Archive of Our Own ^beta

Tora would never forget the first time his gaze met Poppylan Wilkes or for that matter, her ass.

He was being dragged to a wedding for someone he didn’t even fuckin’ know on a goddamn Saturday afternoon. If it were up to him, he’d still be at his shitty apartment on his shitty couch doing jack shit. But no, instead his ass had to get dressed up like another mother fucking clan meeting on a day off. Fuckin figured.

Gyu had all but signed over his left nut for Tora to come with him. Why the hell didn’t he take Damien or Brian? Why the fuck did it have to be him? He went with Gyu on the promise that they wouldn’t be there for too long and that Tora didn’t have to talk to anyone. He was “allowed” to be a grumpy asshole if he wanted to. It’s not that he wanted to though, he was just a natural at it.

“Who’s at this wedding that ya need to see so fuckin’ badly?” Tora asked as they pulled into a town that had a sign that said “Welcome to Moonbright. Come and stay a while”. Tora rolled his eyes.

“Well, there’s this girl that I met on a dating app called gamersonly. She lives here in Moonbright but she’s a stewardess for some airline and this was the only weekend she had available. I’ve been seeing her for a while and well, with my multiple jobs, not including clan related ones or the ones where I have to get you another phone because ya gave the last one a swift death sentence..-”

“Jesus Christ, Gyu, get to the mother fucking point. ‘Sides, I’ve only broken 5 phones, would ya get off of these?” Tora reprimanded, one hand gesturing to his balls as the gps told him to “turn left at Lucky Duck Ln”. Tora snorted at the stupid street name that went along with the stupid “welcome” sign in the stupid little town.

“Her name is Maribelle, or Belle, or Mari. She’s really cute, big bro! She also said that she has a cous-”

“Arrived 2000 Lucky Duck Ln.” The navigation called out. 

Tora drove into the parking lot of a hotel called “Moonbright Manor''. The parking lot was full, like the whole goddamned town was invited, kids already crying as they were being dragged inside, to which Tora could relate to, and people eyeing his very out of place Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG that he had rented. But whatever. It was a long fuckin’ drive. Red, his Subaru WRX, handled long distance like a little bitch and Tora didn’t want to be uncomfortable.

The front of the hotel was breathtaking, or would have been if Tora’s head wasn’t so far up his ass. There was a pathway in between vine maple trees with leaves that were settling into their seasonal hues of honey brown and burnt orange. The Manor was painted a soft butter yellow and was 2 stories high. On the balconies that spread across the top floor there were flowers spilling out like contents of a cornucopia in blooms of fierce ambers and gentle reds.

Tora had taken notice of the flowers from up high, the only thing that really captured his attention from all of his surroundings. The flowers separately were pretty, no doubt, but blended together, they looked like a masterpiece.

“Come on big bro, we gotta get seats.” Gyu said, gesturing to the double doors leading into the hotel.

“Fuck off Gyu.” Tora bit out, as someone gasped beside him. He looked and an old lady who was wearing some sort of bird on her hat and sporting a blue dress looked at him in disapproval.

“What lady ya never heard the wor-”

“Come on Tora, don’t be a dick.” Gyu interrupted as the woman huffed in exasperation, all three of them walking into the entrance.

“Watch ya mouth, Gyu. Some people here are sensitive.” Tora teased as the old lady quickened her pace through the threshold.

Tora was given permission to be a grumpy asshole, so godfuckingdammit he was gonna be an asshole.

When they entered the hotel lobby, there was a double staircase that winded up to the second story that boasted iron wrought handlebars with intricate designs. Off to the side of the lobby to the room on the left, there was a set up where the actual ceremony was taking place. To the right, a room with all sorts of flowers, tables and other wedding shit was there.  A sign welcoming the guests to the wedding of some chick named Danae and some guy named something French he couldn’t pronounce was displayed in front of the ceremony room. 

Tora and Gyu took their seats in small ass chairs in a narrow row. He had to sit to the side at the very end while Gyu sat comfortably and not crookedly. Tora thumbed through his phone to see if Vince had something crawling up his ass so he had an excuse to leave, leaving the ginger he brought here to his own devices.

There was jack shit and Tora was somewhat irritated that he had to actually go through this. He moved, wriggled, huffed and muttered curses while Gyu was grinning like a fuckin’ idiot at his phone.

“She’s cute, huh?” Gyu said to Tora, trying to show him a picture. Tora didn’t look, he just grunted while he thumbed out a location nearby that sold cigarettes. He had sucked on every last 5 of them on the way and was fucked now.

