Chapter Text
21, 22, 23 . . .
The 20 year old male counted in his head as the elevator he was in ascended the skyscraper in midtown Manhattan.
39, 40, 41 . . .
Shifting slightly, he straightened the navy tie and his light gray suit in hopes of looking more professional when he stepped out of the upward moving vehicle. The elevator finally stopped on the 49th floor of the building with a loud ding as the doors opened into a small lobby. Alright, let's do this. Ciel Phantomhive thought while clutching his soft briefcase and striding out into the reception area of Funtom Private Equity.
Pushing open the double glass doors, he walked up to a young blonde male sitting at a desk busy answering incoming calls, not noticing that someone had arrived. "FPE, please hold." The receptionist cheerfully sang into his headset before transferring the call to wherever it needed to go.
Standing over the desk, Ciel cleared his throat in an attempt to get the blonde's attention. The receptionist's head snapped up and a slight blush crossed his pale cheeks. "Oh, Hi!" The receptionist chirped, standing up, "I mean, welcome to FPE. How can I help you?" He extended his hand to Ciel who took it and gave it a firm handshake.
"I'm supposed to start here today." Ciel said slowly, grinning, not wanting to sound like an ass for pointing out the obvious. "The agency sent me over and told me 9 am sharp."
"Oh yeah, yeah!" The receptionist nodded eagerly, "We were expecting you. And it's great that you're here cause we can use all the help we can get! I'm Finny, by the way. Gatekeeper to all who work here and receptionist extraordinaire!" The blonde cheerfully smiled widely.
Weird. I thought all New Yorkers were supposed to be uptight assholes. Ciel smiled back at the blonde in response to his enthusiastic attitude. "Soooo," looking around cautiously, "I was told that I should ask for a Mrs. Rin when I got here?"
"That would be correct, Mr. Phantomhive." Stated a mauve haired woman in thick glasses that just appeared from a hallway next to the reception area. She wore her hair in a bun and was dressed in a white blouse, charcoal A-line skirt and black heels. Extending her hand, "And please, just call me by my first name, Mey." Smiling warmly, Ciel accepted the gesture and shook the outstretched hand, "If you don't mind, just follow me." The office manager motioned for Ciel to come with her back down the hallway.
Ciel matched his pace with the woman and looked around at the office curiously. There was a small kitchen in the hallway that also seemed to be home to a large Xerox machine. "Break room and copier area," Mey informed when she saw him looking. Ciel blushed slightly at being caught investigating his new surroundings.
They continued their walk past a small office on the left, "Bard's office." She nodded in the general direction, "You will meet him later. He is currently out of the office doing hedge fund compliance to a deal we have going through at the moment." Ciel nodded again, trying to looking like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "My office." Shee motioned to a similar looking office on the right.
They turned a corner into what looked like another reception area with a desk that sat right outside another large office, however that was the only thing the space had in common with the previous reception area.
All the walls were floor to ceiling glass with the most amazing views of Central Park. There was a black leather couch directly across from the desk with a glass coffee table in between it and matching black leather chairs. "And this is your desk," she motioned for the male to have a seat at the desk in front of the large office, smiling.
Ciel walked around her and placed his bag on the floor next to his filing cabinet and leaned forward to switch on his monitor. Maybe that whole rumor about New Yorkers being jerks is really just a myth, he mused. Looking up at Mey, "So, when do I meet my boss?" He sat back as the computer booted up.
Looking thoughtful, Mey placed her index finger on her chin, "In a bit, he is on a call at the moment, I believe." She looked down at the phone on the desk with lights lit up on it. "Tell me, Ciel, what do you know about FPE?"
Leaning back a bit in the chair and running his fingers through his slate colored hair, "Well, Funtom Private Equity is currently one of the fastest growing private equity firms. They originated in London and have offices in LA and Abu Dabai, but have only opened the NY office this past year. My guess is that the NY office is being established to be largest office next to the original office into order to gain a larger foothold into the market in the US. Because, let's face it, if you don't have ground in NYC then you really can't compete with the big boys." Satisfied with his answer, Ciel continued to lean back and waited for a response.
Mey nodded her head a bit in agreement and then broke into a wide smile. "I think you will be just fine here, Ciel. The agency did good this time. I read in your resume that you graduated at the top of your class in finance at Seton Hill with a full academic scholarship and 2 years early to boot. Impressive." Glancing back down to the phone, she noticed the lights were no longer blinking, "You ready to meet your new boss?"
