Axel steps out of Hot Topic with a guilty conscience and a pleased smile that he cannot quite contain.

"Let It Snow" ironically graces the island mall's speakers overhead, as he traces the familiar path over to Claire's. He finds himself caught up in the surge of people mid-morning brings to their two story, air-conditioned corner of paradise. Locals and tourists alike beginning their holiday shopping clad in pompom hats and red and green Hawaiian shirts. Above their spirited chatter, Axel can already hear the staccato grumble of Vanitas giving Roxas shit back in Hot Topic.

Dumbass is going to have to cut that out quick if he wants to get Aqua her job back.

Axel hammers a few more exclamation points into the 'hurry up' message he's composing before firing it off to Demyx.

Axel would have liked to stay with Roxas and Vanitas himself, but his own shift has already begun, and the children of Claire's can't pierce their own ears. Or so Marluxia tells him. And he needs to play nice with Marly today, for Saïx's sake.

Anyway, it's Dem's day off, and Xigbar can only take so many of his distractions at the tattoo parlor before he starts barking like his German Shepherd. So Dem'd jumped at the chance to come in and continue wooing another potential Organization member. Never mind that the band already has a singer...

And that would turn off Vanitas to the conversation, for sure. No way was he getting caught in Demyx's web of rehearsals, demos, and shameless merch promotion. No way in hell.

Roxas can probably hold his own until then. Vanitas might wind up in a neck brace, but it's a sacrifice Axel is willing to make.

And it'd be Aqua's fault, really, for getting a little too into her part and storming out instead of babysitting Hot Topic's newest rivals for him.

God. Saïx is going to throw a bitch fit if he finds out about any of this.

And Axel figures his introverted boyfriend is already going to be in a rare state from his long day of meetings, margs, and sucking up.

Of course, Axel will have to tell him something.

He just might have to temper it first. Nothing will be too over the top tonight. He's thinking red wine, candles, massage oil, bubble bath…

Then Saïx can just drown me.

Axel snickers to himself and then laughs outright, recalling Roxas' flat out refusal to believe that Saïx would date him. A soccer mom trips over her Adidas slides at Axel's sudden outburst, and, used to being stared at, Axel winks at her—which does not help her catch her footing—before ducking into Claire's.

Axel's smirk finds its way back out as he surveys the moderately busy store. Everything smells like spilt sugar plum perfume. One cluster of small fries gathers around the metallic green and red tinsel hair accessories and another around the tourist faves—cowrie shell bracelets, puka shell necklaces, silver starfish shaped earrings—all strategically located near the entrance. Axel weaves easily between them, too absorbed to notice the lanky, red-headed freak in their midst, and sidles up to the side of the register, where an athletic blonde woman with a pixie cut is finishing up a sales transaction.

"Larxene, you light up my world like nobody else," Axel croons to his coworker, overtop the One Direction lyrics floating through the speakers. "The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed!"

He leans fairly close to her ear, his arms crossing on the counter, but she ignores him in favor of straightening a stack of coupons, a scowl forming across glossy pink lips. "You're late," she says.

A dry sound escapes his throat. "Missed you too."

Larxene puts in beaucoup hours at both Claire's and Hot Topic to pay for her apartment fees and architecture courses, and, therefore, Axel sees entirely too much of her, and vice versa.

She replaces the 15% off stack atop the cash drawer and checks for anyone else in line before turning around and leaning back to speak to him. "I was hoping you weren't coming." Her smile is not charming, but he returns it with vigor.

"Sometimes life disappoints us."

Her smirk twists, and an eyebrow rises. "That why you look like shit today?"

"Hm?" Axel glances toward one of the thousand mirrors atop their neat white accessory displays and sights his swept back, unstyled hair, the shock of golden freckles sprinkling his nose, the foreign, childlike quality of his eyes without their cat eye liner.

He'd almost forgotten. Saïx, Xigbar, Roxas…Why hadn't they said anything about it?

