The Great Wall

by Z. Allora

  Indigo tossed his chopsticks down in disgust. “This is, like, the worst fashion show ever!”

  Li put a hand over his mouth to stop his laughter and muttered, “Behave.”

  Indigo demanded, “Seriously, someone call the fashion police because that dress is a crime and it needs to be reported.”

  Tai-hua chortled, then drank some more until the groom came over, completely out–of-his-mind drunk, having left his bride across the room. “Tai-tai.”

  “Don’t call me that. Ever.” Tai-hua snarled.

  “I want you to know I will always love you.” The drunken groom focused on Tai-hua, but he kept peering around to make sure no one overheard him. “As soon as I make a baby, we can be together again.”

  Styx inhaled at the crass suggestion.

  “Tai-tai, really, you’re the only one for me. But you understood I had to marry. You always knew….” The groom said it as if that should make Tai-hua’s hurt and betrayal disappear like all the alcohol the jackass had consumed.

  Li stepped between his uncle and the traitorous lover and suggested, “Let’s get some air, Uncle.”

  “Sure.” Tai-hua grabbed his half bottle of whiskey, and not sparing the groom a second glance, he allowed Li to guide him out of the party.

  “You’re a big fucking asshole, dude.” Indigo made sure to nail the groom in the shoulder as he passed. The contact was enough to send the drunken man sprawling to the floor.

  The groom laughed as if it was nothing, but Styx caught the raw pain in his eyes as he probably thought of his empty future. Styx didn’t fully understand Li’s uncle’s situation, but Tai-hua had too much self-respect to continue the previous relationship with this man.

  Glancing to his right, Styx found Jin biting his lip, hands clenched. Did Jin put himself into the role of Tai-hua, the cast-off lover who would only be offered seconds?

  Jin’s inability or unwillingness to meet his gaze was a knife in Styx’s heart.

  “I CAN hardly believe the fun isn’t over yet,” Indigo snapped as they waved down a taxi to go over to the bridegroom’s home, where the couple would be living with her parents for a few months.

  Since many people needed a cab, it was okay for the guys to lie all over each other to fit inside. Jin and Indigo sat on Styx’s and Li’s laps, while Jin’s uncle Bao-zhi sat crushed in the middle.

  Tai-hua sat in the front seat making caustic comments about the whole concept of marriage. “The whole institution is screwed up. One woman for one man… forever. How does that work?”

  “I know,” Indigo agreed. “How do you keep that kind of relationship from getting boring?”

  Watching Li’s face, Styx wondered how Indigo didn’t realize when to shut the hell up.

  But then Jin’s bottom bounced a little from a bump in the road, making him wiggle, and all Styx’s thoughts fled. His arms wrapped around Jin, and Styx pulled him closer than necessary. After all the emotional upheaval, Styx wanted to go back to the hotel. He craved a naked Jin in his arms but would take what he could get, and right now that meant getting a hard-on while Jin unknowingly gave him a lap dance.

  Jin grinned down at him. Well, maybe with full knowledge and not accidental.

  Styx pinched Jin’s pert little ass in an effort to stop the torment, but all that did was make Jin squirm more.

  His attention was drawn back to the conversation Indigo was having with Tai-hua. “That’s why an open relationship is the best. It allows both partners freedom to explore and no one feels trapped, making him want to break out of the relationship to be free.”

  Tai-hua frowned when he turned around. “If you’re truly in love, you are never trapped.” He sounded like he spoke from experience.

  Indigo shook his head and tried to explain. “But you don’t want the other person to get bored with you. You have to let them have other people.”

  “Where in hell did you learn that?” Tai-hua snorted as if he had the answer.

  Indigo didn’t say anything, because they had arrived at their destination and became busy untangling themselves and tugging free of the taxi.

  They hiked up to the eighth floor and walked into a very nice apartment. People were milling around near the alcohol and snack table.