Ciel nodded and stood, readjusting his tie and smoothing his jacket again. He was nervous and he hoped it didn't show. He followed the woman to the heavy oak door with a plaque on it that read "S. Michaelis, Vice President". She rapped on it lightly with the back of her knuckles, leaning her ear near the door to hear a response.
"Enter." Sounded through the door in a deep voice. Mey smiled, nodded at the nervous young man and gripped the door knob to swing it open.
The two stepped into the large office. Ciel took a moment to take in the surroundings; he had never been in a VP's office before. Another set of black leather furniture sat in the corner on top of a fuzzy cream colored rug and over half the room was just floor to ceiling windows like the reception area. All the other furniture was dark mahogany, from the bookshelves behind them to the large desk in the middle where dark head was bent over intently looking at some papers while tapping a pen like a metronome on a leather mouse pad next to a computer. The man with onyx colored hair paid no attention to the two who he had just allowed entrance into his inner sanctum.
Clearing her throat, Mey attempted to get her boss's attention. "Mr. Michaelis?" He continued reading, not looking up. She placed a hand on Ciel's lower back, forcing him to step forward a bit more, "This is your new assistant. Ciel Phantomhive." She smiled brightly and motioned for the young make to say something.
Ciel swallowed hard, trying to find his voice, "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Michaelis. I hope to learn . ." Ciel was cut off at the man dropped his pen and raised up a large hand in what looked like the sign to halt.
Not looking away from the paperwork, "Is this what the agency sent us?" The question directed at the office manager. "I thought we weren't using them anymore since the last one they sent was some Ivy League idiot that wasn't worth the paper it wiped its ass with." Mey's jaw dropped and she just looked at Ciel, a loss for words. The silence continued on for what seemed like forever until Ciel decided it was time to end it.
"Sir," the male stepped forward again, "I didn't go to an Ivy League school." Ciel clenched his fists at his sides trying desperately to appear relaxed and not as nervous as he actually felt. The statement caused the VP to put down his papers for a moment. He sighed and lifted his head to see who was talking to him and taking up his precious time. Ciel gulped a bit as he stared into the crimson irises of the powerful man.
The VP sat back in his leather executive chair, crossing an ankle over his knee and lacing his long pale fingers through each other. "Oh really." He arched an eyebrow. "So to what third rate hack job school did you come from then?"
Swallowing hard again, Ceil began "Seton Hill. I graduated at the top of my class in finance and . . ."
The VP interrupted, "Seton Hill? What? You couldn't get into Harvard or Yale?" He raised his eyebrow again with skepticism. "Or Mommy and Daddy couldn't afford to buy entrance for their trust fund baby into a better university?" The corner of his thin lips turning upward slightly, he seemed to enjoy the young man's discomfort during this interrogation.
Taking a deep breath, "I had a full academic scholarship to Seton Hill." Ciel was trying his best to keep his voice level, the conversation was starting to make him very angry, "I couldn't afford to go somewhere else even though I did get accepted to Harvard and Yale. And, no, I am not a trust fund baby; single mothers who work for the state don't make that much." The young man lifted his chin up and stared the VP straight in the eye. He was not going to let this man, no matter how important he was to his career, disrespect the mother who had done everything she could to push her son forward in life while his father disappeared only a few months after he had been born.
The VP nodded slowly, "Well then." Leaning forward and placing his laced fingers on the desk, never breaking the defiant stare of his new assistant. "All companies welcome a charity case. It's good for business. Makes us seem more human." He watched as the color rise in his assistant's face and mouth pop open in shock and then quickly, thinking better, snapping it shut. The VP smirked slightly at the sight.
Picking up the paperwork on his desk and resuming his reading, "Mey, please take him to your office and have him fill out all the necessary HR forms. Show him how to use everything as I expect him to be up to speed on the procedures of this office by tomorrow morning." Motioning with his hand that the two were dismissed, the office manager guided the new assistant towards the door. "I will be leaving in 15 minutes to have a meeting with Mr. Mayer at Barclays and will not be back today. Take messages and email them to me." Still not looking up, the VP continued reading even as the door closed and clicked into place leaving him alone and his new assistant fuming on the other side of the door.
