oki fellow yaoilians (yes I did just pull a word out of my ass), its thyme for chapter too.

I’m gonna go ahead and list the board members’ titles because I don’t think theres ever a point in the story where they all come up.

CEO (Chief Executive Officer): Riku/Xemnas

CLO (Chief Learning Officer): Larxene

CKO (Chief Knowledge Officer): Zexion

COO (Chief Operating Officer): Axel

CIO (Chief Information Officer): Saïx

CMO (Chief Marketing Oficer): Demyx

CFO (Chief Financial Officer): Xigbar

CDO (Chief Data Officer) Marluxia

CBO (Chief Business Officer): Xaldin

CLO (Chief Legal Officer): Lexaeus

CCO (Chief Communications Officer): Luxord

CISO (Chief Information Security Officer): Marluxia

I didn’t make any of these titles up, lol. I researched up the ass about corporate titles and the board members, and honestly, there were a bunch more. But I tried to choose the most appropriate. I didn’t assign the importance of their titles by their rank in org XIII, cuz that would have put Axel a lot lower than I needed him to be. lol

Roxie’s not on the board here though, so muken to that.

Axel was looking out of the glass window/wall in the living room of his pent house with a half drained glass of scotch in his hand, brooding. He was overlooking the metropolitan’s nightlife from 28 stories above.

The cars were whizzing by on some streets, and there were cars completely jammed on the next. There were tiny specks of people opting to walk. They all probably got the jobs they deserved.

Axel brought the glass to his lips and took another swig.

He had been wallowing in his misery and anger from his shitty day since he’d left the building. In a few short hours, Axel had gone from not knowing a man existed to hating him completely. He stole his job, he stole a… potential good night.

Spoiled rich brat.

“Axel?”

Axel nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around and saw Francine standing across the room at the front door. He turned back around and downed the rest of his scotch. He never drank or smoked around Fran.

“Red!” he said nervously, setting the empty glass on an end table on his way towards her. “When did you get back? Where’s Aerith?”

“I just walked through the door,” she responded, kicking off her flip flops before setting foot on the carpeted floor. “Aerith didn’t walk up with me.”

Fran was a short, freckle faced, green eyed red headed 14 year old girl with hair that fell to the small of her back. She just hit puberty last year and if it hadn’t been for Axel’s long time friend/Fran’s nanny, Aerith, Axel would have gone insane. Aerith lived on the floor below in an apartment Axel rented for her.

“Oh,” Axel responded, “Well did you have fun?”

Fran rolled her eyes and met Axel halfway through the living room so that they were now standing between the black suede set of a love seat and a couch.

“As fun as it could have been, I guess,” she replied, “hanging out with a bunch of immature spitball chucking, pit farting, unhygienic boys and giggling, scantily clad girls with way too much make-up caked onto their faces who swoon over them.”

“Francine…”

She sighed and flopped on the couch.

“Just because I’m on the tennis team doesn’t mean I have to go to the victory parties,” she complained, “I really wish you wouldn’t make me.”

“You need to develop social skills,” Axel folded his arms, “Heaven knows you’re not getting any during school hours. Learning to pretend to like someone is an invaluable skill that will serve you countless times in your future.”

“Hypocrite.”

“Hey,” Axel shook his head, “When you attain the status and power that I have, you don’t have to pretend to like anyone anymore. It won’t matter because you don’t need anything from them anymore.”

“You’re constantly showering me with your wisdom and upstanding morals, Axel.” Fran said dreamily.

“Learn from me kid,” he smiled. “Now get to bed. It’s almost midnight. I’ll drop you off at school tomorrow.”

“T.G.I.F.”(1) she breathed, getting to her feet and leaving the room.

“When Fran had left the room, Axel sat down on the love seat and started rummaging through his pockets for his cigarettes and pulled out a card and bright blue jaw breaker wrapped in crackly plastic.