  A woman twittered to her friend, “Oh, fun. They started the games already.”

  Indigo grimaced. “More games? I feel like I’m at a kid’s birthday party.”

  Styx snorted. “Can’t imagine kids playing this game but maybe in LA they might. See, the groom has to eat the apple hung on a string, but if he uses his hands, his friends beat him with the sticks they brought.”

  Indigo shrugged, not understanding. “So he shouldn’t use his hands.”

  Styx guessed once Indigo examined the thick sticks and canes his friends brought, the choice appeared easy. He finished telling Indigo the rules of the game. “But while he’s eating the apple, his friends can kiss his bride.”

  “Wow, this is seriously fucked-up in a sexual way… very rape-the-bride sort of thing.” Indigo turned to watch the groom eat the apple without his hands.

  His bride broke away from one of the groom’s sweaty friends. “Ew, use your hands! Please!”

  As soon as his hands touched the fruit, his friends beat him rather gleefully with the sticks. Some of the sticks were seven centimeters thick, and there was definitely going to be some bruising tomorrow.

  When the apple was finally down to its core, the game was complete. Indigo smirked over at Li. “Reminds me of that BDSM club we went to….”

  Li twisted away from him without even acknowledging his attempted stroll down memory lane. While Indigo tried to make it up to Li, Jin and Styx ambled over to the couple’s new bedroom to watch them play the next pointless game.

  They had to make pinyin letters and numbers with their bodies. Of course, the crowd demanded hard letters to make like Q, forcing the newly wedded couple into humiliating positions they’d probably never been in before.

  Jin whispered, “It really is a stupid tradition.”

  Styx didn’t know if Jin was referring to the game, the wedding, or maybe the concept of marrying someone you don’t love for the sake of your family. Anger and hopelessness slashed through him in equal measure.

  The game concluded on the letter B. Then Styx and Jin found the two uncles, Li, and Indigo sitting at a table. Indigo kicked out a chair for Styx and Li held out one for Jin.

  The groom stumbled over, reeking of alcohol and body odor. He wrapped an arm around Tai-hua in a friendly manner.

  Tai-hua stiffened and shrank away from him with a grimace. “Hands off me.”

  The groom might have once been handsome, but now he was repulsive. The jackass slurred a little, but was sober enough to know to lower his voice. “You never loved me.”

  “I could say the same to you,” Tai-hua snarled.

  The drunken groom glanced over at Indigo and tittered. “Hey, he looks exactly like that picture. You know, the one you carry in your wallet.”

  Tai-hua glared at him but remained silent.

  The groom’s laughter turned into giggles before he added, “It’s the same one you keep hidden in your desk.”

  Jin’s uncle Bao-zhi spoke up. “You’ve had a lot to drink. Why don’t you go get something to eat? You must be hungry.”

  The groom didn’t even spare Bao-zhi a glance. He slapped Tai on the back. “Ha! You thought I didn’t know. I did. I was never going to be more than a distant second….”

  “Why don’t you go find your wife?” Tai-hua’s suggestion was made through clenched teeth.

  The man continued to ramble, ignoring Tai-hua. “You never loved me the way you did him. Not ever.”

  Bao-zhi stood. “Don’t you think it’s time for you to go?”

  The groom surveyed all the guys at the table. “Not ever,” he repeated to himself. “I’m married. So what? We should all be married.” He slapped Tai-hua on the back one more time. “See you after the honeymoon, my friend.” />
  Tai-hua’s voice wasn’t heard over the loud hum of the crowd, but Styx heard him loud and clear. “Never again.”

  The party took on a bitter edge after that exchange. Tai-hua drank heavily. This time it wasn’t clear if he drank to forget or to remember. He started handing out more sage advice and not even Bao-zhi’s warnings stopped him.

  “Tai-hua, you’re drunk. Let me take you back to the hotel,” Bao-zhi pleaded.