Running up the stoop of his building, he slipped a key into the lock and then proceeded up three flights of stairs until he arrived at 3B. Using yet another key, Ciel unlocked the door and stepped into his 1 and a half bedroom apartment. It was small and the rent was atrociously high, but he was in New York City, the place where people came to follow their dreams and carve out their fortunes, and nothing else could have made Ciel any happier.
Making his way across the small living/dining room/kitchen, he passed his roommate's bedroom on the right, then the bathroom and finally walked into his half bedroom. Dumping his soft briefcase on the bed, he turned around to close the curtain that separated his "bedroom" from the living area.
It was really more of a den than anything else, but they had managed to make it work and Ciel didn't mind the lack of privacy of not having a door. Besides, he was rooming in NYC with his best friend from college, what could have been better?
Sighing, Ciel walked over to a pile of clothes and took off his suit, making sure it was hung up properly before changing into a white undershirt and a pair of black sweat pants. He walked into the bathroom to splash some water on his face. In the process, he took in the reflection in the mirror.
Ciel was attractive, that wasn't really he ever had much doubt about. His slate colored hair was parted on the side and fell smoothly down to his cheekbones and brushed over his ears. Large blue eyes shone brightly from his face and contrasted with pale skin and plump lips that complemented the rest of his features. He was handsome, but more than that, he was beautiful.
The girls had always giggled about how cute he was, which Ciel took in stride since being "cute" never hurt him in the date department. The young man stood about 5,8", slender build, not skinny, but didn't look like he spent all day at the gym either. Cocking his head to the side, Ciel's attention refocused when he heard the apartment front door unlock and swing open.
"Oh Ciel, honey, I'm home!" The voice sang out through the living area. Ciel chuckled as he turned around and headed out to greet his roommate.
"Alois, I thought you were working tonight at Vlada." Smiling at his roomie, Ciel walked over to the ragged couch and flopped down. Alois continued to dance around the room, obviously drunk or high or a combination of the two.
"Nope, nope," Alois sang again, "I don't work there anymore, I quit." The blonde hopped over to the couch and sat on the arm rest. Running his fingerless gloved hand down Ciel's arm, "The manager there was a total bitch. Do you know that he wanted me to suck his cock to get the night of the play off in two weeks?" Alois shoved Ciel slightly and then straightened himself up on the armrest.
Eyebrows lifted and grinning, "So what was the problem?" Ciel asked. "All you would have to do is give him some head and you would have gotten what you wanted. It's not like you haven't used sex to get your way before." Alois shot him a dirty and horrified look.
"Ciel Phantomhive! I am not some cheap whore that will sleep with whoever asks me for my favors." Leaning down, Alois pressed his palms on Ciel's thighs so they were face to face, "But I am a whore who will fuck whoever's large cock amuses me." The blonde then quickly stuck his tongue out to take lick at Ciel's nose before jumping back and laughing.
"That was disgusting, Alois!" Ciel moaned as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "If you're going to do that the least you can do is get me beer." Alois giggled some more while he went to the small fridge to retrieve two Coronas. Handing one to Ciel, he sat on the floor cross legged in front of him.
"Well, you now know how my day went, how was yours, big executive man?" Alois took a large swig before looking back at his roomie.
Ciel sighed, "Oh my God, Alois, it was terrible. The VP is an absolute asshole. And I mean a real God complex asshole. Do you know that he referred to his last assistant as an "it" while I was there?" He looked up to gauge the expression on Alois's face. "And then he called me a charity case when he found out I went to school on a scholarship. Can you fucking believe that?"
Alois stared at Ciel, dumbstruck, "That prick! You should have just walked out then and there, man. Fucking asshole, calling you a charity case. He doesn't know anything about you." The blonde huffed and sat back a bit shaking his head. "Fucking dick."
"Yeah, well." Ciel muttered, peeling the label off the beer bottle, "It doesn't matter because I need this job. It's my foot in the door into the finance world, although I never thought I would be just an assistant when I graduated." He sighed again when he thought about the situation he was currently in.
Alois jumped to his feet, "Well, then quit and go fucking somewhere else. They don't deserve your talents if they can't appreciate you." The blonde crossed his arms over his chest looking satisfied with his screw-the-man attitude.
"As much as I would like to, I can't." Ciel conceded, "It took me 3 months just to get an interview from the staffing agency for any financial firm. Fucking recession." He pounded his bottle down on the coffee table, irritated, "If I had graduated only five years ago I would have been hired as an assistant portfolio manager at any other firm, but now, this is all I could get." Ciel muttered bitterly, his eyes never leaving the bottle.