“Would ya just look-”

Gyu was cut off as piano chords drifted gently and the hall hushed, signaling the shit show was about to kick off. Why did people get married anyways? It was bullshit and you’re only happy for one day. It was one hell of a way for people to blow a shit ton of money. Though, to be fair, Tora spent a shit ton of money on shit that he didn’t actually need. But that wasn’t the fuckin’ point.

If Tora hadn’t been so bothered by his own thoughts of matrimony and wedded bliss and whatever the fuck else had been rolling around in his head, he wouldn’t have missed the petite brunette in her pale lavender dress that hugged her hips just so and accentuated her ass perfectly.

But alas, he stabbed at his phone while trying to keep from dying as the goddamn snake got longer and longer on the screen, slithering at whatever the fuck it was supposed to be. Gyu had enough sense to know that Tora was in no mood to be jabbed at in an attempt to pay attention. No, the man just played with his device to stay occupied like a toddler.

Before Tora knew it, well actually, 30 minutes and 6 failed attempts at the snake game later, Tora huffed out a sigh of relief as his eyes adjusted from the screen to a now empty front and center where the ceremony had played out.

“OK Big Bro! Time for cake and dancing.” Gyu teased, knowing full well Tora hated sweets and hated dancing.

“I’ll be right back. I’m gonna grab some smokes from down the street.” Tora said as they made their way from one end of the hotel to the other.

“Oh come on, Tora. Give ya lungs a break and stay for a bit. If ya feel like ya need one, like really need one, then we can leave, yeah?”

Tora narrowed his eyes at Gyu who was being overly suspicious. Since when does Tora get told what to do by anyone except for Vince? He had already agreed to tag along, now Gyu was playing hostage negotiator?

“Fine.” Tora muttered as they strode into the reception hall.

There were bouquets of soft lavender and pale blue hydrangeas placed on tables with white silk cloth. Hanging from the ceilings were chandeliers that looked like upside fountains of gold and crystal cascading into the room. In the middle of the room was a dance floor that was placed before a DJ booth and to the front of the room was the head table where the poor french guy and this Danae chick along with their wedding goons were apparently going to sit.

Pissed off as hell that he had to sit in another goddamn chair, Tora planted his ass in one at the very back table that was still too close for comfort and near the dance floor. Gyu had rolled his eyes and found a different table to sit at, one that was closer to the head table.

Tora couldn’t help but to notice the lack of people who were coming to sit down at the table he was at. Fine by him. He didn’t want to talk to anyone. He whipped out his phone, thumbing through it again and nothing. No orders. No texts. And no interest in that goddamn snake game anymore.

The announcement was made to welcome the wedding party and Tora took his ear buds and put them in, hoping to drown out the fanfare.

Glued to his screen and not giving a single shit, per usual, he was pulled back into his surroundings when a song, no, not a song, a beat and record scratching reverberated through the room and into his earbud. He frowned looking up, taking one out trying to hear what god awful song was being played. 

Whoever chose this song was an asshole. He smirked then caught himself not being angry at the choice as he flitted his eyes around the room taking a look at the horrified guests, particularly the old lady with the bird on her hat.

When his eyes trailed back to the other side of the room, he was greeted by the most perfect ass he had ever seen.

Goddamn.

He wondered what her face looked like. Her butt was wiggling and with the soft lavender dress hugging every dangerous curve, Tora found his pants becoming just a bit too tight. He was fitted just last week and picked up his new suit yesterday. Clearly the tailor needed to be fitted for new concrete shoes.

Then she turned to face the other girls who were in her circle as they were all shaking their hips. His breath caught though as her head snapped back in a fit of giggles and a perfect column of her neck had been exposed. And fuck her tits were huge.

“Poppylan, you’re horrible.” One of the girls said as they kept moving their bodies. Then, as if the universe had sent out a beacon, she glanced over her shoulder at Tora who was all but drooling.

Shit. She caught him. Arching a brow, she was looking at him now. And while her face had a tint of blush, there was a look in her eye that had Tora intrigued. Little did Tora know that Gyu and Maribelle were off to the side, amused at how utterly transfixed the man had become.

“About fuckin’ time. Goddamn he’s a stubborn mother fucker.” Gyu muttered into Maribelle's ear.

“Well, he will have his hands full with that one.” Maribelle countered.

“Yeah, knowing him, he probably wil- Ow what the fuck, Belle?” Gyu retorted at the small sting of her slap on his hand.

“She’s still my niece.” Maribelle scolded as she placed her head on Gyu’s shoulder, indulging in the body language her niece and Tora had been displaying.

“Oh I love this part!” Poppy cried as she shook her hips, directing them more towards Tora, a look of amusement twinking in her chestnut brown eyes.

“Ummm, you're packed and you're stacked 'specially in the back
Brother, wanna thank your mother for a butt like that
Can I get some fries with that shake-shake booty?
If looks could kill you would be an uzi
You're a shotgun - bang! What's up with that thang?
I wanna know how does it hang?”