Looking down at them made Axel want to smile all over again, but remembering further made him want to throw them in the garbage disposal.

“Don’t let it keep you down. Do something about it.”

The words suddenly rang in his head.

“Do something about it?” he asked himself.

What could he do? It wasn’t in his power to usurp him from his position or tell Xemnas to change his mind. He was pretty sure he’d pissed Xemnas off too much for that anyway.

Until this morning, Axel was pretty content with his life, but now he had a boss with whom he was pretty sure he made enemies. And on top of that, he stole the only bright spot of Axel’s morning.

That’s when it clicked.

He was going to stick it to Riku by stealing Roxas away from him. Not only that, but making Roxas actually fall for him, then breaking it off with Roxas.

If Riku cared an ounce for Roxas, it would hurt having him taken away, and it would hurt watching him be hurt. It was a double whammy!

While Axel was devising his scheme, though, he hesitated. Roxas being hurt was a downside, since he seemed like a good kid. But all’s fair in love and war, right? And This was definitely war.

“Ok class, that’s it. Once you’ve finished cleaning up, you can go.”

Roxas watched the class of 10th graders start scrambling around folding easels and putting away pencils from behind his desk at the front of the classroom.

Roxas loved his job as a high school art teacher at one of the most prestigious prep schools in Radiant Garden. Most of the time anyway. When the students weren’t too unruly or the class clowns not too disruptive, he really loved his job—spreading art to others.

The hustle and bustle of the dismissed class went on for something like 5 minutes until the last student left with a wave on her way out.

Roxas glanced at the clock in the classroom (which read 3:20) before gathering his things to go.

Roxas exited the classroom, locking the door behind him, carrying nothing more than a 5.5X8 inch sketchbook and some pencils. Roxas kept a set of art supplies in his class, and at his apartment, and the only time he brought more than what he already had in his hands home was if he had pictures to grade.

Roxas made his way to the school’s main office to check out.

“Heading home now?” Mrs. Merryweather, the school’s main receptionist inquired.

“Just ended my last class,” Roxas informed, walking behind the counter towards the time stamps area.

“Well have a nice weekend Roxas,” the elderly woman smiled once Roxas was done and on his way out, “Drive safe.”

“Thanks,” Roxas said, “you too.”

When Roxas made it to the parking lot area, he was surprised to see Riku there, and even more surprised to see him in front of a limousine.

Roxas’ eyes widened a bit as a smile stretched across his face.

“Company perk?” he asked as Riku approached him.

“Of course,” he replied, “the new CEO of XIII Industries can’t keep driving himself around in that old hunk of metal on wheels.”

“Yeah,” Roxas agreed. “I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a sorry excuse for a car like a Porsche.”

Riku only smiled as he opened the limo’s door and waited for Roxas to get in it.

There were quite of few onlookers spotted throughout the parking lot in his solid black business suit, Riku could probably be misconstrued for a chauffeur if nobody knew any better.

And they didn’t.

Roxas quickly entered the vehicle and scooted over to make room for Riku when he got in. As Roxas took in the interior of the limo, he thought back to the only other time he’d been inside of a limousine, which was for his high school prom.

As soon as Riku was in the car, and before Roxas could say anything, his lips were being roughly kissed. Somewhere in his mind, he’d registered that his sketchbook and pencils were taken from him and that the limo had started to move, but in the front of his consciousness, there was nothing but Riku there.

Riku’s lips on his, Riku’s hands snaking their way beneath his shirt, even after years, Roxas found it hard to resist Riku when he started things like this.

“My car-“ Roxas managed through a gasp when Riku abandoned his lips for his neck.

“I’ll drop you off Monday,” Riku replied, kissing and sucking every inch of exposed neck.

Oh ok…Roxas thought as he melted into Riku’s touch, but he had a feeling he was forgetting something. Exactly what he was forgetting, however, didn’t come back to him until after Riku had started to unbutton his shirt.

