"She didn't pinch my ass. And you're not old enough to say ass."

"Lee? I was standing right there. She pinched your ass." Zak lifted his shirt and tugged a thin, silver flask from inside the waistband of his pants. "So I say Uncle Saul owes us."

"What is that? And it was my ass. How does he owe you?"

"His flask." Zak twists the lid and opens it, letting the act of it linger in the air for a moment. "And I had to watch."

"Trust me. In a year or two, it'll be your ass she's pinching." Lee reaches for the flask and takes a hit off of it. "And I'll be more than happy to move aside for that."

"Aw. Don't tell me you won't miss Aunt Ellen's special attention." Zak laughs and grabs the flask back, taking a long drink. "Besides, why would she pinch my ass? By then, she'll be cornering you in the pantry and feeling you up."

Lee shivers and steals the flask, taking another hit, longer, deeper and shuddering hard. "What is this?"

"Uncle Saul's home brew, I think." Zak takes another drink and leans against Lee, sighing. "You going to stay in here all night?"

"You don't really think I'm going anywhere near a bed with her here and drinking, do you?"

Zak laughs softly. "My big, brave brother hiding out in the utility closet."

"Should make Dad proud, huh?" Lee stretches out his legs, the close quarters forcing him to drape one over Zak's. "Why aren't you out there? Surely he's got a few things to brag about lately."

"He doesn't need me there to brag." Zak shrugs and states the fact they both know too well. "Besides, I'd rather hang out with you than Dad's friends and contacts."

"Yeah, well, how do you expect to succeed then, Zak?" Lee's voice shifts, sounding far too much like the gravelly voice of their father. "You can't be like your brother. Have to be a better man than that." He grabs for the flask and frees another long swallow from the silver container. "Hate to see you get tarred with the same brush."

"I'd be doing pretty well if I were a man like you, Lee." Zak informs him softly, reaching out to rest his hand on his brother's leg, rubbing a soft line on the hard muscle of his thigh. "Honest and honorable and hard working and…"

"I dare you to find another word that starts with H."

Zak grins and turns to face his brother, eyes bright with mischief and more. "Hot."

"Hot?"

"According to the entire female contingent of my school and at least four of the guys." Zak shrugs. "You are, and I'm quoting here, hot enough to make Hades sweat."

Lee chokes and shakes his head. "You're kidding."

Zak shrugs again, tilting his head to look at Lee, track the movement of his face, the dancing sharpness of his eyes. "No." He leans in, breath warm and thick with the taste of the alcohol. "I'm not."

Lee watches Zak warily; eyes darting down to Zak's lips then to his eyes then back again. "What are you doing, Zak?"

Zak shifts and frees his leg from the prison of Lee's, moves to straddle his brother's strong thighs. He darts in, tasting Lee's breath in the movement before pulling back, a measure of distance between them. "Blame it on Uncle Saul's liquor."

"Blame…" Lee shakes his head, the movements small and careful, never pulling away from Zak at all. "Blame what?"