Poker Night

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Shout out to all of those who jumped on my Instagram (joymoment) Live Stream and gave me great questions!

*Smirks* Enjoy!

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As Carter stepped off the elevator, she heard the sound of laughter. She smiled as she walked down the hall to Donovan's apartment, a stack of pizzas in her arms. At the door, she paused, listening. The laughter tumbled forth again and she could pick out Donovan's.

It was a laugh that she didn't hear when he was with her. It was the laughter he had only with his brothers. She didn't mind. Just like she didn't mind that with them he changed. He no longer had to be the person who'd taken on the protection of a twelve-year-old when he was sixteen. Instead, he could be a little brother, annoying his siblings and getting made fun of in return. She loved the relationship he had with his brothers.

It was a relationship she planned to exploit tonight.

She gave the door a brisk knock and waited. The laughter cut off and a second later James opened the door. He blinked at seeing her standing there instead of a pizza delivery guy.

"Carter?" James said. "Since when do you deliver pizzas?"

She grinned as all the brothers stared at her.

"Since I arrived downstairs just as the pizza boy did and flashed my badge at him. You know when faced with the FBI delivery boys simply hand over the goods."

Brock snorted. "Delivery boys were made of stronger stuff in my day."

Clint socked his brother in the arm. "You're thirty-two, not eighty-five."

"So are you going to let these pizzas cool?" Carter asked.

In answer, James stepped back and Carter strode inside. The living room had been rearranged for the night. The couch and armchair had been pushed back and a poker table set up in the center of the room. Cigar smoke gave a haze to the apartment. But the scent of alcohol wasn't there. Carter knew they all took the game seriously and none of them wanted to have a muddled mind. Not when money was on the line.

James took his seat as Carter set the pizza boxes down on the center of the table. When she straightened, she put her hands on her hips.

"I know what I'm about to say next might not be to your liking," she said.

"Carter," Donovan said. "You're here to join the game. It's fine. We're going to be married in three months, this was going to happen."

He said the words easily and even believed them, but Carter knew better.

"I love that you say that without hesitation," she said. "But no, this isn't something I ever plan to take away from you and your brothers. Poker night will always be your thing. Just because we're married doesn't mean we will be joined at the hip. I want you to have things that are your own."

At the appreciative nods from the Keller Brothers, she knew she'd made the right choice. Besides, the bond with his brothers was something Carter loved about Donovan and didn't want to ruin.

"But," she said. "Tonight, and this night only I do plan to intrude." She let a slow mischievous grin slide onto her lips. "Because tonight we are not playing for money, we are playing for information."

This had all the brothers glancing around, their curiosity piqued.

"I want to know some of the things Donovan would never tell me. And in turn, I'm guessing you have questions for me that might seem rude to ask in normal circumstances. So, how does that sound?"

"I'm in," James said immediately.

Clint and Brock echoed the statement. Donovan leaned back in his chair, twirling his cigar between his fingers.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked. "They are likely to ask some embarrassing questions. I know them."

Carter moved to the dining table, snagged a chair, and added it to the poker table, sitting down.

"I'm ready. Besides, I can imagine they have some great material on you."

Donovan grinned but Carter could see that there was a touch of apprehension and she wondered what embarrassing moments she'd never heard about.

"All right," Donovan said. "Deal her in."

Brock lifted the pizza boxes off the table and moved them to the kitchen counter. The brothers all grabbed multiple slices before resuming their seats. As Clint shuffled, Carter eyed her competition. She was outnumbered but figured the odds were worth it.

As everyone assessed their cards, Carter accessed them. She looked for ticks, for hints of delight or disappointment, even neutrality. It all meant something and years of reading people played into her hand.

From the first, she knew Clint had a decent hand, the twitch in his eyebrow betraying him. Brock had a hand that could go either way, depending on what cards he picked up. She knew this from the lack of emotion. James had a bad hand, this coming from the brief tug on the corner of his mouth. Donovan...he knew her too well and gave nothing away. But at least she had three out of four. Her own hand wasn't bad, it was manageable.

