anybody else liked to play Truth or Dare. . .
