Blood In The Water

34

"...Raise to twenty." James placed a handful of chips into the bowl in the center of the coffee table

"..Raise to forty." Kevin did the same

"...I fold." Connor placed his cards down "more whiskey?"

"Yes please" James and Kevin replied in unison

Connor pushed himself upright, with a kiss on the top of Kevin's head, and retrieved the whiskey bottle from Kevin's bar cart, pouring a generous amount into each of their glasses as they continued their game

"Thank you, baby.. cards up."

Each of the men laid their hand out on the table.

"Ugh- god, how!?"James groaned

Connor wasn't surprised at all, he had no expectation of winning on his first try. James, however, had been playing since he joined the military. He'd gotten quite good, and quite cocky. Being somebody who was pretty naturally unexpressive, the game came quite easily to him. When he's happy, he's very happy. But otherwise, he's difficult to read.
But Kevin learned to play at thirteen years old. And while his brothers may have been relentlessly cruel on most days, they had taught him the game very well. He hasn't lost a game in years. Though playing with mafiosi since the age of seventeen had gifted him the ability to spot tells on even the most expressionless of people. Including James.

"Thank ya very much, gentlemen." Kevin grabbed his knife, Connor's watch, and James's stack of cash from the middle of the table.

"One of these days, I'm gonna win, I'm gonna get that knife'a yours"

"I look forward to seein' you try.. Dollface, I believe this belongs to you." He held out Connor's watch

"Why thank you, Sir"

"he gets to keep his?!"

"I don't need a watch"

"You don't need a hundred dollars, neither!"

"Yeah, but he's cute" Kevin snickered ".. can't take nothin' from a face like that"

"Whoo! Suck it, Church!" Connor threw both arms up in the air, drunkenly

"..okay, yeah, I get what you see in him, now" James nodded

"Awh.. that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. You're- you're a nice guy.."

"Sometimes."

"So how do you like poker?" Kevin grinned, placing his knife back in his pocket

"I like it! You gotta help me practice, though, I want to get good like you.."

"You've got yourself a deal... but, you know, lessons don't come free.."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah.. maybe you and I can arrange a little somethin' in return.."

"Ew- jesus" James rolled his eyes

"If we had to listen to you flirt with Christopher in front of us, you gotta do the same, you guys were gross."

"..fair."

With a smile, Connor pulled himself closer to Kevin's side and laid his head down on his shoulder.

"Mmh, I dunno if it's rain or the whiskey, but I could just fall asleep.."

"You are a very sleepy drunk, that's for sure.." Kevin chuckled, undoing the top button of Connor's shirt for him, before smoothing it out

"that's much better, thank you.."

"Mhm.. I like those suspenders on ya.."

"I like em' too, I've never felt so.. what's the word.. snippy? Snappy..? Snazzy!"