Tora’s mouth had gone utterly dry, thanking and damning Gyu at the same time for talking him out of getting cigarettes. Her body had turned now as the circle of friends had played merry go round. She was facing him as her hips shook along with the beat and her laughter.

Tora didn’t know what to do. Clearly she was just teasing him. Clearly she must have been here with someone else because who wouldn’t wanna be here with her? Shit. He didn’t even know her and he wanted to be here with her and not just in the same room.

“Hey big bro-”

Tora jumped like a tiger being ripped from its skin.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ Gyu! What the fuck?” Tora seethed.

Gyu patted Tora on the shoulder as he took a seat on the chair next to him. 

“See somethin’ ya like?” Gyu asked as Tora tried to get his heartbeat and his cock to settle the fuck down.

“Fuck off.” Tora bit out as the song ended and the girls all trailed behind each other,  Poppy giving him a small smile. Whatever, they were all probably going to their boyfriends or husbands.

“Ya know, from the looks that you’ve been giving her, she’s exactly your type. Why don’t ya go introduce yaself to Poppy?

“You know her?” Tora asked, oblivious to the many times Gyu had tried to already steer him in her direction. Was she related to Miracle, or whatever her name was that Gyu was here with? Did this Poppy chick also know that he was here to meet her and that's why she was trying, no Tora, not trying, succeeding (that’s better) in flirting with him?

“Yeah Bro. I do. She’s Mirabelles niece. We wanted you two to meet.” Gyu stated as Tora’s eyes tried to find the minx in the lavender dress and failed as she was nowhere in sight.

“And do what? Ya know she won't go for someone like me.”

“Well why don’t ya ask her?” Gyu asked as a teasing smile lifted his lips, the very subject of Tora’s frustration making her way over to the table.

“Yeah fuckin’ right! Like I’m gonna go up to her and ask her “Hey sweet cheeks, wanna bang?! Fuck that, she’d take one look at me, scoff and walk away.” Tora spat, gesturing wildly like a pissed off clan wife on her fourth glass of scotch.

“Well only if you say it so abysmally. But maybe if you wine and dine me first I may say yes.”

Tora’s head whipped around so fast, he was surprised he didn’t snap his spine in half. She was right there, right behind him. And fuck, she was fucking beautiful. To Tora though, that word wasn’t even doing her justice. No synonym for beauty would.

“Oh my god, the look on your face. Who are we talking about anyways?” Poppy asked, trying to stifle her laughter.

“You must be Gyu.” Poppy said, her attention floating back to the redhead who was apparently a co-conspirator and very quickly ending up on Tora’s murder list. She held her hand out to Gyu’s for a greeting.

“Belle tells me that you two met on that gaming lovers app?” Poppy said as she took her hand back and took a seat, ignoring the man with the raging boner on the other side of Gyu.

“We did. I was invited so ya sister would have a date and there was a plus one, so my buddy Tora came with me.” Gyu explained, hooking his finger over to Tora.

Poppy’s attention flitted over to Tora as she placed one leg over the other and her elbow on the sitting knee. She bent just a bit so that her hand was now cradling her head and her eyes were now on him.

“You’re Tora, I assume?” She said, a small smile on her lips, mirth in her tone and eyes. And fuck her eyes were beautiful. Nestled in her chocolate depths were swirls of caramel and a brightness that would make the clearest night sky envious.

“Yeah. ‘M Tora.”

“Well, Tora, I’m Poppy, like the flower.” She stuck her hand out, and Tora reached over to shake it. Her hand was dwarfed by his but hers was so smooth against his rough pads.

She was the most beautiful flower he had ever laid his eyes on.

Gyu took that moment to excuse himself so that whatever unfolded he would not be in the middle of. He was not going to be a participant in a horny sandwich. He smirked over his shoulder as the two of them shifted again, Tora taking the vacant chair next to Poppy.

Tora and Poppy had spent the rest of the day talking while his phone lay abandoned in his pocket. His craving for cigarettes was now turning into a craving to taste her lips. She told him about how Danae and Belle are her aunts and practically helped her dad raise her. Her own mom abandoned her as a little girl and her dad passed away a few years ago. To which Tora could relate to her somewhat but glad that she was even able to remember her dad. He told her how he was adopted and worked for the family business. She pried a bit asking what kind of business it was and all he could say was “philanthropy”. 

“Hey Poppy! It’s time for cake!” Belle said as she and Gyu came over to the pair whose surroundings had been forgotten.

“Oh! Cake! Tora! Do you want to get some cake with me?!” Poppy asked hopefully.

