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Francis had a house, an apartment. But he said that ‘his apartment was too small,’ and that ‘he couldn’t afford the streaming channel that the game was on.’ That was bullshit. And they all knew it, they just wanted to fuck around Poe’s house.
But he was fine with that. The Super bowl parties that the guild threw were always exciting and fun. He enjoyed spending time like that with the Guild, and he also liked Football. To some extent anyways.
He liked the Patriots, being from Boston and all, and he liked the super bowl. It was silly, and dramatic. And he liked the half-time shows, sometimes. He hadn’t liked the 2015 half-time show, Katy Perry’s, and he hadn’t liked 2001’s half-time show. He never did like NSYNC.
The problem was that this certain super bowl was most likely gonna end up with Poe, and Francis at each other's throats. The Patriots, Boston’s team, was going against the Vikings, Minnesota’s team.
Francis was a die hard Vikings fan, he even watched games that weren't the super bowl. Even though the Vikings had never won a super bowl, ever. Francis would still tweak out when they lost.
And Poe would much rather have Ranpo off the property, hell off the surrounding area during this. It would have been easy to have Ranpo leave for a while, except Francis made that hard.
Poe had made the rookie mistake of taking the call in front of his partner.
“Hey Eds,” Francis greeted, he seemed to be walking, or maybe in a car on the other end of the phone. “Hello Francis. You called?” Poe asked, knowing the answer. Ranpo had no interest in the conversation at this point.
“Well, I was wondering. Since you have a house and all, maybe you could host the SB party this year?” Francis asked, and that's when Ranpo’s head popped up. He liked parties. “I didn’t think we were doing one this year.” Poe admitted, continuing to cut up the strawberries for Ranpo’s lunch.
“Well, I wasn’t planning on it, but low and behold, Mark was asking. And you know when he wants something, he gets it. So could you? It would be a great help.” Francis said, in his normal business dealing tone, the one he used when he wanted something.
“Oh, and you can Invite Ranpo, I’m sure we’d have a blast!” Francis added.
This was when the dread seeped in. Ranpo, the Guild super bowl party, a blast… Ranpo wouldn’t even think about leaving now. “Uh, yeah I can host.” Poe accepted, all the while dreading what was to come.
“Thank you~~ See ya soon Eddie, love ya!” Francis yelled out, and hung up on Poe.
“What's an SB?” Ranpo asked, coming up to the counter where Poe was preparing lunch. Poe cleared his throat, and sniffed. “Um, it’s a football thing. American football, soccer, whatever it's called here.” Poe explained, in a dim tone.”And the Guild, uh, hosts a party to watch it every year. Normally on Moby Dick, but.. Uh, anyway. You wouldn’t like it, it's stupid.” Poe told him. Focusing more on the Berries than Ranpo.
“Stupid how?” Ranpo questioned, taking a whole strawberry and eating it. “It’s just some sport where buffy men, and women sometimes, throw around pig skin, and wear dumb helmets.” Poe explained, trying to make it sound as uninteresting as possible.
“Edgar, I know what Football is, I'm a genius. I don’t know what the super bowl is though.” Ranpo huffed, and took another strawberry.
“I'm sorry my darling, the Super Bowl is an event that happens in America, where two Football teams go against each other. And whoever wins gets a ring, or something. Oh, and there's the half-time show. Where celebrities sing halfway through the game.”
Ranpo nods along, and hums. “What do you do during these Super Bowl Parties?” He put, as he threw the stems of the strawberries out.
“Drink beer, eat bad food, and say slurs about athletes that didn’t do anything wrong, that's the gist of it.” Poe sighs, and goes back to making lunch.
“Can I come?” Ah, the question that Poe had been dreading, and in the tone that Ranpo knew that Poe could never say no to. God dammit, he needed more willpower.
“It’s kinda boring, I don’t know if you’d like it..” Poe said, trying to sound mournful. “Well, I can just drink, I’m pretty good at that.” Ranpo combats. “I’m sure you're great, but it really is just football. And songs.”
“That sounds like a good time.”
“Francis says homophobic slurs when he’s watching it.”
“Isn’t he gay? I can tune it out.”
“I won’t be able to talk to you. I’ll be drunk.”
“You’re fun drunk, and I can talk to your friends.”
“Don’t you have work?”
“I can take an off day.”
“You really aren’t letting up are you?”
“Nope, date and time?”
“The 5th, 3 Pm- shit.”
Ranpo giggled as he won the argument. And took his plate of lunch, and fell back onto the couch.
That was how Poe had ended up here. Leaning up against the cushions of his couch, and listening to the lull of conversation behind him. Waiting for the Super Bowl to begin, while nursing a glass bottle of bud light. The piss taste nullifies his hearing.
Francis had tried talking to him, but got a sour look, matched with Karl jumping on his shoulder. And scaring the shit out of the older man. Making Poe giggle.
The other Guild members had been shuffling in since about 2:50, and it was about four now. So all of them had made their way to the estate, and were mingling between themselves. According to google the game was to start at four-thirty, and Poe rued at the start of the evening.
Ranpo was by his side, sipping on one of the wine coolers that Louisa had brought. Everyone brought something, as custom. Poe made the wings, Francis brought the Guinness, Louisa brought wine coolers, Mark brought ribs, John brought chips, Howard brought plates, Lucy brought cake, and Ranpo brought nothing.
Poe was falling asleep, it really was dull without arguing. He had yelled at each and everyone of them (excluding Louisa of course.) To be on their best behavior all night. At least before the game started.
The game started.
(Timeskip because I don’t know shit about football.)
Francis was crying, the grown ass man, the terrorist was crying. And because his precious Vikings had lost 28-34 against the patriots. And he wasn’t the only one. He and Mark cried into each other’s shoulders, and Louisa mourned the loss all by herself.
John was making out with Howard, which was always a sight to be seen, and Ranpo looked indifferent.
The main factor in the room being a very tipsy Poe screaming and cheering in the middle of his own living room.
“HA-FUCKING-HA, TAKE THAT FRANCIS! YOU FA-” Poe, stopped himself before adding the ggot at the end of that word.
“God bless America,” Poe slurred out, and he fell onto the couch, landing on Ranpo’s chest, and kneading the area. Like a cat.
The party ended and the others went home. After discussing the Gaga performance in immense detail of course.
Ranpo kissed Poe on top of his head as they laid down in their king sized bed. Placing his arm around the older man’s waist, and laying his head into his chest.
“I hope you had fun..stubborn bastard.” Poe slurred, still a little drunk, and Ranpo giggled.
“I’ll be there next year to my love,” Ranpo promised, as he gave Poe a proper kiss on the lips. Moving away after a few seconds.
They slept peacefully that night, not knowing what next year would have in store for them….c