Chapter Text
2 PM Sunday Afternoon
"Mom, have you seen my belt? My button somehow came off of my work pants and I have work in 30."
Ben was frantically searching his closet. He hated that he couldn't afford any more work pants. They were all he had until his next paycheck. He just needed to keep his pants up for the next 6 hours at work.
"What do I look like to you? Your secretary? Goodness Benjamin." Candy was annoyed as her son huffed and puffed throughout their small apartment. And that was putting it lightly. She knew they were in this financial predicament because of her poor life choices but she wasn't in the mood for it. It was too early.
(It was actually 2 PM in the afternoon but whatever)
"Mom. I didn't say you were my secretary. I just wanted to know if you have seen my belt. GOD." He stormed back into his room and noticed that the button was on the floor.
Taunting him.
How was something that was so small being the cause of something so monumentally annoying?
He picked up the button and said "Oh! Aniki the Gigolo may be able to hook me up with someone who can at least sew the button back on. That dumbass is always ripping his suits."
"Hey Mom!" He came out of his room, button in one hand and the other holding up his pants.
"Now what?" Candy sighed over her afternoon coffee.
"Do you have Aniki's number?"
She wanted to slap her son over the head. Why in the hell would she have that pervert's phone number?
Unless Ben was talking about Aniki (Big Bro) Tora.
*SOB* She wished she had his number.
Eyeing her son carefully, she arched her eyebrow and asked, "Which Aniki?"
“Oh for the love of God” Ben thought.
Tora is not interested.
Everyone knows he's gay.
"The gigolo. You know, the one who frequents the club? Thought you'd have his card seeing how you always complain about him hitting on you."
Ben wasn't trying to be cheeky. He was just stating facts. Still, his mom was in no mood.
"No, I don't have his number. Let me see if I can help."
Candy fished a hair tie out of her "work bag" and yanked her son closer.
"Mom what the hell?" Ben shouted as his mom tugged him by his belt loop.
"Quiet now. Let me see if this will work." She hooked the elastic band through the buttonhole and through the first available belt loop. She then tied the two ends together.
"There. That should work. Zip yourself up and get to work."
She was so proud of herself with her quick solution. But maybe she would have to ask the girls at the club if they knew any good seamstresses. Because like hell she would ask that sleazeball gigolo for anything.
Nope. Not ever.
"Thanks..." Ben muttered as he collected his wallet and his pride in one fell swoop, rushing out the door.
3 PM Sunday Afternoon
"Man, my fly won't stay up."
This was going to be a long shift. While his mom's solution brought him temporary problem solving, it didn't last long. The hair tie eventually snapped. Customer after customer told him that his fly was down. His boss yelled at him for looking sloppy. And there seemed to be no down time for him to look for a further resolution.
30 minutes down, 5 1/2 hours to go.
Man this blows.
Poppy and Tora had been at the store buying dinner ingredients and noticed Ben's predicament.
It was the "Curious Case of Benjamin's Button." Poppy thought to herself. Tora leaned down as Poppy snickered her lame joke into his ear.
"Seriously, Bobby? That was hella lame. Pfft Pfft."
Tora hated that movie. It was fuckin' weird. But for whatever the hell reason, Poppy seemed to enjoy it.
Ben noticed them noticing him.
But wait, why were they together?
Wasn't Tora Gay?
Why were they holding hands?
OH. His mom will not be happy about this.
But he was digressing. He needed to find a solution quickly.
"Hey Poppy! Come here." Adding a please as Tora looked at him with a death glare.
No one ordered her around. Not on his watch.
"Hey Ben. How's it going?" Poppy asked as they approached the check out with rice amongst other items in hand.
"Do you know how to sew?" He casually asked, fishing for the button from his pocket, showing it to her.
"I actually do. I can repair this. But what are you going to do about your current situation in the meantime? You can't work with your pants off..."
“No shit Poppy.” Ben thought, damning himself for asking her for help.
"Oh wait! I have a hair tie! Hold on!" Poppy was digging in her purse and found a hair tie that had a watermelon on each side.
"Damn sweetheart. How many of those cute hair ties do ya have?" Tora asked, glad it wasn't a strawberry one. Only he was allowed to wear a strawberry hair tie.
