#it good

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Yuzuru’s tie was loose again.

It was something Tsukuyomi couldn’t quite ignore, despite his best attempts. Yuzuru kept fidgeting with it, the movement of his hand naturally drawing Tsukuyomi’s gaze and tempting his stare to linger - the rumpled collar and the hollow of Yuzuru’s throat peeking just above that lopsided tie. Yuzuru, meanwhile, was oblivious, his brow furrowed as he scanned through his short flashcards with an intensity that implied this whole situation was a matter of life or death.

For an ambitious honour student, it probably was. Coming to the end of his school years, Yuzuru was steadily being buried underneath the various examinations and last ditch demonstration of his skills in extracurricular activities before the rest of his academic life was locked into one path. Personally, Tsukuyomi was surprised Yuzuru was entertaining the idea of attending university while juggling his devil summoner duties and caretaking for his younger sister, but if anyone could manage that chaotic lifestyle and excel, it was Yuzuru.

And of course, Tsukuyomi was more than happy to lend whatever aid he could to facilitate that future Yuzuru desired, even if that aid was simply providing a quiet space for Yuzuru to sit and study or prepare with an air of focused anxiety. Tsukuyomi’s office within Bethel HQ was modest, but he allowed himself the amenity of a sofa squashed between two filing cabinets for the nights where he rewarded himself with a thirty minute catnap. That was where Yuzuru was seated now, while Tsukuyomi sat at his desk ploughing through his never-ending administrative tasks: both as Bethel Japan’s director and the Prime Minister…

No one bothered him here unless it was an emergency, which meant Yuzuru was unbothered, and they both enjoyed silent companionship over needless small talk when they had other pressing matters to attend to. Tsukuyomi should be just as focused on his own work as Yuzuru was on his, but…

Yuzuru fidgeted with his tie again. Tsukuyomi’s gaze flickered from the paperwork he had been not-reading for the last ten minutes to Yuzuru’s throat.

But it seemed not even Tsukuyomi was wholly immune to, well… idle thoughts.

Tsukuyomi contemplated himself for a moment and briefly checked his watch. If he recalled correctly, and he likely did, then Yuzuru only had fifteen minutes at most before he had to leave for this event he was quietly stressing over. While Yuzuru had been immaculately dressed when arriving, his appearance was more than rumpled by now - a good presentation was vital for success in Japanese society, and Tsukuyomi wanted Yuzuru to succeed.

“Yuzuru,” he said, coming to a decision. He set his pen down and pushed his chair back a fraction, but didn’t stand. Past his stacks of paperwork, he saw Yuzuru’s head jolt upwards, knocked out of whatever focused tunnel vision of memorisation he’d been trapped in. His hair was sticking up slightly on one side from where he’d been running his hand through it.

“Yes, sir?” Yuzuru asked.

“Come here.”

Yuzuru blinked, long, dark eyelashes fluttering and drawing attention to the vibrant silver of his eyes - not even the lenses of his glasses dulled their vividness. But he obediently rose from the sofa, tucking the flash cards into his pocket as he walked over to Tsukuyomi’s desk - and stopped in front of it.

“I meant here,” Tsukuyomi said, tapping the desk for emphasis. He felt a fission of amusement when Yuzuru immediately turned pink. “Beside me. Your tie needs doing.”

Here, Yuzuru hesitated.

It was still new, this partnership of theirs, where Yuzuru struggled to overstep the boundary of superior and subordinate, his eyes unable to hide the flash of calculation as he assessed and reassessed the situation before committing to a decision. Tsukuyomi understood. Yuzuru didn’t have an easy life, and the scars he bore didn’t come from demons alone. As much as Yuzuru deferred to authority, he was wary of it as well.

Tsukuyomi was patient, and for his Knowledge he was exceptionally patient. He waited, keeping his expression mild and his posture relaxed, holding Yuzuru’s gaze as his Knowledge shifted from weight from side to side before wordlessly rounding the desk.

“Sorry, sir,” Yuzuru said when he stopped in front of his chair, his posture stiff as Tsukuyomi began trying to fix the mess he made of his tie. “I should’ve noticed it was bothering you.”

“I’m not bothered,” Tsukuyomi semi-lied.

It had been bothering him, but not for the reasons Yuzuru assumed. He tried straightening out the tie, but frowned when it didn’t move as it should… and let out a quiet tsk when he realised that it hadn’t been done correctly in the first place. This tie-knot was more like an ambitious tangle…

“Sorry,” Yuzuru mumbled again as Tsukuyomi began the surprisingly difficult task in untangling it. “I don’t wear ties often so I keep forgetting how to do the knot.”

“I can tell,” Tsukuyomi said drily. “Well, it’s to be expected. If you were never properly shown how…”

With a bit of a tug, Yuzuru’s tie spilled undone, and Tsukuyomi paused, finding himself abruptly confronted with Yuzuru’s partially open collar, framed by the undone tie, unable to look anywhere but his Knowledge’s very vulnerable throat.