Alois walked over and sat down next to his friend. Placing arm around his shoulders, "Hey, man, it's the first step." He consoled, "I mean, look at me. One day I will be a famous star on Broadway, but right now, I'm working at gay bars and quitting because I don't want to blow my boss." Ciel cracked a smile and looked at his friend who was wearing a huge grin.
"Get off me, fag." Ciel gently shoved Alois off of him, laughing. "You look like a gay hooker in that outfit." Alois stood up, a feigned look of shock on his face as he looked himself up and down. He was wearing tight black vinyl pants that hung low on his hips and black Doc Martens. On the top all he had one was tight black sleeveless vest and elbow length fingerless black fishnet gloves.
"I will have you know, Phantomhive, that only respectable hookers where this quality of vinyl pants." Alois tried to give his friend a serious glare, but they both ended up laughing at each other. Alois made his way towards the bathroom where he left the door slightly ajar so the conversation could continue. "I'm going to get ready to go out." He called from the bathroom. "So, when is Elizabeth coming to see you?"
Picking his beer and taking a swig, "Uh, I think around Thanksgiving. She has a break from med school then." Ciel slumped down and thought about his girlfriend of the past two years and smiled as he recalled her sweet laugh and bubbly personality. He had met her the first week in college while he was a Freshman/Sophomore and she was Junior and even though he was younger than her, they hit it off and had been together ever since. She had gone to med school in Pennsylvania and had promised to visit him as soon as she had a chance.
Under the shower, Alois hollered out, "So, no fucking for you until then? Man, what are you trying to do? Turn yourself into a monk?" Ciel got up and made his way over to the bathroom door and leaned against the wall outside next to it.
"No, Alois. I'm not going to fuck around on Elizabeth. And we don't fuck, what we have is special." Ciel smiled to himself again as he thought about the first time he and Elizabeth had been intimate. It had been, well, it had been nice, that was the only way Ciel could describe it.
The sound of running water stopped and Alois stepped out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist. He was a bit taller than Ciel, but only by an inch or two, he was also two years older since unlike his genius roommate, it took him four years to graduate instead of two. The blonde ran his fingers through his soaked locks and started walking into his bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar again.
"Oh don't get all emotional and mushy on me again about how fucking your girlfriend is so magical and beautiful." He groaned from his room. Ciel smirked when he heard the disgust in his friend's voice. "You know what your problem is, Ciel?"
Ciel walked over to stand in front of the door, an amused expression in his face, "No, but I bet you're going to tell me." Alois stepped out of his room in another racy outfit. This time a tight white wife beater and red leather pants that seemed to only be supported by the studded leather belt on his slender hips and the same Doc Martens from before.
Walking up to his friend and poking him in the chest, "You're suffering from FFS." He spoke with all seriousness as Ciel attempted smirked.
"Ok," a chuckle escaping, "and what pray tell is FFS?" Ciel had to cover his mouth with his hand as he felt the need to laugh beginning to take over his body. Alois just looked so ridiculous when he was trying to be serious, especially in that outfit.
"First Fuck Syndrome." Alois whispered as if it were some top secret thing. "You think you're in love with her because she is the only other person to ever touch your penis." The blonde nodded in agreement with his statement. Ciel just couldn't take it any longer and doubled over laughing so hard that he almost started crying. He made his way back over to the couch again where he flopped himself onto his back, laughing even harder.
"It's not funny, Ciel," Alois stood next to his friend, hands on his hips, pouting. "That sickness will keep your dick from exploring greener pastures and keep you from experiencing new and exciting things." Ciel calmed himself down enough to look up at his friend and tried to subdue the giggles still erupting from his throat.
"Thank you so much for your concern," gasping for breath, "but I think I will be ok, Alois, with just the one person touching my penis besides me." Alois rolled his eyes and turned around towards the door.
"I'm going out. Unlike some people here, I need to get some loving tonight." Opening the front door, Alois looked back at Ciel. "And you had better get some sleep, Mister Bigshot. You've got another big day ahead of you in corporate America."
The blonde giggled and shut the door behind him. Ciel froze at the statement, his jovial mood gone all of sudden. Shit, Ciel grumbled, he's right.