Work Text:
"And you're sure this is alright?" Spectral asked for the third time.
"It was mum's idea to invite you," Sebastian reassured. "And it's not like this is some grand family tradition. It's just a random game night she wanted to put together. Maru's also bringing Penny, if that makes you feel any better."
"A little I suppose."
Sebastian took hold of his hand, giving Spectral a small smile.
"You'll be fine, they already like you Spec. And even if they didn't — who cares?"
Spectral laughed slightly as Sebastian opened to the door to his family's home.
"We're here mum!"
Robin came out from the kitchen, surprising Spectral with a sudden hug as a greeting.
"So glad you could join us, Spectral. It's going to be a fun night, and Penny brought pie. Come on now."
Spectral and Sebastian followed Robin to the kitchen, Maru, Penny and Demetrius were already waiting around the dining table.
"Spectral, welcome," Demetrius greeted, standing up and shaking his hand.
"Thank you for having me," Spectral said. He took the open seat beside Penny, while Sebastian sat beside him. "Hi Penny, Maru."
"Hello," Penny greeted with a smile.
"Do we have a game picked out yet mum?" Maru asked.
"Yes, I was just going to grab it."
Robin hurried off to the hall closet, Demetrius took the moment to get everyone a glass of juice. It wasn't long before she returned with a box in hand, sliding into the table as she took her seat.
"Monopoly?" Sebastian realized. "Seriously?"
"What's wrong with Monopoly?" His mother inquired.
"No one ever finishes a game of Monopoly mum," Maru pointed out with a laugh.
"Not with that attitude." Robin opened the box and started to set up the board. "Are you two just worried about losing to me again?"
"You didn't even win!" Sebastian insisted. "We just stopped playing."
"Because I was winning," Robin doubled down. "Right dear?"
"How I remember it," Demetrius agreed.
"Hey, you weren't even playing with us," Maru recalled.
"Are we going to argue over it or are you two going to try to actually win this time?" Robin teased as she pulled out all the player pieces.
"We're playing," Maru insisted. "But I'm being the dog this time."
"Oh boo. Put the horse on there for me then."
"Is it alright if I pick the hat?" Penny asked hesitantly.
"Pick whichever you'd like, Penny," Demetrius insisted, taking the wheelbarrow.
"Which one do you want?" Sebastian asked his partner.
"Uh… the thimble, I guess."
He grabbed the thimble and car, setting both on the go space of the board beside the others.
Spectral wasn't sure when the last time he'd played Monopoly was, not since he was a teenager for sure. He'd never been good at it, if being good was even possible. Could never remember winning a game, but come to think of it most of his probably ended the same way Maru and Sebastian had said.
Everyone took turns rolling the pair of dice to determine who'd go first, which turned out to be Maru. They then went around the table, Demetrius, Robin, Sebastian, Spectral, and then Penny.
The first few rounds went about how you'd expect for monopoly. People slowly buying properties they landed on, complaining about the tax space, and so on.
Maru had been hoping for the railroads, she ended up with two while both her parents each had one.
Demetrius got lucky with being able to grab quite a few properties, same with Robin, but neither had a full set.
Penny's luck was quite terrible, she'd been to jail twice before making it around the board once and definitely had the least amount of properties.
Sebastian and Spectral were both doing similar, a few properties each pretty spread through-out the board. Each of them did own one of the two dark blue properties, Boardwalk and Park Place.
While Maru was attempting to barter with her mother for her railroad, Sebastian leaned in close to Spectral and started whispering in his ear.
"You know if we trade your green one for my blue one, we could both have the full set and could start buying houses."
"Isn't that a bad deal for you?" Spectral pointed out.
"Eh, technically. But it's arguably worse for everyone else. That whole side of the board would become a nightmare."
"Oooo, you're right."
"Is that a deal?"
"Aren't deal only suppose to happen on our turns?"
"Who really cares?"
Spectral gave a small chuckle, sliding his green property card over the Sebastian in exchange for this blue one.
The other players weren't aware of the deal for another round, until both Sebastian and Spectral bought houses their properties. It was only a round later Penny had gone completely broke, at the hands of Maru no less.
"Sorry Penny," she apologized with a kiss on her cheek.
"It's alright — all part of the game," Penny insisted. "I rather just watch anyways."
"And five remain," Demetrius said dramatically as Maru picked up the dice again.
"Willing to trade for your railroad yet?"
"Hmmm, maybe. What are you offering?"
Sebastian tapped Spectral's arm, whispering to him again.
"I think you could probably get the railroad if you offer him that pink one. Worth more to him than anything Maru's got."
"You could get the other one from your mum with what you got from Penny," Spectral added. "And I could give you mine for like — your red one or something."
"Perfect."
Maru finished her turn after another unsuccessful attempt at a deal, handing the dice over. Sebastian nudge Spectral to offer up his own trade.
Demetrius accepted his offer, much to Maru's annoyance. She got even more annoyed when Sebastian got the one from their mother, and then made the planned trade with Spectral.
"It's a terrible trade — you lose so much from it!" she insisted.
Spectral just shrugged with a small smile as Sebastian finished his turn. "I mean I only need one more red property now."
Robin was the next to leave the game, losing her final property to Sebastian after landing on one of his green ones.
"Can I trade you for that one now?" Spectral asked, leaning into his boyfriend.
"For what?"
"Whichever you want."
"Okay — even if you both keep helping each other, you'll still have to beat each other," Maru pointed out.
"Sure, sure," Sebastian waved off, switching his newest property for one of Spectral's . "You're just mad because you're losing."
"I am not."
"Sure."
Collectively, Spectral and Sebastian owned over half the board. And Spectral was slowly giving Sebastian everything of value he had as the game entered hour three, leading to his own bankruptcy.
"I think Seb is gonna win this one," Robin remarked before taking another bite of pie.
"You're right," Demetrius agreed, looking to his dwindling cash and property cards. "Are we ready to call it?"
"It's only because they were working together," Maru insisted, tossing her final property cards forward.
"All's fair in love and war, or whatever," Sebastian remarked. "Does that mean you both concede?"
"Yeah yeah, whatever. I'm getting pie now."
"Good job Seb," Spectral praised with a hug. Sebastian laughed.
"I think we won this one."
"Cheaters, the lot of you," Robin teased as she started cleaning up the board. "Last time I suggest this game."
"Good," Sebastian said, stealing some of Spectral's pie. "Next time we'll play cards or something."
"Does that mean you all are open to a next time?" Robin inquired with a smile. "More family game nights?"
"I don't hate the idea," Sebastian admitted with food still in his mouth.
"I had a lot of fun," Penny added, Maru nodded as she sat back down with a piece of pie.
"It was a lot of fun," Spectral agreed.
"We could make it a monthly thing or something," Demetrius suggested.
"I like the sound of that," Robin agreed.
"Besides." Maru pointed her fork towards her brother, "If we don't play something again, the win will get to his head."
Sebastian rolled his eyes with a slight smile while the others laughed.
"She's got a point there Seb," Spectral remarked quietly with a grin.
"Hey — who's side are you on here?"