“Sorry to disappoint ya Poppy, but Tor-Mmph” Gyu felt Belles elbow go into his ribs.

“Sure sweetheart. Let's get ya some cake.” Tora agreed as he gave a pointed warning look to Gyu who was rubbing his ribs and frowning while Belle cackled at his side. He wasn’t actually going to eat the cake, only agreeing to go with her.

He watched on, amused and aroused at the little sounds of pleasure she was making from what she had told him was the “best fudging cake she’d ever had.” He smirked at her. Not only was she hot as hell, but damn she was fuckin’ adorable or as she would say “fudging adorable” and kept him on his toes the whole time with her snark and how beautiful she was inside and out. Not only did this wild card of a woman who came out of nowhere get his mood go from sour to sweet but the whole time, she wasn’t even intimidated by him, not that he could tell anyways.

“What was with the song choice?” Tora asked as they were taking a walk in the moonlit glow, getting some fresh air with the wedding festivities still going on inside. They had been talking about the types of movies they liked growing up, Tora had limited experience but knew some of them she had talked about. He enjoyed her excitement and laughter about certain scenes more than the actual movies itself. Which then in turn led to the current topic.

They stopped just before she supplied her answer.

“Well, to be honest, I really can't stand some of the people who came here tonight. There’s this woman who came, who is absolutely horrible and turns her nose up at all of us. She was only invited because she’s part of the groom's family. No one thought she was actually going to show up. But she did and you know what she wore? Guess. Just take a guess.” She asked seriously.

Tora snorted, thinking he knew exactly where this was going but decided to play dumb.

“What did she wear, tell me.” He asked as they came to a bench at the lake behind the hotel with the stars mirrored in the water.

“A bird on a hat, Tora. A bird.” She deadpanned. “So anyways, I requested the song just because I knew it would really cheese her off. And it worked. The look she gave me was so rewarding, I couldn’t help but to laugh but then, I saw you! And goodness, you looked like you were just having the time of your life. My motto is “Why be moody when you can shake your booty! So I shook my booty and it worked! You were and still are less moody!” She teased.

Tora let out a few pffts of laughter at her cute, bold admission. She looked up at him and the moon made her eyes even more beautiful while the last of the fireflies danced over the lake. He wanted to desperately kiss her, steal her breath away just like she had stolen his. He moved in a little closer and she scooted towards him. They were a hair's breadth away from each other, his hand gently placed on her waist, her bottom lip trapped between her top teeth and both hearts thundering dangerously within their confines.

“Poppy…Can I-”

“Hey Poppy! Get your cute little butt in here! Danae and Francois are leaving now!” They both heard a female voice from the shadows call out to them.

Both letting out a sigh of defeat, Poppy smiled up at him and said “Duty calls.”

Tora canted his head downwards as Poppy got up and gestured for him to take her hand. They walked back into the hotel where Belle and Gyu met them with shit eating grins.

“Have a good night, Tora?” Gyu teased.

“Shut the fuck up, Ronzo.” Tora sneered back, his hands still laced in Poppy’s. Gyu blanched at the insult of a name he hated.

“Ronzo?” Mirabelle asked with a glint in her eyes and a smirk on her face.

Tora and Poppy took up residency in the lobby where the newlyweds made a spectacle out of leaving the hotel. But Tora wasn’t looking at them. No, instead, his eyes were glued to the small woman who had hooked her arm in his elbow, her hand on his arm.

“I love weddings, don’t you?” She asked as she swiped a tear with her free hand.

“Sure do.”

Two years, a dead Vincent, and being unleashed from the clan later, Tora found himself in the same room where he met the love of his life. This time, they were in the center, her head on his chest as they held each other after they had just recited their wedding vows.

Then, Tora heard the DJ say “Alright ladies and gents, now we have a special request from the bride.” And the song “Shoop” by Salt -N-Paprika or some shit like that started playing. His beautiful, asshole of a wife was looking up at him and laughed at the mortification that was no doubt plastered on his face.

The beginning of the song played before she started rapping along, making him groan as she grinded up against him.

“Ummm, you're packed and you're stacked 'specially in the back
Brother, wanna thank your mother for a butt like that
Can I get some fries with that shake-shake booty?
If looks could kill you would be an uzi
You're a shotgun - bang! What's up with that thang?
I wanna know how does it hang?”

“Poppylan, has anyone ever told ya how much of an asshole ya are?” Tora whispered, his mouth near her ear.

She looked back up at him with a brilliant smile, his hands went to her ass and he captured her lips.

“Every day, handsome. And guess what, the one who calls me it the most, married me today.” Poppy said between kisses.

Tora smiled into the next kiss, the beat still going, saying “Ya bet ya sweet ass I did", before taking her breath away in a passionate liplock.