Chapter 1 - So the fun begins.

Roxas tapped on the thick glass counter of the candy case, loosening his apron with his free hand.

Oh. Did I mention the fact that it was a hot pink, and very effeminate, apron?

Monday’s are too long. Especially when you’re working very long hours in a too-sweet smelling candy shop after having gone to school for what seems like endless hours on end. Counter jobs were boring, but they paid, and Roxas got free candy.

Like red hots. Those were the best.

Speaking of red hots, Roxas popped a couple in his mouth when his boss disappeared around the corner. He tended to lurk around areas of the tiny shop where he assumed mischief was occurring, and those places usually included anywhere Roxas was present.

“Mansex is on the prowl again.”

Roxas sucked all the cinnamon flavor off the red hots, getting to the sweet and sugary center. “He’s going to hear you one of these days, you know. Then you’ll get fired. Though I’m not sure why I’m warning you; having a quiet shop would be nice for once.”

The flaming, yet natural, redhead next to Roxas scoffed. “You’d miss me and you know it, Roxy.” He smirked, the tattoos under his eyes rising with his cheeks.

“Sorry to burst your little fantasy bubble, whatever it may entail, but I wouldn’t mind working alone. And I’d really prefer it if you didn’t call me Roxy.” It was the same routine almost everyday. Axel would make a sarcastic comment about their slightly paranoid boss, Roxas would warn him about the dangers of such actions, and Axel would shrug it off with a ‘cute’ nickname attached.

“And I’d prefer not to look like a prick wearing this apron, but we all can’t get what we want, now can we?” Roxas rolled his eyes and Axel’s trademark smirk widened.

“I have to restock the Milky Ways. Try not to get yourself fired by doing something stupid while I’m gone, okay?” Axel’s face contorted in mock admiration. “Roxy! You do care!” Roxas’s clear blue eyes rolled back into his head again. “Actually, I’m worried about the safety, and possibly sexual innocence of the customers that come in here. I remember last Halloween.” He said, turning on his heel towards the chocolate bar aisle.

“How was I supposed to know she was underage and only dressed up in costume??” Axel yelled after him. Roxas chuckled inwardly to himself as he refilled the towers of candy. He had known Axel for about two years now, and nothing had changed since he first walked into the store for a job interview his sophomore year. The first words he ever heard his spiky headed companion ever say still ring through his head.

“Hey there Blondie, you hear to buy some candy to make yourself even sweeter?”

Roxas had almost walked out of the store then and there, and had one foot out the door after Axel made a reference to the cans of chocolate body paint they had in stock. Of course, a split second later “Mansex”, or Xemnas, whichever you prefer, came looming out of his office, and the interview began.

Unfortunately, he got the job. Something about Roxas’s love of anything with sugar in it and ‘bubbly personality’ would attract customers. Which Roxas found very odd…considering his personality was anything but bubbly.

Oh well.

Roxas finished stocking the chocolate bars and grabbed a handful of cinnamon hearts from the pocket of his apron, popping them into his mouth happily. Hey, it’s not like that pocket was holding anything else. As he chewed, he heard the small jingle of the bell above the shop door as someone came in.

Roxas immediately made his way back to the counter. Leaving Axel alone with any customer for more than a minute could be dangerous. A small and skinny redhead was looking at the baked goods in the counter, her short pink skirt riding up as she bent over. Oh Jesus, here we go.

Roxas peeked from behind an aisle close to the front, just watching for now. If Axel made a perverted comment – which he most assuredly would – then he would approach the counter and save the girl from the clutches of a horny Axel. But for now, he was in spy mode. He heard the girl giggle lightly. Axel must be throwing out the old charm. He inched farther out of the aisle to hear what they were discussing.

“Well, I’m actually here to buy something for this guy…” The girl said quietly, a lightly blush springing up on her cheeks. “Oh, I see.” Axel replied, nodding. “He your boyfriend, or…?” She sighed heavily, shaking her head. “No…I’m just a secret admirer. But I’m hoping that maybe he’ll notice me after this, you know?”

Axel nodded, bending over to take some iced sugar cookies out of the glass case. “I know the feeling. I’m actually kind of in a situation like yours, you could say. A one sided love on my part.”

Roxas’s ears perked up. Axel liked someone? And only one person? This was uncharacteristic. And why hadn’t he told Roxas? Not that they were that close, but…Well, I guess now that he thought about it, they did spend a lot of time together…There were a lot of nights when there wasn’t much business at the shop and Axel and Roxas had talked for what seemed like hours about personal stuff.

I guess that’s what makes a best friend, isn’t it?

“But they have no idea, and I’ve hinted plenty of times at it.” The girl made a sympathetic noise. “I know what you mean. Some people just can’t see when someone right in front of them has feelings for them.”

Axel laughed. “Well, my dear, you’re an inspiration. Maybe I’ll work a little harder from now on.” “That’s the spirit!” She said, high fiving him. “Thanks, Axel. Good luck with your sweetie!” She winked and waved, leaving.