"All right," James said. "I start the betting." He picked up a poker chip. "I bet an embarrassing story of Carter's." He grinned at her.

"I see your embarrassing story," Brock said, collecting two poker chips. "And I raise you a dark secret."

The brothers looked to Carter. She called the bet as did Donovan and Clint. They went around, trading in cards. Carter's hand improved, but so did Brock's from the tug in the corner of his mouth. Still, she was willing to stay in the game.

When it came to the reveal, Brock beat them all with a flush. Smug, he leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, studying Carter.

"All right," he said. "Since it's the first loss, I won't ask for too dark of a secret, but I do want an embarrassing one."

Carter took a breath, she'd asked for this. She simply hoped this night wouldn't be one she regretted.

"Okay," she said, bracing herself. "I sing in the shower." As the brothers called for more specifics, Carter found herself blushing. "I sing the Mulan song, I'll Make A Man Out of You."

The brothers burst out laughing and Carter buried her face.

"Why that one?" Clint asked.

Carter sighed. "Because the cartoon Mulan was my favorite movie growing up. I mean it's about a girl sacrificing herself for family and learning to fight, how was I not to love it? Well, when my father wanted to taunt me when I would be learning to throw a punch or assemble a gun, he'd hum that song. It's been one I've always known."

The brothers' laughter doubled and James broke into song but failed since he only knew some of the words.

"Okay, okay," Carter said. "Deal, I'm not done here."

Still smiling the brothers resumed the game, unfortunately Carter didn't win the next round either, Donovan did.

"I have a question," he said.

"I'm not sure you should get one, I'm already up against three brothers."

"You wanted this," Donovan said. "You can leave whenever you want."

He motioned to the door but they both knew that Carter's pride kept her firmly bolted to the chair.

"Fine, ask your question," she said.

Donovan smirked. "When was the first time you realized you were falling head over heels for me?"

This got a round of oohs from the brothers and Carter hated how victorious Donovan looked. Just you wait, Donovan Keller, your time is coming.

Carter lifted her chin and cleared her throat.

"You're not going to like this answer," she said.

"But I still want to hear it."

"Fine. I don't honestly know." The brothers deflated a bit. "It was piece by piece. It was how you looked after Link. It was the way you refused to accept the advances of girls. It was the way you..."

She shifted uncomfortably. "It was the way you looked at me like you could really see me, see past all my defenses." The room fell silent. "It was every little thing until the moment we were about to go out into an unknown situation with hostilities and I realized I didn't want anyone else by my side but you."

Donovan rose and leaned across the table, kissing her. The brothers broke into an uproar and shoved them apart, but Donovan was beaming and Carter keep herself from smiling back at him.

"Enough mushy stuff," James shouted. "Let's play cards."

Gratefully, Carter won the next round, throwing down her victory hand with a shout of triumph.

"Here it comes," Brock said.

Donovan pointed at all of them. "Remember, you're all staying at my place tonight. I can kill you in your sleep."

Clint jostled Donovan. "Sure you could, then be instantly murdered by the two other brothers."

"Let's have it," Brock said, stalling an impromptu fistfight.

"I want to all the people Donovan had a crush on over the years," she said.

"Yes!" James shouted and Donovan cringed. "First was Thea, right in first grade. Kissed her during snack time the little player."

"We were five," Donovan objected. "That doesn't count."

The brothers leaned close to the table, way too eager to slip their brother's secrets.

"Next was Tanisha," Brock said. "Crushed on her so hard that he made her a Valentines. That was second grade, right?"

"I bought, bought a Valentine's, that is totally different."

"Then Skyla, fourth grade," Clint said. "I don't think he stopped talking about her for weeks. Didn't he write a poem?"

"NO!" Donovan shouted.

Carter covered her mouth, trying to keep from laughing too hard, not wanting to miss a minute.

"Tiffany in fifth grade."

"Tiffanyyyyy," the brothers all sang out and Carter had the feeling this was an old joke.

