“Someone still has a cruuuuusssshhhh.” Kennethsing-songed.
“I do not either.” Ryan denied it.
“Oh hell. He sounds like a girl. Do ya want meto send him a little note or talk to him for you? Dear DrillSergeant Grabowski, Ryan wanted me to ask you if you liked him.Check ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.” Kenneth snorted at his own joke. Brendon andPatrick both were laughing like the bastards they were.
“Fuck you all. I'm taking my beer and goinghome.” Ryan flipped them all off.
“That's my beer, buddy.” Patrick smirked.
“Asshole.”
“Bitch.”
“Fucker.”
“Cocksucker.”
“Alright, you win.” Ryan held up his hands insurrender.
“Why is it when y'all get together your agesregress to twelve?” Mark asked from behind them.
“Aww, Babe. I thought you loved mytwelve-year-old ass.” Patrick made a kissy face at Mark and hadthem all laughing again.
“That statement is beyond wrong and I'm not evengoing to explain to you why,” Mark said. “Phillip is coming latertonight. Sandy picked up Katie early,” he remarked casually. Heleft without waiting for responses.
Brendon and Kenneth turned and grinned atRyan.
“Don't fucking say it,” Ryan growled.
“Dude! If you get laid tonight then you won't beall bitchy tomorrow. I think it's a great plan since I'm stayingwith you,” Brendon said.
“Mark, I would kick out Brendon now. He's aknown pain in the ass, most likely he'll break up your pretty bar,”Ryan called.
“And that's different from you and Patrick howexactly, Ryan?” Mark called. “You're singing tonight, by theway.”
Ryan sighed. “Then I better be good anddrunk.”
All four men looked at each other andnodded.
Patrick pulled out four shot glasses that hadeach of their names engraved on them. Then he grabbed seven extrashot glasses and a bottle of bourbon. Before leaving he filled upfour pitchers of beer and then they all carried a pitcher, shotsand mugs over to a corner table.
They all sat down. One by one four shots werepoured until all that remained were the seven extra shotglasses.
“Brodrick,” Patrick said, filling one shotglass. “Davis,” he said, filling another. He passed the bottle toBrendon.
“Ackers.” Brendon said, filling one. He passedthe bottle to Ryan.
“Smith,” Ryan said. He filled the next one.“Marks.” He filled up one more and passed the bottle toKenneth.
Kenneth looked at the bottle and back to theshot glasses. “Perry,” he said, quietly. “Williams.” He poured theshots and sat the bottle down gently.
They all stared at the glasses and what theyrepresented. Seven glasses in a small circle. One by one theirglasses were raised. “We're fucked in life and fucked in death butfuck it all anyways. Bottoms up, Troopers,” Ryan said.
They tossed their drinks back and then placedthem next to their dead buddies' glasses.
For a long moment none of them spoke. Brendonbroke the silence.
“Dude, do you remember back during the firstweek of Basic when I went down in that run? Brodrick stopped andput his arm around me, lifted my ass up and looked me straight inthe eyes. He told me that I couldn't fall out of the first fuckingplatoon run. If I did I was a fucker that was gonna fall out ofevery fucking run. I fucking hated that guy.” Brendon said it witha grin; they all knew he didn't. They all smiled.
