Saïx spends an extra fifteen minutes in front of the mirror primping for his hot date with the sexiest man alive.
Axel tries not to bitch about it, though his hair will suffer the consequences. He knows Saïx is sensitive about his appearance, knows Saïx's boss is drop dead gorgeous, and above all, knows that the business meeting is an important one, with store managers from a dozen locations ferrying to the central island office where Xemnas works for a morning of planning, discussion, and projections, and an afternoon of community building (read schmoozing and margaritas on the beach).
But it's easy to forget when your boyfriend is getting all dolled up for another man, especially when he would pitch an absolute fit if you did the same. Of course, Axel's bosses are Marluxia who wouldn't look twice at him if he were wearing Armani, and Xigbar, who wouldn't stop looking at him if he were wearing a potato sack.
So, Axel puts on the gold jeans. The ones Saïx hates because they always get Axel hit on, but can't complain about because Saïx bought them for him in the first place.
The ones that prove that he does not have a closet like a slutty noir film, thank you very much. Maybe he will call them his Fuck You, Zexion pants. That has a nice ring to it.
Tucking a stray blue strand behind Saïx's ear, Axel reassures his boyfriend that he looks great. Better than great. Second sexiest man alive. He gets a smack in the chest for that one, though he can see the flicker of a wry smile as Saïx retreats to the kitchen for his caffeine fix.
Seated side by side at the kitchen counter, Saïx reminds Axel that Xaldin won't be in because it's his and Lexeaus' zillionth anniversary, and makes Axel repeat his promise to check in on the store and skim the surveillance feed to ensure Vanitas hasn't done anything unseemly. Robbery, vandalism, telling off customers, they wouldn't put much past the kid at this point.
"Would you fire him if he did?" Axel gestures with a spoon. He isn't arguing so much as genuinely curious.
"I don't know." Saïx sighs, steam rising from his mug to cloud his face. "Xemnas had hoped I could keep him in line. My position may be in jeopardy if I fail him."
"Wish I could say I don't think he'd do that." Axel's hand skims Saïx's shoulder in comfort, and Saïx exhales more slowly. When he straightens, it's with resolve, confidence. He settles his free hand on Axel's thigh.
"All the same, I need to know what that demon child is up to." Saïx's chin tilts up, pale blue eyes teasing. "And I don't want him bullying poor Roxas."
Axel's smile is all teeth and no feeling, the lingering vestiges of their argument stinging at the back of his throat. "I've got it covered, Sai. I'm more than just a pretty face."
"Believe me," Saïx murmurs, and Axel suspects it is not his sparkling personality or wit, but other pretty things, that Saïx is thinking about as he trails his hand further up Axel's thigh, appearing to savor the cool, smooth, metallic denim against his fingertips. "I'm painfully aware."
Axel captures the hand toying with his belt loop before his mind goes too foggy for him to finish his cereal, and pins it down on his knee. A satisfied smile slips out around his spoon.
Saïx leans in and presses lips to the corner of Axel's mouth. His breath smells like coffee grinds and his hair like lavender. "Thank you, by the way."
Axel removes the spoon from his mouth and returns the favor. He does not smell like coffee and lavender, but fuck it. Saïx has never minded. "Good luck today, baby."