Donovan laid his head on the table and put his arms over his head, clearly planning to weather the storm and come up when it was over. Carter didn't care, this was too amusing.

"I think he honestly planned to marry her," Clint said.

"He met her at a party and came home with hearts in his eyes."

Brock nudged Donovan's shoulder but he ignored this.

"Always a hopeless romantic this one."

"Was Tiffany his real first kiss?" Clint asked.

"No, that was Katie, in sixth grade. Beach party, moonlight, ocean, our boy knows how to do it right," James said.

Donovan groaned as if in physical pain. Carter was in pain, her stomach cramping from laughing so hard.

Khushi, Sofie, Rahel, MarΓ­a Renee, Priyal. First dates, first breakups all of it slipped out. Carter would have felt bad since it was more than just who Donovan crushed on but she didn't care. During his high school years, the number dwindled since he was homeschooled and worked twice as hard as he ever had to graduate early.

When the dust settled, Donovan slowly raised his head.

"Can we move on now?" he said, his face bright red.

Because she cared about him, Carter nodded and the game was picked back up. She concentrated harder than before on the round, knowing that if Donovan won he'd come back at her with a vengeance. Luckily, James beat them.

"I think it's about time to learn the truth," he said. His eyes glinted devilishly. "If you had to choose another Keller Brother other than Donovan, who would you choose?"

"Clint."

The response came so quickly that it stunned them all. Carter grinned and pointed to James.

"I wouldn't take you seriously." James protested as she pointed to Brock. "And I know you'd be trouble." Brock winked at her, appreciating her honesty. "Clint is the safe bet."

James elbowed Donovan and nodded his head to Clint. "Looks like you should watch your back."

"Why?" Clint said, gathering up the cards. "I'd never take Carter from him and if I'd ever met her, probably wouldn't have dated her."

"Oh?" Carter said, intrigued more than offended.

"I like girls who would rather cuddle than arm wrestle. You're not my type."

Carter shrugged, he had a point.

"Lucky me," Donovan said to her.

Cards flitted across the table, chips fell into the center, exchanges were made, and Clint took the pot. He eyed her and Carter felt a moment of trepidation. Clint was the more serious of the group and she wasn't sure what type of question he'd ask her.

"I want to know what is one of Donovan's pet peeves that bugs you?" Clint asked.

Carter threw a glance at Donovan and he raised his eyebrows, though he didn't look concerned. Right then Carter wished for one about her embarrassing moments, it would be easier.

"Okay," Carter said, gearing up. "He does this thing where he has to open the door for people and be really considerate to strangers and pisses me off."

An outcry from the brothers made her smile and she waved her hands.

"Fine," she said. "A real one this time. He's a bit of a clean freak which I assume comes from growing up under a Marine father. That's not what bugs me, what bugs me is he will spend five minutes trying to remove all the dust from the gap between his screen protector and the edge of his phone case. Five minutes! For something that will only get dirty a minute later. It seems completely pointless!"

Donovan shrugged. "I like it when things look neat."

"Whatever, you're weird, let's keep going I have a question in mind."

Fueled by this incentive, Carter predicted each brother's hand and managed to come out on top. Lacing her fingers together, she settled them on the table.

"Now," she said. "I want to know...all of Donovan's nicknames."

"This is not that bad," Donovan said, carelessly.

James slowly turned to his brother. "You don't think so?" He faced Carter. "Donovan was such a fat toddler that we named him Burrito Supreme."

Carter choked on her laughter and Donovan glared at James.

"Donny is what we mostly call him," Brock said. "Idiot when he's being one."

"Donny Wonny is one that we feel represents him."

Carter cocked an eyebrow. "Donny Wonny?"

Donovan covered his face with one hand and held up the other. "Please don't ever say that again. If you do, I won't marry you."

"When he first seriously started dating we called him Don Juan," Clint said.

The brothers all laughed over that.

"One of his dates called him Don Don like bonbon and well he didn't live that one down until he blackened James's eye over it," Brock admitted.

"Okay, can we please keep going," Donovan said.

The next round went to Brock and he stared at Carter in thought.