“The driver?” Roxas mumbled before gasping sharply as Riku took one of his nipples into his mouth. Roxas’ hands snapped to Riku’s muscular (and unfortunately clothed) back as his own back arched into him.

“Knows to mind his own business,” Riku breathed before switching to the other nipple, causing a quiet moan to escape Roxas lips.

If Roxas still had any reservations before, they were all gone the instant Riku undid his cargo pants and reached inside.

“Roxas.”

Reflexively, Roxas opened his eyes to see Riku hovering directly above him. He was staring into Roxas’ eyes so intensely the blonde could hardly breathe. He always did this though. Before and after. He would call Roxas’ name to make him look and he’d just stare for a while.

Every time without fail, but the gaze never dulled in intensity.

Roxas didn’t know how much time Riku spent staring that time, but after a passionate, tongue filled kiss, he resumed his previous actions.

Roxas was awakened the next morning by the sound of his cell phone going off.

He reached for it on its usual place—the night stand by his bed. But after blindly feeling around with no sign of his phone for a few rings, Roxas remembered that he was in Riku’s bed.

He groggily rolled out of the bed, literally, and crawled towards his pants on the floor (where his cell phone was stashed). Roxas sped his actions up with every passing ring and as soon as the phone was in-hand, he answered without checking the caller and collapsed on his stomach.

“What!”

“What!?” Sora’s voice snapped from the other end, “What!? You’re snapping at me? You were supposed to be here an hour ago! Where the hell are you!?”

It took a second for Roxas’ brain to get up to full speed.

“Shit,” Roxas breathed.

Roxas was supposed to head down to the restaurant that Sora was managing that day and fill in for an employee that wasn’t going to make it in for work.

“Shit is right.”

“Would you stop it already,” Roxas said as loudly as his morning voice would allow him, and wiping his hand down his face, “I’m on my way.”

“Don’t bother,” Sora sighed, “I already found someone to fill in for you.”

“Sora I-“

“Yeah I know,” Sora cut in, “it’s ok… just… where are you? Are you ok? Did something happen?”

Roxas shook his head, even thought he knew his brother wouldn’t see.

“No,” he said, “nothing happened. I’m fine. I just overslept. I set my alarm clock at home but I’m at Riku’s-”

“Oh, Riku’s,” Sora said, “Well that explains it.”

Roxas rose to his feet now and slipped on his pants.

“I ran into Riku yesterday by chance at The Bailey Hotel. In the lobby. He was walking with all these men in business suits.”

As Roxas was listening, the gears in his mind started rolling.

“Did he see you?” Roxas asked, halfway through buttoning his trousers.

“Yeah,” Sora responded, "he broke away and we talked for a little—but I was meeting my mom for a late lunch, so I had to go.”

Late lunch? It was suddenly clear as day to Roxas why Riku so suddenly appeared to pick him up. Why he couldn’t wait until they made it to his apartment before fucking.

Roxas inwardly sighed.

“He uh,” Roxas cleared his throat, “it was probably a business luncheon. He just took over his father’s company the other day.”

Sora gasped.

“That’s big news!” he said, “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me and Kairi.”

Roxas was tired of talking.

“Sorry about today,” Roxas began his farewell. “I’ll call you tomorrow, ok?”

Sora knew when he was being booted off the phone.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Sora said. “Whatever, talk to you later.”

Roxas hung up before Sora could really finish his good bye.

“Did you see the new meeting schedule?” Demyx asked Axel as they exited the conference room, “What the hell could we possibly have to talk about?”

The small crowd of executives behind them were having conversations of a similar nature as well.

Once they hit the cubicle area, they all began disbursing towards their destination, except for Axel and Demyx, who lingered outside of the doorway.

“Demyx,” Axel answered, “he only added one more meeting a week.”

“And that is four more meetings out of my month,” Demyx responded, “52 meetings out of my year.”

Axel rolled his eyes at Demyx, but when they came into focus again, they found themselves resting on a blonde he was much happier to see standing idly down the pathway.