Xigbar'd told him once he prefers his men without makeup. But of course now he's dating Demyx and his glitter bronzer loving ass, so what the fuck does he know. Saïx has seen him with and without and everything in between and would never have said anything. Vanitas and Aqua had been a smidge distracted what with his threats to fire them and all. But Roxas…

Huh. Curiouser and curiouser.

"Saïx monopolized the bathroom this morning," Axel tells Larxene with a playful touch of bitterness.

"Taste of your own medicine, hm?" teases a voice, approaching from his other side.

Axel doesn't need to look up to recognize his manager—Saïx's closest friend.

An arm inked with a familiar black, brown, and forest green pattern of vines, leaves, and thorns wraps Axel's shoulders and gives a brief squeeze. Axel raises a hand to press Marly's wrist, turning and narrowing his eyes at him skeptically.

"Hello, Marluxia."

"You look good," Marly insists in his easy, confident way, stepping back to observe him. "Natural beauty."

They are all acutely aware he is only saying this because Axel is not breaking as much of the dress code as usual.

"Don't listen to him," Larxene cuts in, tapping Axel's chin. "You look like shit."

Axel raises his hands defensively to either side, eyelids shutting them out, "There's this hoity-toity Hot Topic management conference today. I am a good boyfriend and let Sai primp for an extra hour."

"And Axel spent the extra time squeezing into those pants," Larxene quips to her boss, pinching the tight gold denim in question, opposite hand propped on her hip.

"Unquestionably." Marluxia smirks, eyes flitting through the store to ensure he's not neglecting his head managerly duties.

Axel balks, shooing away Larxene's loose grip on his thigh. "You don't like the pants?"

"No," both say in unison, horrified, wide eyes back on Axel and the outfit in question. "We're obsessed with the pants," Larxene corrects quickly on both of their behalves. "It's your face that's the problem."

Marluxia chuckles despite his earlier disagreement, as Axel's arms cross, and he steps off in the direction of his piercing station.

"Boss," he growls, "I'd like to report one of my coworkers for unsportsmanlike conduct."

Larxene pauses in rooting through a fringed black pleather handbag to stick her tongue out at him, flashing the lime green plastic of the tongue piercing he'd done for her. "Then maybe you should go work at Dick's."

"I hope you mean Dick's Sporting Goods," Axel raps his knuckles against the top of her head, grinning thinly.

"Either way," she interrupts, smirking up from her handbag, from which she's produced a tube of liquid eyeliner.

Axel opens his palm for it with a sheepish smile. "You're an absolute darling, you know."

"Fuck yourself," she snipes pleasantly, but releases the tube into his palm. He snatches and pockets it hastily, lest she change her mind.

"Children. Please," Marluxia's hand raises to rub his forehead beneath his neat bubblegum pink bangs. "You primadonnas are making me miss my old job managing White Castle." Marluxia's elegant nose crinkles as if he can still smell the burger place's unique onion stench. "If I'd had to manage both their incompetence and your drama, I think I would have taken an early grave."

Axel rubs at the back of his neck and chuckles good-naturedly, and Larxene scowls and elbows him in the ribs.

Marly winces at this interaction and rolls his eyes. His throat clears with a neat little cough. "Regardless, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you both while I have you here. First and foremost, we are running our flower crown promo through this weekend. You are encouraged to wear a crown to advertise the sale and may take one from the display or bring one from home if you like."

Marly straightens the ring of red roses crowning the shoulder length, sharply layered pink hair he's undone from his usual ponytail.

Axel's lips tip up just as Larxene's tip down.

"I'll do it if she does."

"Asshole."

For a moment, Larxene's glare could set off a smoke alarm, but noting Marly's noble attempt to cover a groan with his hand, her expression softens. Larxene sighs. "Fine. I'll do it for you, Marly."

"And the children," Axel prompts with an alligator smile, eyes following a trio currently knocking over Naminé's elaborate pyramid of bug-eyed Beanie Boos. "Do it for the sweet little children."

"Sure, yeah, whatever," she flicks her wrist toward another group of their miniature customers, pulling down a shelf of earrings whole, "and the bratty little children."