"I want to know what your first impressions of us all were?"

Carter turned to James. "Funny, protective, encouraging though you would never admit that." She pointed to Brock. "Dependable, loving, a born leader. Which being the first child makes sense." Brock tried not to be pleased by this assessment. Carter focused on Clint. "Quiet, wise, in control, and most likely the smartest person in the room, though you'd never admit that."

Clint lifted one shoulder as if saying he would neither confirm nor deny that statement. His reaction made all his brothers boo him and he waved away their inferiority.

Donovan won with a full house and looked smug about it.

"Follow Brock, I want you to rank my brothers, which ones like the most to the one you dislike."

James shoved Donovan's arm. "Don't be surprised if you are on the bottom of that list, Don Don."

"No," Carter said. "That is one thing I will never do. Because there is no answer." She gestured to them all. "I respect you all and I would never hold one above the other. You all have strengths and weaknesses...well expect Clint."

This received an outcry and Carter laughed at their annoyance but reigned them in by dealing a new round.

"Carter," James said. "I want to know what you'd do if you weren't in the FBI."

"Lawyer." She grinned. "I love to argue."

"I can attest to that," Donovan said.

Finally, Carter won a round and rested her arms on the table, eying each brother.

"I want to know," she said. "What Donovan said about me when he first met."

"Are you kidding me?" James said. "Our boy here was in so much denial about the fact that he was in love with you we could barely get two words out of him. Seriously-"

Donovan tackled James out of his seat the two of them crashed to the floor, trying to get a hold on the other. Carter glanced at them then looked to Clint and Brock.

"The first thing he said to me was that you were smart, caring, observant, beautiful but you didn't realize it." Carter tried to keep the color from her face. "A lot of other things. It was pretty clear he was hooked from the beginning."

Carter cleared her throat suddenly embarrassed.

"For me," Clint said. "He didn't share much, it was more a sense that you were different from any other girl he'd liked. It was mostly because he was afraid to share more that I knew."

Carter didn't know what to say, finding herself speechless for once.

"Guys! Quit it," Brock yelled.

Disheveled, James and Donovan stood up and took their seats, deciding to pretend what had just happened hadn't just happened.

As the night wore on Carter usually had to give two questions to her one and the things asked ranged from the absurd to the serious.

What super power would she want? Teleportation for convenience and tactical advantage. The brothers all chimed in on that one. James invisibility. Clint selective mind reading. Brock super strength. Donovan flight.

What made her want to join the FBI?

It was a job that played to all her strengths. And she could carry her gun on her.

What annoying habit did Donovan have that bugged them all?

He wanted to tell them the ending to everything before they had the chance to experience it.

What was one thing Carter wasn't good at?

Letting others in.

What was her most embarrassing childhood moment?

When she'd thought she wanted to be a dancer. No, there were no recordings of this time. She may or may not have destroyed the evidence.

Donovan's biggest regret?

Taking so long to ask her out.

Carter's past crushes?

Not a lot, one boy in freshman year but he was in a previous school and everyone at Hamilton pissed her off.

Celebrity she had a crush on?

Jason Statham, but mainly because Captain loved his movies and Carter liked that he could handle himself.

When one of them eventually glanced at their phone to check the time and saw it was nearly two in the morning, they all sank back, feeling exhaustion rush upon them.

"Before we end this night or morning," Brock said. "There is one last question we have to get the answer to."

The brothers all exchanged looks like they knew what the question was then focused on Carter. In that moment she saw how similar they all were, cut from the same mold but somehow so different at the same time. The thing that united them: the bond they shared with each other.

"Carter," Clint said. "The final question: do you love our brother."

Carter sank back in her chair. "No."

They all frowned.

"The word love is so easily tossed about," she said. "You can love your pet, your house, an ice cream flavor. You want to know where I stand about your brother? It's this."

She locked eyes with Donovan.

"I admire his sacrifice in giving up so much of his life to watch over Link. I respect the man he is because he's done so much on his own.

"I understand that he isn't perfect, that he has flaws, and plan

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