.

. .

. . . . .

Nakano asked if it was okay if he ate his breakfast first while it was still warm.

It was decided they would all finish breakfast, then those who needed it could shower, shave, and change clothes before meeting at the covered patio that was just outside the front of their place.

After they all got cleaned up, the men made their way out to sit at the table on the covered porch. Suoh pulled Kirishima aside before he could walk out.

"These are all good men here," Suoh spoke in a quiet voice. "They're hardworking... unquestionably loyal... and very trustworthy. None of them would ever hesitate to put their own lives on the line for the boss, or for each other... just like you and me."

"I'm fully aware of this," Kirishima said. "It's not necessary to point that out."

"Just keep that in mind, no matter what you hear about what happened last night. Also keep in mind that drinking a lot of alcohol can cause people to lose their inhibitions and act out."

Kirishima replied, slightly annoyed, "I get it. After a high-stress mission the men got drunk, acted out, and probably did something out of line. You're not telling me anything surprising, Suoh."

"You did too, Kirishima."

"I did something out of line?" Kirishima raised his eyebrows, surprised. "I can't imagine what that might have been." He smiled and then patted Suoh on the shoulder. "Well, I can't wait to hear about it." He pushed past Suoh and walked out the door to the porch.

Suoh shook his head. "I don't think you're going to be very happy about it."

. . . . .

Once they all were seated, Nakano asked someone for a cigarette. Chiba gave him one and lit it for him.

Nakano drew off of it and expelled a heavy cloud of smoke.

"After what we've been through this week, I've begun to think of all of you like my family. I never expected my co-workers to be so... close and caring toward each other. What happened last night... it's something that should strictly stay between those of us here. You HAVE to agree to this or else this conversation stops right now. Kirishima, Yamato, and Mayeda would stand to lose face the most if this were to become common gossip."

They all nodded.

"Me?!" Mayeda looked bewildered.

Nakano smiled. "What you did was actually kind of funny. You'll be embarrassed for sure, but I know you. You'll just laugh about it later."

Yamato nodded. "I think I have a good idea what mine's all about. Hopefully, you'll tell me that I just blurted something out about my personal life, but that I didn't do anything..."

Nakano blushed furiously.

Yamato sucked in his breath. "Oh shit..." He sunk down in his seat. "Um, I'd like to profusely apologize to everybody in advance..."

Kirishima glanced at Suoh who was staring down at the table. "Well, whatever I did, it must have been rather bad," Kirishima smiled. "Suoh here, won't even look me in the eyes," he teased.

Suoh glanced up at him, looked at him directly in the eyes and smiled back, "Don't worry, I still have the highest respect for you." Then he smirked, "Actually, even more now... after last night."

Kirishima's smile quickly left his face. "All right Nakano, get on with it. The suspense is killing me."

. . . . .

"That drinking game we were playing last night. Does everyone remember that?"

Everybody nodded, except Kirishima. "I wouldn't, because I wasn't around when you all were playing it."

"You played, Kirishima... you don't remember that? Wow! Okay... everybody has a drink. We all had glasses of the drink Mayeda made... 'Nerve Gas', I think he called it. You take a coin and try to bounce it on the table into the glass of someone's drink. If you miss, then your turn is over. If you make it in, then that person can't use their fingers to fish the coin out. They have to down their drink, catch the coin with their teeth, and then give the coin back to you... and then you get another turn... until you miss and then the turn passes to the next person."

"I'm familiar with this game," Kirishima told him. "I've played it before... when I was much younger."

"Yeah, you told us. You're very good at it..." Nakano put his cigarette out in an ashtray. "Before you came in, some of the guys ganged up on me; probably because I'm the new guy. This was the first time I ever drank though, so I didn't do so well."

"Aw, shit Nakano!" Yamato exclaimed. "You should have told us that from the beginning. We would have NEVER done that to you if we had known that."

"Nah, we would've still done it," Oda smirked.

"Admit it was my first time drinking to a bunch of tough guys like you? No way! Anyway, that's why I got so sick." He turned to Kirishima. "You found me outside and took care of me. Thanks for that."

"I remember that much," Kirishima said.

"You brought me back inside and helped me to get cleaned up, and then you went back out to check on Asami-sama, remember that too?"

"No, I don't remember that at all! I went back out?!"

"Yeah, Suoh was pissed off about that. You two had a terrible fight about it. You don't remember that either, do you?"

Kirishima shook his head. "Not at all."

"He was really worried about you. We all were. You were really starting to lose it last night. After you went back out, Oda suggested that maybe a drink would calm you down and relax you, and then everyone started plotting on how to get you drunk..."

. . . . .

. .

The drinking game they were playing is called "monedita" in South America. In the US, it is known as "quarters". Other countries have different names for it. The rules vary, and can even change during the course of the game. NOTE: Avoid playing this game. Trust me on this. It will get you into SO much trouble...