“Alright, who wants to go first tonight?” Asa asked, holding up a black dry erase marker.
Felix and Zane insisted Avi and Asa play on opposite teams. They said their little mind meld was an unfair advantage, which was true.
“You’re already standing,” Felix pointed out, uncorking the bottle of rum and pouring a healthy dose directly into Zane’s mouth.
“Wait, what’s the current score?” Avi asked.
Felix squinted, as if trying to remember. “Zane and you have 145 points. Asa and I have 150.”
Avi started the timer, and Asa began to draw, his skill on par with at least Felix and Avi, all of them requiring some level of drawing skill to do their jobs. Zane was the only one who struggled, but still, he held his own. Besides, it was just a game.
Asa drew a rather unflattering depiction of his mother-in-law being held in the air.
“Oh. Oh. Throw her off a cliff? Throw Beverly off a cliff?” Felix shouted.
Asa shook his head, adding a large mountain-like structure with smoke pluming from the top.
“Chuck her in a volcano,” Felix amended, bouncing as he held both bottles of liquor in the air.
Asa grinned, erasing his drawing and putting a mark under their team.
“Wait, didn’t we already chuck her into a volcano?” Avi asked, looking at Zane for confirmation.
Zane shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. I think we dropped her into a forest fire, like that scuba diver that got scooped up by the water plane.”
“We also boiled her in oil,” Felix said helpfully.
“But no volcano,” Zane said, opening his mouth for another shot.
Felix complied, then tipped the bottle to Avi’s lips when he opened his mouth like a baby bird.
“Don’t get too sloppy. I have plans for you later,” Asa warned, his intent clear.
Zane flushed, but his reply was sassy. “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”
Asa felt a little better hearing Zane’s sarcasm. It meant he wasn’t completely spiraling. This was just a bump, not a crash. By tomorrow morning, Zane would be back to his old self after Asa spent the night reminding him of what—and who—was truly important in his life.
Avi took a bite of sushi, then offered some to Felix, who accepted it, chewing and swallowing before he waved a hand at him. “Go. Your turn.”
“Why can’t you go next?” Avi asked.
Felix gave him a withering look. “We’re not even on the same team, dummy.”
“Dummy?” Avi said, pretending offense. “You’re not the boss of me. I’m the boss of you, remember. Why can’t Zaney go next?”
“Because Zaney has had a hard day,” Zane said, burrowing his head deeper into the pillow on Felix’s lap.
Felix hooked one perfectly arched brow at Avi, who sighed. “Fine, but I was going to do it anyway.”
Felix’s lips formed into a knowing smirk. “Mm, that’s what I thought.”
Asa settled onto the bed between Zane’s knees.
“Get your big head out of the way!” Felix yelled.
Asa leaned back until his head was on Zane’s soft stomach, eyes closing when Zane’s fingers automatically began to comb through his hair. Avi looked back at the bed, frowning. “What the hell? This is bullshit. Why is nobody playing with my hair?”
“Draw!” the three screamed at him.