Demyx had now moved on to a new topic to complain about, but Axel hadn’t heard a word of it.

“Yeah, ok,” he said distractedly before walking away from Demyx altogether.

“Yeah, ok? Well you take care too then,” he said sarcastically before walking away as well.

Roxas looked lost. Again. Axel found it a little sad. This floor was shaped in almost a perfect square with just about no walls outside of the executives’ offices.

“I think you should invest in a compass,” Axel said.

The blonde, who’d been facing the other way, started and dropped his keys. His eyes connected with Axel’s very briefly before he reached down to pick them back up.

“So I’ve been told,” Roxas said, turning to face Axel. “Your name was… Axel, right?”

Axel felt a little stupid about the tiny rush of excitement that jolted through him from Roxas remembering his name.

“That’s what they tell me,” Axel replied. “If you’re looking for… Riku again, you might have to wait a little while. He’s discussing something with our CISO.”

Roxas stared at Axel strangley for a moment.

“Are you allowed to be so informal about your superiors?”

Axel felt a blood vessel pop somewhere, but suppressed his annoyance.

“Kid,” Axel said, “What the hell do you think my job is in this company.”

Roxas looked a little taken aback by Axel’s reaction.

“Riku called you an executive something I think,” Roxas said, “sounded like assistant. Isn’t that just a nice way to say secretary?”

Big picture big picture big picture… Axel had to keep telling himself.

He suddenly smiled at Roxas in the most charming way he could at the time and met him in a stare.

“Has anyone ever told you how brilliant your eyes are?” Axel asked.

Roxas was now frowning.

“You’re a lot more annoying than I remember you to be,” he said flatly.

“Ow,” Axel responded, entirely nonplused, “isn’t that a little rude.”

“You know I’m involved with your boss, don’t you?” Roxas asked, and Axel didn’t like the way he said “your boss.”

“Is that supposed to make a difference?”

“You do realize I could probably have you fired, don’t you?”

“Have dinner with me.”

The look of pure indignation on Roxas’ face made Axel work hard to keep from bursting into laughter.

So he was faithful. This would be more challenging than he thought—but that was fine with him. That would make it all the more worthwhile in the end.

“Ok then,” Axel went on, “Dinner’s too much. How ‘bout lunch? Lunch is pretty safe, right?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Roxas scoffed, “and I’m definitely reporting your misconduct.”

Axel chuckled at Roxas. He had… spunk. He wasn’t a pushover. It was a bit of a refreshing change from the people Axel usually went after.

“So then lunch is too forward too?” Axel asked in what would be disbelief, “Coffee then? How about we have a cup of coffee sometime? It doesn’t get much more noncommittal than coffee.”

Roxas shook his head, a clear look of true disbelief on his face.

“Is anything I’m saying reaching your ears?” Roxas asked, “I’m not interested.”

“No, yeah, I picked up on that,” Axel assured.

“Then why—”

“Roxas?”

The voice came from behind Axel. Riku was standing just outside the door to the conference room disappearing around the corner at the other end of the path. He looked at Roxas before his eyes found Axel, and then down at his watch.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said, walking past Axel and up to Roxas. “I hadn’t realized it was so late.”

He placed a small, chaste (and if you asked Axel, dry) kiss on Roxas’ forehead and Axel didn’t miss the look Roxas shot his way.

Thoroughly amused, Axel interpreted the look as a challenge and accepted by returning a smirk.

“Axel,” Riku spoke, finally addressing him, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your appearance in the workplace—it’s entirely inappropriate.”

Axel now focused his attention on Riku, a look of transparent loathing on his face.

“I’ve been coming to work this way for years,” Axel said, “Xemnas—”

“Is no longer the CEO,” Riku interceded, “and while I’m here, I expect you to wear your suit properly, lose the spikes, and cover your tattoos.”

Axel bit his tongue and clenched his fists until the violent wave passed over him.