Axel snorts, though he knows deep down she doesn't mean it. Larxene enjoys seeing little kids smile over stupid little cute things and helping preteens accessorize for their first dates. She would just stab him with a stiletto heel for saying so.

"And another thing," Marly continues, loudly enough to pause their squabble, and ushers them toward the back of the store. They pause near the wall length, color-coded flower crown display, where conversations are less likely to be overheard and customer complaint surveys less likely to be filed. "We need to discuss your timeliness."

Axel blanches and then wonders why Larxene does too.

"Larxene, I know that you picked up Kairi's shift at the last minute," Marly begins, sweeping a few strands of hair behind his ear and pretending not to notice Axel's shoulder jutting into hers.

"And Axel, I'm aware that Saïx asked you to check up on Hot Topic in his absence."

Axel nods and tries not to scowl at the reminder.

"Ordinarily, as you know, I'm happy to let these things slide," Marly continues, folding his hands in front of him above his short violet half-apron.

"And we appreciate it Marly—" Axel puts in, though it doesn't stop the man's expression from growing steelier, and there's a reason he gets on so well with Saïx.

"However," Marly interrupts, "with the holiday season upon us and new recruits starting out, I'm going to need you, my more experienced warriors to lead the charge." He gives each of them a measured look and nods with approval at their attentiveness. "I hope I can count on you."

"Of course, boss," Axel purrs easily, patting the man's bicep.

Larxene crosses her arms and nods as well. "Anything you need."

"Good," Marly's smile grows jagged fangs, "because in Kairi's absence, I'll need one of you to train our new employee later today."

Larxene groans loud enough that a passing service dog yips back. "Anything but that," she corrects.

Marluxia laughs a villainous sort of laugh, before he walks off to take over ringing on the register, waving his fingers at them like a noble might a peasant. "Work it out, darlings."

Axel and Larxene duck into the narrow lavender painted staff lounge, mid-argument. He heads for the time clock, while she props herself up on her knees on the sleek, black sofa that feels much like a slab of stone in an old timey prison, to try on flower crowns in the mirror above it.

"I'm not training another Kairi clone," she repeats.

"Naminé and Kairi have completely different personalities," Axel interjects readily, having had this conversation, regarding Marluxia's interest in hiring doppelgängers, more than once already.

"Then you train Kairi 3.0."

The first crown has golden leaves that stick up from Larxene's head like horns, and she swaps it out for another with black and purple blossoms and silver stems. She seems to prefer that. He has to admit it's striking with her skinny black jeggings and slinky white camisole.

"I'm happy to train Kairi 3.0." Axel shrugs turning around as he ties off his Claire's apron. She beckons him forward and he bows his head so that she can crown him with a ring of ocean blue and seafoam white blooms.

"What," her hand near slips, setting the flower crown slightly askew, "seriously?"

"Well, I wouldn't want to subject anyone to you." Axel joins her, kneeling on the couch to get at the mirror. Shifting her eyeliner from his pocket, he begins tracing a lid as she readjusts his crown. "But if she doesn't want to pierce ears, sweetie, you don't have much of a choice."

She tugs the crown half off, down below his ear, and smacks him with it. The line above his eye smudges hopelessly.

Glancing back at the mirror, he frowns at the flowers tangled in his hair, scoffs at his single charcoal raccoon eye, and abruptly starts to laugh. Larxene joins in, clapping him on the shoulder. "You suck," she says, "do you know that?"

"I know," he says after a minute, tugging at the crown and further upsetting his hair, "just help me fix this."

"Fine," she pushes him by the shoulder down onto his ass, and loosens his ponytail, wrapping the band around her wrist, "but I want to hear the latest Hot Topic drama."

"Drama?" His shoulders stiffen though he attempts to hide it as he combs fingers through his hair. "No drama. When has there ever been drama?"

"You were 15 minutes late, dumbass." She lifts the flowers and tugs harshly at a snarl. "Tell me the drama."

Axel hisses, hands raising in attempt to stop her. She removes the crown entirely and gently smooths back his auburn locks. He lowers his hands. "Alright, alright, gees." He exhales and his hands fold neatly in his lap. "His name is Roxas."