Disclaimer: All I own are my thoughts, a copy of Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 for PS2, and my laptop.

.Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome.

Wishing I could be anywhere but here just leaves me feeling worse.

I, a college student on my second year... I, Cloud Strife, am working part-time at a candy store. And it's hell on earth.

My cousin, Rikku, comes in here often, and it's no wonder how she stays as hyped up as she does. You could prick her arm and liquid sugar would ooze out. Probably.

It's summer, so I'm working full-time. My co-worker, Sora, is fresh out of high school and quite possibly on the same sugar-rush as Rikku. It's scary, but he brings in business. In return, he helps to fill my paycheck.

Our boss is brooding away in his office out of sight, he probably hates this place more than I do, but very little work is open nowadays for college drop-outs.

I've been working here for almost two years now, having started after I graduated from high school. My boss, one year ahead of me, we were complete opposites back then. I played soccer and basketball, one of the fellow jocks, and he was the local bad boy. He was in detention often and broke the hearts of many girls. How he managed to graduate, I'm surprised.

But after high school, status fades away. And now the bad boy is a manager at a candy store, a job he gained from his uncle. A job I gained because I was young and thought it would be fun. Now at age twenty-two, I'm regretting my actions.

Before my boss took over, his uncle ran the place happily. The candy sold well and the game stations were new and shiny. Years later to today, they just blare all day long while sugar-crazy high school kids come in wave after endless wave.

Sora, as I've mentioned before, is my co-worker. He's been working here for almost a year, happily, might I add. Another co-worker is a full-time, anytime-guy named Axel. Axel has only been here since the start of the summer, and just turned twenty one.

So now that I've introduced you to our crew, let me take you back to my miserable job where Axel is late, again. I'm getting a headache from just listening to the damn air hockey puck flying across the field and the pop music blaring from those damned speakers.

On one of the few times that he manages to leave his office, my boss is reminded of how much he hates children.

I'm leaning against the wall by his office as I try to relieve myself of my headache as Sora takes over for me. Axel, on his break, is living it up on the Dance Dance Revolution with some teenagers.

I hear the squeak of his office chair, and moments later, my boss comes through the door. Not as in coming through the door itself, just opening the door and coming through the doorway. Right. Let me introduce him.

At age twenty four, Squall, Please-call-me-Leon Leonhart, is my boss and manager of the candy shop. His parents are quite rich but give none of their success to their son. Why, you ask? I have yet to find that out.

He stares at me when he first notices me, an unlit cigarette hanging slack between his lips. "What are you doing?"

Blankly, I pull my thoughts together past my headache. "Headache. Bad." I mumble out.

"Right. Well get back out there soon." He grumbles. Mumbling and grumbling. Groaning and complaining. It's all we ever do. I don't like working here, and I don't like working with him. We're in the same boat. I would probably hate him more if it wasn't for the fact that he hates this place as much as I do. He watches me for a second longer, "You can step outside if you want... aspirin is in my office."

I just shake my head and he wanders off out the back door for the smoke he's craving. All I needed was a ride on Fenrir, my motorcycle, but that wasn't going to happen. I can hear Sora out at the cash register calling for me. I glance at the clock and take note that it's only two in the afternoon. One hour before rush-hour.

Out at the counter, I notice why Sora called for me. Riku.

I take over the register and Sora bounces around the counter to give his friend a hug. It quite nearly is an everyday regimen that at least one of his friends come by. Today, being a Wednesday, was Riku.

I shake my head and Riku just laughs, ruffling Sora's hair. "Honestly, I don't know how you manage him. He's just so... hyperactive."

Riku shrugs his shoulders, giving Sora a warm smile. "It'll grow on you eventually."

I couldn't really begin to understand his logic, but off the two went, and Sora officially went on his break. I holler at Axel to get back to work and like a kicked puppy, he comes over to my side. I can't sympathize. He's just too old to be acting like a hormonal high school-er. Yet, age doesn't stop him.

The back door shuts and not too long later, Leon comes out, looking around at the few customers out. "I bought Subway, it's in my office."

Axel then throws his arms up, "Sweet! I'm on break!"

"Axel!" I yell after him but he was long gone and Leon comes up beside me, running a hand through his hair, telling me not to worry about it.

I don't know what prompts him to keep Axel as an employee.

As we close, Leon is standing by the doors as he locks up, talking softly on his cell phone. It was odd to see him out of his office, let alone on the phone talking to someone who was obviously not business-related. Axel comes up beside me as I clean off the tables. "Hey, who's he on the phone with?" He asks me in a hushed whisper, while obviously pointing to Leon. He's the worst when it comes to secrecy.

I shrug, but I strain to listen in on his one-sided conversation as I continue to clean up the tables, Sora cleaning the floor, and Axel... 'cleaning' the candy containers.

"Strife."

I look over to Leon who, shoving his phone into his jacket pocket, is staring at me questionably. Sora and Axel's eyes are on me. With a sigh I walk over to Leon. Keys in his hand, Leon jingles them before me. "Look, I need tomorrow off, so I'm gonna need you to open the store for me. I'll come by to close with you."

I nod, taking the keys from him. "Sir?"

Leon shakes his head, running a hand through his hair again. "Look, I told you, it's Leon. If anyone asks, I'm off on a personal day."

Author's Commentary:

The store has no defined name quite yet, so if anyone has any ideas, they would be appreciated!!

I really just couldn't resist this one. I haven't written one based solely around Leon and Cloud on here yet, so when I thought of Leon being a manager, I tied him in with one of my managers from work who hates his job so much and he hasn't even been there all that long. I definitely have a second chapter on the way, and a third in progress. This will all be in Cloud's POV.

Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome : What happens in a relationship when all the cute little quirks of your partner becomes annoying. When you find yourself shaking your head or sighing, irritatedly, by the way your partner laughs at a particularly inappropriate time.

Thank you all so much for reading!!
( 08/05/08 )