“I am not wearing makeup,” Axel said, “To cover up my tattoos. I will change my hair, and I will change the way I wear my clothes, but I’ll quit before I cover my tattoos.

Riku glared at Axel for a while

“Why are those tattoos so important?”

Axel glared back.

“That’s a personal question, sir.”

Their staring contest continued for a good amount of time before Riku caved.

“Fine,” he said, “the tattoos can stay, but those other things can’t. And if that’s not your natural—”

“I assure you,” Axel said, “it is.”

“I’ll see you Monday.”

Unfortunately.

Axel watched as Riku put a hand on Roxas’ waist and lead him towards the elevator.

“Catch ya later Roxie,” Axel shouted just before they turned around the corner. He saw the menacing scowl Roxas threw at him and had to laugh once again.

Axel strolled over to the cubicle just outside of his office and looked to see a short haired brunette sitting in it, typing away.

“Yuffie,” he said to his secretary, “I want you to dig up whatever information you can find about a 22 year old blonde named Roxas who lives anywhere near here.”

“A last name would make the job easier,” she said, not even bothering to stop her typing or look up.

“I’ll bet it would,” Axel agreed, “But I don’t know it. Honestly, how many “Roxases” can there be in the world?”

“Should I bother asking why I’m doing this?” Yuffie asked, picking up a cup of coffee next to her keyboard and taking a sip.

“It wouldn’t be very satisfying if you did,” Axel answered.

“It’ll be faxed to you by the time you get home,” she said, “And don’t forget to pick up that gift you ordered for Fran tomorrow. The place already closed for the night.”

“Ah, right,” Axel nodded, “I forgot about that. It’s that late already?”

He checked his wrist watch to see that it was already past seven in the evening.

“Well thanks Yuffie,” he said, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Crumble to pieces of course.”

“What a stupid question for me to ask.”

“You should’ve just let him quit,” Roxas said once he and Riku were on the elevator, heading downward.

Riku smiled slightly.

“You don’t like him?”

Roxas made a face.

“He’s rude, cheeky, and inappropriate,” he answered, “any company’s better off without that sort of attitude around.”

“That’s true enough,” Riku said before sighing, “But he’s an irreplaceable asset. I just have to put up with it. But I won’t be going through hoops to get him to stay, that’s for sure.”

“Isn’t he just a secretary?”

Riku furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“Where did you get that idea?” Riku asked, “I told you last time, he’s the COO.”

Roxas stared blankly.

“Because knowing what that stands for is common knowledge.”

The elevator stopped and opened once they reached the bottom floor. It was a simple floor with a receptionist’s desk in the middle and elevator shafts on either side of the wall behind. There were a few chairs for waiting, and a few plants for décor, and big letters that read “XIII” on the wall behind the receptionist’s desk.

“Chief Operating Officer,” Riku explained, “It’s an executive title, and one he’s held for a number of years. He’s a member of the board.

Roxas, now standing in the middle of the room behind Riku, instantly felt something like remorse and if Axel had been a more polite man, would have went back to apologize for it.

As it were, however, Roxas just made a mental note to avoid him at all costs.

He was flirtatious and arrogant, and just because of his good looks, money, and status, thinks he can get away with anything.

Roxas took a second to go over that last thought in his mind before shaking his head clear. What was he thinking? Complimenting that man. He hoped somewhere in the back of his mind that Riku would decide to fire him after all, if for no other reason so that he wouldn’t have to see him again.

Aww c’mon roxie. don’t be like that. u know u want him. Teeheehee.

ok, so, in the limo. I really had intended to go the whole mile with that lemon, but suddenly this horrible monster of laziness climbed into my window late at night and raped me!

so I didn’t. lol.

maybe next chapter, hm?

(1) Thank God It's Friday. U know, like us old folgies used to say back in the day. I didn’t realize it was so uncommon of a term until my sister read this and was like “tgif? O.o”