Well that was…unexpected. Roxas emerged from the aisle, hopping over the counter as Axel closed the sliding doors to the case. “Hey there, cutie. You all finished?” Roxas popped a few more cinnamon candies in his mouth, nodding. “You scar any small children while I was away?” Axel shrugged with one shoulder, leaning up against the counter. “Maybe a couple. But I needed something to make this day more interesting…I think this has quite possibly been the most uneventful work day since I started here.”

“Which was when, exactly?” Roxas realized at that moment that he didn’t know how long Axel had worked here, or even how old he was, or why he was working here…he was just Axel, his friend who worked with him and pretended to hit on him on a daily basis.

“The summer after my junior year of high school, about four years ago. I almost quit a couple of years ago, and yet here I am still.”

Wow…Axel was almost done with his junior year of college by now. Meaning he was probably about 20. The thought of him being so old was shocking.

“Why didn’t you quit? I mean, this job doesn’t pay much, and I’m sure you can get a better one somewhere else that pays more…”

All of a sudden Axel’s whole presence changed. He stared at a box of Tropical Dots on the counter, crossing his arms. He looked almost…uncomfortable. “I don’t know…I just decided to stay.”

Well that was odd.

“…Right. Well, I guess once you get past the long hours and creepy boss, it’s not so bad.”

Axel went back to normal, his eyes shining. “And the fact that I get to see you everyday.”

By the end of the days shift, Roxas had eaten a grand total of two boxes of cinnamon hearts, Xemnas had checked in on them seven times, and Axel had complimented him ten times, if you count the comment about his @$$.

Roxas groaned, pulling off his apron and throwing it on the counter. “I’m ready to get out of here. Can you lock up the case while I check all the windows?” Why they were required to lock up late when Xemnas left an hour earlier than the shop closed, he would never know, but Roxas had the feeling a burglar wouldn’t break in to steal candy. Unless he had some creepy, candy fixation and he didn’t have enough money to buy some. But then he could just steal the money and not the candy, right?

Anyway.

Roxas finished ‘checking’ the windows and returned to the counter to pick up a box of red hots for the road, where he found none other than Axel eating his cinnamon hearts from his apron pocket.

“You know, these things aren’t so bad once you get used to them.”

Roxas frowned and grabbed his apron, throwing it over his shoulder. “Get your own, skinny.” Axel chewed thoughtfully, taking a few steps forward towards Roxas.

He raised his eyebrow. “Is skinny bad?”

Roxas was caught off guard. The hell? Well…I guess not…I mean, skinny alone isn’t that bad, but paired with Axel’s spear-like hips, it made him look quite womanly…

Roxas stood, pondering this phenomenon for a moment as Axel advanced on him. “I personally don’t like skinny, myself. I like cute, short blonds, who have a strange addiction to cinnamon candy.”

Roxas scoffed. “Now’s not the time, Axel, I’m tired and ready to get home…” He turned and stopped dead in his tracks as he found himself nose to nose with the tall red-head, staring into his emerald eyes.

“No…I really do…” He breathed, the scent of cinnamon washing over Roxas’s face and filling his senses. He smelled so delicious…He could almost sense Axel’s lips curling up into a smirk. “You seem speechless, Rox. I thought I made myself pretty obvious, didn’t I?”

This was all happening WAY too fast, and Roxas didn’t have time to clear his head. All he could think about was how fantastic Axel smelled and how pretty his eyes were.

And then the warm pressure on his mouth.

It was foreign, but he couldn’t deny the somehow familiar taste of cinnamon lingering there. He felt Axel’s warm hands slide around his waist, pushing him up against the glass counter and pinning him there. He was stuck.

But at that point, Roxas didn’t really care.

He slid his own smaller hands onto Axel’s thin arms, feeling the goosebumps pop up underneath his fingers. But that wasn’t the most exhilarating part of the whole situation. It was the way Axel’s lips were moving slowly against his, the way he parted his lips slightly to let the spicy flavor of the candy dance on his tongue.

By the time Axel pulled away for a breath, Roxas was intoxicated, his eyes closed and his breath coming short. Axel grinned. “So…how about a movie tomorrow?” He whispered, sending chills down Roxas’s spine. “S-Sure…yeah…movie…” In all honesty, Roxas hadn’t understood a word Axel had just said, but right now he was a little too drunk on Axel lovin’ to notice.

Perfect.

Axel leane din and gave Roxas one final kiss, brushing his smooth cheek with his thumb. “See you tomorrow at 8, Roxy.” And then he was gone.

Roxas leaned up against the counter for a good ten minutes, catching his breath and arranging his thoughts. That was…wow. Unexpected, would be a start. He felt a vibration in his pocket just as he felt composed enough to push himself away from the counter and stand on his own.

“H-Hello?”

“Roxas? You okay? You sound kinda…drunk…”

Roxas wiped his mouth off. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little tired.” It was Sora, his brother. He didn’t need to identify himself for Roxas to know who it was.

“Okay…well, Riku and I are going to the mall tomorrow. You wanna come with? Maybe around 8-ish?”

Suddenly, it hit him.

…shoot.

“I don’t think I can, Sora.” “Why not?”

“…I think I have a date.”

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