In Which Kevin Sleeps, Brendon Cheats And Mike Is Pretty Goddamned Happy
The light dims when the fire splutters, choking down to embers, glowing still, but dully. Mike would get up, add another log, if only Kevin weren't asleep, sprawled on the floor in front of the fire with his head in Mike's lap.
Not that Mike's complaining.
The afternoon has been the long, lazy kind, with marathon games of checkers with Kevin and Mike and whoever else had been around (Nick was absolutely vicious at the game, had won hands down, against everyone but Brendon.
"He cheats!" Nick had cried, frustrated, after a few too many jabs from various brothers about losing his crown, being dethroned.
Brendon had just shrugged, unrepentant, saying, "Ah, but how, Nicky-boy? You can't just know you were cheated, you need to know how so you can stop it. Here, lets try again. Watch closely...")
The wind howled outside, and Mike had been battered practically to the ground walking over. Kevin had work in a couple of hours, he should probably head out...
Mike leaned foreward to rub his hands together closer to the embers and asked, "Hey, Joe? Could you grab another log?"