Before she could answer, Ben cut her off.
"No, not another hair tie! It wont work! Forget it. Is this going to be all for you?" He asked as Tora and Poppy looked at him unamused.
The audacity.
"What kind of hair tie did you use last time? Did it have holders like the one I'm trying to offer you?"
Poppy was just trying to help.
"The hell is a holder?" Ben asked.
Tora bit out "Watch ya tone kid."
Ben gulped as Poppy continued, "See these two charms? What you can do is make a hole big enough where your button used to be, and put one charm in the hole, while you loop this other end together with the other." She was motioning with her hands describing her solution.
"And then after your shift, just bring your pants over and I can sew your button back on. Here's my number so you can text me."
Poppy handed him a piece of paper that had her number scrolled down on it.
Huh. Pretty smart.
Now Ben felt kind of bad for yelling at her. She was pretty nice. Even if she was annoying as fuck with her sunny disposition.
While he would have to keep his zipper up, at least his button issue was solved. For now. Again.
"Sounds good. Thanks." Ben said, taking both the hair tie and the piece of paper.
"No problem!" Poppy smiled at him as she put the items on the counter for them to be purchased. Tora was looking at Ben as he handed the kid a large bill. Tora knew the struggle Ben went through. He knew what it was like to struggle.
"Here. Keep the change and get yourself some pants WITH buttons."
Ben needed to make sure he heard that right. They only bought like $15 worth of items. The $50 would give him more than enough change.
"Seriously?" Ben asked as he sheepishly took the large bill.
"Yeah. Take it." Tora waived away the money.
"Thanks man..." Ben said as the two of them bagged up their small purchase.
Tora grunted as Poppy smiled and said "You're welcome."
After they left the cash register, Ben could hear Poppy giggling at Tora, hand in hand.
"Tora, you softy."
"Yup. That's me. A big softy. You're cramping my style, Bobby." He said with a grin as he leaned down to kiss her.
Well. As if this shift wasn't more interesting, Big Bro Tora and Poppy?
Alright.
Maybe he would hold off telling his mom about this new information, indefinitely.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Ben asked his boss if he could jump off the register in order to do as Poppy had advised. With a nod of approval, Ben went to the office to find some scissors so he could poke a whole where his button used to be.
Thankfully, there was already a small hole from where it had ripped off. It was pretty easy to make it just a tad bit bigger. He was finally able to make it big enough after experimenting with the charm.
Following Poppy's directions, but not before snapping his fingers a few times with the elastic, he was finally able to fix his issue. It was tight enough too that his zipper was able to stay up for most of the rest of his shift.
Maybe he should pay it forward. He snorted at himself. Recalling what Tora said about her cramping his style, he thought maybe she was cramping his too.
8:30 PM- After the worst shift ever.
"Hey its Ben. On my way. Send address"
"It's 12 Pattigrass Hill. See you soon. :)"
*Knock Knock*
"Hi Ben! Come on in!" Poppy greeted him as she gestured his welcome.
"Thanks." He replied, noticing Tora on the couch, playing some video game. It looked fun. Maybe he could get away with playing with him for a while.
"OK Ben. I know you only have those pants right now. Cover yourself up in this towel." She offered him a towel with a floral print on it.
"Can't I just hang out in my boxers?" He asked.
"No. Put the damn towel on or get the fuck out." Tora responded not even looking away from the screen.
What was the big deal? They were just boxers?
"Tora. Don't be rude." Poppy said to her grumpy boyfriend. He had such a potty mouth.
Ben took the towel and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he handed his pants and his button to Poppy.
"Are you hungry, Ben? I have some leftover rice and some beef."
Well, he would be a fool to turn down free food.
"It's in the kitchen if you're interested." Poppy gestured in the direction of the kitchen as she went to sit down on the couch beside Tora who was angrily beating the buttons on his controller.
Ben went over to the kitchen and noticed that while yes there was rice, it was in the form of...a tiger?
What the hell?
"Hey, Um, Poppy, is this a rice animal?" Ben asked skeptically, fearing the rice may come to life and bite him.
