Kelly lay back against the couch, weak with laughter as he watched Jason's victory dance around the room, accompanied by fist pumps and a tipsy version of "We Are The Champions." Even three sheets to the wind, Jason's voice still caused goosebumps to rise along Kelly's arms, and he shivered as the last rich notes died out.
"Geaux Saints!" Jason crowed, just as a pillow smacked into his face, causing him to stagger and splutter, and he glared around the room, looking for the offender.
Toby was sitting in his favorite recliner, his arms crossed mutinously, the matching pillow to the one that had just hit Jason sitting incriminatingly within reach.
"Fucking refs blew that call, and you fucking know it, asshole!" Toby sneered. "Patriots had it in the bag up until that moment."
"Hmm, let's see." Jason tapped his finger on his chin as he made a show of looking around the room. "Do you see them?"
"See what?" Toby asked him impatiently. "What are you looking for?"
"All the fucks I don't give about the fucking refs, that's what!" Jason gloated. "All I see are those beautiful numbers, Saints 24, Patsies 21." He pointed at the TV screen, where the after-game highlights were being shown. "Read 'em and weep, baby."
Jason ducked as the second pillow flew toward his head, and it smashed into the line of empty beer bottles set up on the bar behind him, sending them toppling with a clatter.
Jason laughed, doing another hip-swiveling victory dance before staggering to the couch and collapsing beside Zach, who sprawled on the other couch set diagonally from Kelly's.
Toby's man cave on his boat was a sweet setup, Kelly thought hazily. There was a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, a set of small leather couches and Toby's recliner arranged cozily around a coffee table, a small wet bar set back into the corner. A state-of-the-art surround sound system blared as the talking heads analyzed the game they'd just watched, the cheering of the crowd sounding like it was coming from all sides.
They were all, except for Zach, pretty well blitzed out of their minds. Pizza had been eaten, many, many beers had been drunk, and no pain was being felt.
Toby lifted the remote and changed the channel, where another game was about to start, this one featuring Zach's Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jason's second-choice team. This should be good, Kelly thought, amused, knowing how intensely competitive the others were over their teams. Kelly was more of a hockey fan, himself.
It was dusk, and the shadows were starting to lengthen, the room they were in growing cozily darker, the ambient light flickering from the TV the only illumination. Jason draped himself over Zach, nuzzling at his neck playfully as they waited for the new game to start. Kelly glanced at Toby, who had gotten up to get himself another beer from the small fridge behind the wet bar. He had halfway hoped that Toby would come sit beside him on the couch during the game but instead he'd sat in his recliner, kicked back comfortably in the well-worn leather. Toby wasn't the type to engage in public PDAs, Kelly mused, but it would have been nice anyway.
The pre-game show started, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders taking the field in their skimpy outfits, and Zach gave a loud, exaggerated wolf whistle, making a show of sitting up and paying attention. Jason flattened out next to him in a mock sulk, his full lower lip out in a pout, and Kelly snorted out loud at their antics.
Zach pushed Jason a little further, loudly commenting on which cheerleader was his favorite, and Jason crossed his arms over his chest with a huff, his pout even more exaggerated.
"Keep sticking that lip out like that, baby, and see what happens," Zach growled, leaning over Jason and nipping at the offending lip, then sucking on it before letting it go with a soft pop and starting to sit back.
Jason followed him, carding his fingers through Zach's hair and pulling him back down with a teasing, "Gimme more. I'm feeling a little insecure here." Zach chuckled, cupping Jason's cheek and taking his mouth in a playful kiss, their lips meeting, lingering and parting with a lush, wet sound. They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment, Zach stroking over Jason's moist lower lip with his thumb until Jason finally nodded at the TV.
"You're missing the sexy cheerleaders," he murmured, nipping at Zach's thumb.
"What cheerleaders? I got all the sexy I need right here," Zach purred, and Jason snorted a little, then groaned softly as Zach kissed him again, the playfulness quickly growing heated. Kelly watched, fascinated, as Zach traced Jason's lips with his tongue, urging them open and then plunging deep.
"Christ, get a room, you two," Toby groused as he settled back in his chair. Of course that made Jason give Zach several loud, smacking kisses, deliberately goading Toby on, before getting up to get himself another beer and Zach a fresh soda. They settled in to watch the new game, and it wasn't long before it became clear that it would be a blow-out, the Steelers up by 24 points by halftime.