Work Text:
Good
by Anne
"So what do you think?" Sawyer was pacing. "I already signed the made- for-TV-movie deal and it ain't been published yet. 'Course, they'll cut out the love story, but..."
"Sawyer, this is almost entirely fabricated." Sayid looked up at him.
"Yeah, and who's gonna believe the truth? I talked to everyone else... I'm the only one who was interested in selling their story, but I promised they'd all come off well in it, and no one's gonna say anything when it comes out and it's all polar bear-free."
"It's good. I am particularly fond of the romance-- although there is a scene missing, and I don't think your publishers will be thrilled with the scene you left in..."
"You think I should tone down the sex?"
"I think so, yes."
"There was a sex scene in 'Midnight Express'-- the book, I mean, they cut that out of the movie, too."
"Was it this detailed?"
"Okay, okay, I'll rewrite it. Will that make you happy?"
Sayid set the manuscript aside, rising to wrap his arms around Sawyer's waist. "*You* make me happy. Give me a kiss."
Sawyer leaned in, his mouth covering his lover's, his tongue probing and exploring, drawing little groans of pleasure out of the other man.
"How 'bout we go back into the bedroom and you can show me what I'm supposed to be editing out?"
"Oh, I think I'd better." Sayid smiled.
---/-/---
Sayid found Sawyer working on his second draft. He watched him from the doorway, the hunch of his shoulders, the look of concentration that furrowed his brow, the way his glasses slid down his nose...
"Why are you wearing those old things, anyway? You got new ones."
"Guess I'm just used to these." Sawyer shrugged, smiling up at the other man. "Come to give me a kiss?"
"Yes." Sayid leaned forward, letting his lips play across Sawyer's. "That is exactly what I came in for."
"Mmm... thanks, sweetheart."
"Thank *you*." He favoured Sawyer with another quick upside-down kiss, then tweaked his glasses. "And who knew you were such a sentimental man..."
"I'm not."
"You just keep saying that."
"I'm *not*."
---/-/---
"Which picture should I give for the back cover?" Sawyer held up two photographs. "Without glasses; rugged outdoorsman making it against the odds, or with the new glasses; sensitive intellectual surviving the challenges of nature? I know it's a tough call, 'cause I'm just so damn handsome, but try and make a decision."
---/-/---
"Congratulations." Sayid turned the book over in his hands. "A published author..."
"Check out the picture on the back. Handsome devil, ain't I?"
"Very. 'James Ford is a reformed con-man and accidental survival expert. He currently resides in Southern California in a home he shares with his partner and a reformed stray cat, also an accidental survival expert'. Cute."
"I'm full of cute."
"I know you wanted to put *something* true in this little memoir, but are you sure it was wise admitting to crimes when your photograph is on the cover?"
"I live on the edge." He shrugged. "Besides, I only admitted very vaguely to committing some crimes where the statute of limitations is up."
"All right... well. We should celebrate tonight."
"Yeah?" Sawyer leered. "Whatcha got in mind?"
---/-/---
Sawyer set his plate on the floor, earning a disapproving look from Sayid.
"It's not good for him, you know."
"It makes the dishes a lot easier to wash. Besides, he likes the chicken pot pie gravy."
"You'll spoil him."
"You're the one who wanted to let him live inside."
"... And stop trying to feed your carrots to the cat." He sighed.
"But he *eats* them! Hey, Omar, you want a treat?"
"The cat's name is Amir, not Omar."
"He's a cat, he doesn't know what his damn name is."
"Yes he does, and you're confusing him."
"I can't call the cat the wrong name, I can't call you the wrong name... tell me, who am I allowed to rename to suit my own whims?"
Sayid shrugged. "Jack? And speaking of things I wish you wouldn't let the cat ingest, keep the lid on the toilet down or he'll drink out of it."
"... You're kidding. I thought dogs did that."
"I've seen him do it. At the very least, keep the seat down,"
"I thought we were avoiding 'keep the seat down' arguments by, you know, sleeping with another man."
Another shrug. "If you kept it closed so Amir wouldn't drink out of it, we wouldn't have any toilet-related arguments at all."
"Fine." He mock-glared at the cat now eating his carrots. "Who ever heard of a cat drinkin' out of a toilet?"
Amir purred.
---/-/---
"Is that supposed to be me?" Sayid let out an incredulous laugh.
"Good-looking enough. Well, *almost*." Sawyer amended.
"That actor isn't even Arab. He's not Arab-American, he's not Arab-anything. I think he's Indian..."
"Shut up and watch the movie. You think they'll send me a check every time they show this sucker, or do they just pay the screenwriter for that? I mean, I *did* write the book."
"I don't know. Don't you have an agent to answer that sort of thing?"
The phone rang during the commercial, and Sawyer picked it up. "Talk fast."
"*Dude*! Your movie's on channel six!"
"Yeah, Hugo, we're watching it right now."
"Pretty awesome."
"Yeah. I asked if they could get the same made-for-TV lady who did 'Buffalo Gals'. I don't know if they're gonna keep in the love part."
"... on channel six? I doubt it."
"Yeah, figured as much. Well, I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay. Congrats, dude."
---/-/---
"They hinted at it." Sayid rubbed Sawyer's shoulder, curled up beside him in the afterglow. "Better than I expected, really."
"I been thinking... about writing the real story."
Sayid lifted his head and raised one eyebrow.
"Not like a memoir. Like a... like a fantasy novel. Under a pseudonym or something. But it'd have bears and monsters and crazy island people."
"The irony is amusing... a fantasy novel you didn't make up and a survival memoir you did."
"Gonna start on that... tomorrow..."
"That's nice." He settled back down again, let his cheek rest against bare skin.
"Yeah... nice..." Sawyer yawned, dropping a kiss to Sayid's hair. "'Night, lover."
FIN