Graceland’s den was alive tonight—cigarette smoke hanging like lazy ghosts in the ceiling corners, the smell of pork chops still clinging to the velvet couches, and the air conditioner trying its hardest to keep the room cool. The guys were lounged around the big table, drinks in hand, laughter already in full swing.

Elvis sat at the head, legs kicked out, sunglasses still on even though it was well past midnight. One arm slung over the back of his chair, the other tapping against a deck of strange, colorful cards just laid out before them.

“Now what in the hell is this?” Red asked, squinting down at the stack. “Ain’t no hearts or spades on these things.”

“It’s called Uno,” one of the boys muttered, reading off the little instruction sheet like it was scripture. “Says here we’re supposed to match the colors or the numbers.”

“Hell, I don’t like that. What if I don’t want to match anything?” Jerry joked, already halfway through his second drink.

“No jokin’, man,” Elvis drawled, raising an eyebrow. “This is serious. Look at these cards. Look at the colors. This’s gonna be somethin’.”

Charlie chuckled. “What’re these, like... skip cards? Draw two? Wild? Sounds made up.”

Sonny leaned over the table, pointing. “Says here if you get that ‘Draw Four’ one, you can change the color and make the next guy pick up four.”

“Oh, I’m gonna ruin y’all’s lives with that one,” Billy said, grinning like a devil.

They started to play.

The first round was clumsy. Arguments erupted over whether or not you could stack draw twos. Everyone had a different strategy. Some slapped cards down with flair; others tried to bluff, laying a green six with the most confident smirk even if they didn’t have a damn green card left. Someone (probably Larry) shouted “UNO!” way too early and got booed for it.

“Man, this is like poker, Go Fish, and a bar fight all rolled into one,” Red grunted, reaching for another handful of popcorn.

“I swear, if one more of y’all hits me with a draw two…” Sonny warned, eyes narrowing like he was ready to flip the table.

“Elvis, stop smiling like that,” Charlie said suspiciously. “You got somethin’ nasty in your hand.”

“I ain’t sayin’ nothin’,” Elvis smirked, fanning his cards like he was holdin’ the royal flush of all royal flushes.

Three seconds later, he slammed down a Draw Four Wild and changed the color to blue with a triumphant snap.

“GODDAMMIT, E!” came in unison, echoing off the walls.

Billy dropped his head to the table.

Red leaned back and threw a pillow across the room.

Sonny stood up and took a lap just to cool off.

“Elvis, man, I swear—how are you always lucky?” Charlie whined, laughing so hard his shoulders shook.

Elvis grinned wider, taking a slow sip of his Coke like a villain. “Ain’t luck, boys. It’s destiny.”

They went three rounds deep before they realized they’d been at it for hours. The pile of discarded cards was thick, the insults were flying, and nobody had noticed how late it got. Every time someone won, they demanded a rematch. Every time someone lost, they swore revenge.

UNO had become bloodsport.

Elvis leaned over to the nameless woman seated beside him, nudging her playfully. “Sugar, I don’t know where you found this game, but you might’ve just ruined all of us.”

She didn’t say a word—just smiled, calm as ever.

And behind them, Red was loudly accusing Jerry of hiding cards in his socks.

“Ain’t nobody hidin’ nothin’!” Jerry barked, standing up.

“Sit your ass down and deal, cheater!” Sonny shouted, shuffling the cards again.

And just like that, they dove back in—yelling, laughing, playing like kids hopped up on too much sugar and not enough sleep.

UNO had the Memphis Mafia in a chokehold.

And Graceland? Graceland hadn’t felt this alive in weeks.