ALPHABET

T-Z

Tie

Akihito picked at the edge of his suit's collar for the third time in less than two minutes, before turning to the mirror and grimacing.

What was supposed to look like a well presented Windsor knot resembled a bowtie instead.

Grunting under his breath, the young man resumed his ongoing fight with the tie's straps, anxiously glancing at his wristwatch in the process.

He only had another thirty minutes before Takato would stop by so that they could ride together to Kou's wedding.

The way the fight was playing out though, made Akihito fear that he might still be trying to tie the damn knot as the bride and groom walked down the aisle.

"You don't know how to tie a tie?" Came an amused voice from behind him.

Awesome! Just what Akihito needed; to be made fun of by Mr. Know-it-all Asami Ryuuichi.

"Go away. I'm just experimenting different types of knots." He said, not taking his eyes away from his reflection in the mirror.

Asami's subsequent chuckle proved he wasn't buying into the story though. "You don't look like you're 'experimenting'."

"Well, excuse my ignorance, will ya? Not everyone wears suits on a daily basis like you."

The older man watched Akihito unsuccessfully struggle with the tie's straps some more, until he finally seemed to lose his patience.

"You'll be at it until tomorrow. Here, I'll teach you how to do it, you brat." Asami said, while approaching Akihito from behind and pushing his clumsy hands away from the tie.

"You cross the wide end over the narrow one and bring it up thru the loop. Then you bring the wide end down and around the narrow end up on your right. Got it?" He asked, looking at Akihito thru the mirror's reflection.

"Huh... Yeah, I guess." Akihito mumbled, feeling awkwardly conscious of Asami's proximity all of a sudden.

"Then you turn and pass the wide end thru the loop and across the narrow end and you slip it down thru the knot in the front. You tighten it up and draw it in closer to your collar. There, it's done. Easy. Even a brat like you is able to do it." Asami finished, ruffling Akihito's hair in a mockingly patronizing gesture.

"Hey you..." The young man complained, freeing himself from his grasp. "Why are you smiling anyway?" He asked, noticing the amused grin on the older man's lips as he scanned him up and down with his eyes.

"Nothing." Asami shrugged unconcerned, though the grin remained on his lips. "...You don't look bad in a suit."

The compliment caught Akihito off guard, making him blush slightly despite himself.

"Huh...Thanks...I guess."

"...You don't look bad at all." Asami added, just before he unexpectedly shortened the distance between them and planted a kiss on Akihito's lips.

It was when the young man felt his tie's knot being pulled apart that he started fighting against Asami's hold.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Asami!"

"Keep quiet." The older man said as he started to unbutton Akihito's shirt.

"Are you crazy? ! My friend is coming to pick me up in less than 30 minutes."

"Which gives us just enough time. Now help me out here. Take off your pants."

"Asami! !"

The older man sighed, looking at Akihito with a resolved expression. "Ok fine, I promise I'll tie the damn knot for you again afterwards. Don't worry about it."