"Yeah! It totally is! Help yourself, Ben!" Before he could plate it up, he thought he heard Tora whine "I was saving that for later though." Followed up with Poppy saying "Oh hush. You should have labeled it. If you behave, I'll give you something better."
Fucking gross.
Ben sat at the table as he watched the odd couple go about their lives in front of him, he couldn't help to think how weird this day went. And all because of a stupid button.
"There! All done! I fixed it." Poppy said as she handed him his pants back.
"Thanks." Ben said as he shuffled back into the bathroom pants in hand, towel around his waist. Coming out of the bathroom, he sighed. He wanted to actually stay a little bit longer. But he did not press for an overstayed welcome.
"Well, thanks again. I'm going to get going." Ben waived as he went towards the door.
"Oh, did you want to stay for a little bit longer? I don't mind. Tora has 2 controllers if you wanted to play." Ben shot a look at Tora. Tora rolled his eyes at Ben.
"Come on over." Tora said, patting a spot clear across the couch from him. He looked a little less than enthused but still handed one of the controls over. Poppy smiled and put away her makeshift sewing kit.
10 PM
"No, you're supposed to shoot that guy. Ya just shot me."
"Ah. Crap. Sorry. My hands are all sweaty. It slipped."
"That's fuckin' gross. Ya better wash that remote off before ya leave. I ain't touchin' that shit."
Poppy sighed at the bromance blooming in front of her. But she knew that neither of the two guys would admit it.
Ben's phone was ringing and it was his mom. "Hey can you pause this?" Ben asked as he fished out his phone.
"Hey mom. I'm with Tora and Poppy. What's up?"
Well so much for not breaking the news softly or ever.
"You're with who?! Why on earth would you be with them? Together?"
"It's a long story. But I basically had to come over so that Poppy could fix my pants."
"That doesn't explain why MY Tora is there. And what was wrong with how I fixed them?"
Ben sighed at his mom.
"If you think about it long enough. It will."
"SERIOUSLY?! Whaaaaat?! That bastard Claude told me he was gay!!!!!"
Ben held his phone away from the screeching that was damaging his ear drum.
"Well Mom. I'll be home soon. I'll see you later."
"Well. I should get going." Ben said as he hung up the phone.
"Ya need a ride?" Tora asked nonchalantly.
"Do you mind?" Ben asked as he was collecting his stuff.
"Nah, it's late. Not that far." Tora said as he turned off the game.
"Well. Alright. Thanks. And thanks Poppy for your help and for dinner."
She smiled and said "You're welcome!" Tora leaned down to kiss his petite girlfriend and whispered something into her ear. With the way she was giggling, Ben wanted to hurl.
*Whisper* *Flirt* "Bobby. When I get back, we're gonna play a game. It involves ya love button."
*Giggle* *Giggle* "Oh stop it, you cutie"
*Whisper* *FLIRT* "Once I start I ain't gonna--
*AWKWARD COUGH*
"Oh um. Sorry Kid, let's get ya home." Tora rushed Ben out of the door.
"So, you and Poppy?" Ben asked as they drove through downtown Narin City.
"Yeah? What of it?" Tora asked.
"Interesting. Never thought..." Ben was cut off.
"A lot of people didn't but I don't give a fuck. She pushes my buttons, she's cute as a button and she's got this little--"
"OK OK. I get it. Stahp." Ben didn't want to know what else. That was enough.
"Cute button nose." Tora thought to himself. Christ what did this kid think he was gonna say?
"Anyways. Thank you for letting me keep the change. And let me play for a while." Ben confided as Tora pulled up to his apartment complex.
"Think nothin' of it." Tora said as he pulled out a cigarette. Ben opened the car door and got out and shut the door.
Tora then rolled down the window, "Hey kid. If ya need anything, let me or Poppylan know." Tora smirked at Ben and sped off.
Ben went up to the apartment and opened the door where he found his mother sobbing.
"Ma, what's wrong?" Ben rushed over to his mom who looked like she was dramatically re-enacting those stupid soaps that she watched.
"What does Tora see in her?"
Ben rolled his eyes...
"I don't know...something about buttons." Ben was over it. He walked into his room and yanked off his pants. Sending the once mended button flying across the room yet again.
"Oh for the love of..."
***TEENAGE ANGST INTENSIFIES***