  “No, Bao. I’m fine.” He slapped his friend on the back and turned toward Jin. “Jin. Jin, listen to me, Jin.”

  “Yes. I’m listening.” Jin leaned toward Tai-hua.

  “Good. Good. What was I going to say?” He glanced over at Indigo for a second and appeared confused before refocusing on Jin. “Right. Yes, Jin. He will break your heart in little baby bits. Don’t let him.”

  “What?” Jin asked, big gray eyes going wide.

  “I broke his heart…. He will break yours.” Tai-hua stopped his rant for a moment and searched the people around the table.

  Pointing to Styx, Tai-hua said, “Don’t do it. Stop it now. You’ll take the beautiful light out of his gray eyes forever. For what? Because you believe you’re supposed to. Let me tell you. They don’t care. The family won’t appreciate your big sacrifice.” He laughed sadly. “And you’ll never be happy. Not ever. Don’t make him unhappy too.”

  The groom wobbled over to the table. Bao-zhi cut him off but then got talked into helping the bride’s father back to their hotel. Before he left, Styx and the others assured him they’d get Li’s drunken uncle back to his hotel safely.

  It seemed like an easy task, but the reality was a little more difficult than any of them anticipated, especially with no cabs in sight.

  Styx and Jin were enlisted in the mission; thankfully the hotel was close by. Styx let Jin switch off with him in semicarrying Tai-hua.

  “Uncle Tai-hua, come on. Help us out here.” Li pleaded with the man to hold some of his own weight.

  “I am, my dear sweet boy. I am. Imagine the difficulties if I wasn’t assisting.” He grinned at Li. “Such a sweet boy. I always loved you like you were my own.”

  “I love you too, Uncle Tai-hua. You’re the best uncle in the world,” Li reassured him, even as he struggled under the weight of Tai-hua’s uncoordinated attempts at forward motion.

  Tai-hua sighed deeply. “I won’t ever have a son of my own. But you… you were enough. I was happy when your parents sent you to me. Raising you was like a wish come true.”

  “I thank you, Uncle. You’ve been there more than my own parents.”

  “You were such a wonderful and smart boy. I am proud of you.” Tai-hua sighed and became deadweight as his feet stopped moving. Had he gone to sleep?

  “Indi, can we switch again?” Li asked.

  “Sure.” Indigo got behind Li and lifted the almost deadweight onto his frame.

  “You okay, Jin?” Styx asked, very willing to step in and take Jin’s burden.

  “Fine for now.” Jin kept trudging slowly forward.

  Tai-hua had been jostled awake by the switch, and his head rolled toward Indigo. His eyes held a dreamy quality. “Hello, beautiful.”

  Indigo laughed. “Wow. You’re totally wasted.”

  “You’re right. I’ve wasted…. The fucker was right, you know. I never loved him. I couldn’t. Don’t even think I liked him much. I never loved anyone else. The last twenty years without… you. Not a day goes by….” His lips crashed into Indigo’s in a sloppy burst of passion.

  Styx watched Indigo struggle to pull back from the kiss without dropping him to the ground, but there was no escape. The drunken man was stronger than he appeared.

  “Uncle. Stop. Stop! Uncle Tai-hua!” Li shrieked, trying to pull his uncle away from Indigo.

  Finally, Li’s uncle ended the kiss. “I’ve always loved you.” With the declaration, he slumped forward, passing out cold.

  The group came to a halt and stared at each other and then at the passed-out uncle.

  “What the hell was that?” Indigo gasped.

  Jin made a logical suggestion. “We’re almost there. The hotel is another block. Let’s just carry him.”

  Li assessed the drooping man and agreed. “It would be easier.”

  “And might prevent any further make-out sessions with beautiful over there,” Styx poked fun.

  “Oh shut it, Styx.” Indigo laughed a little before he went on. “Though he’s drunk, the man still has excellent taste.”

  He batted his eyelashes at the rest of the guys until they laughed. Each of them grabbed an appendage and carried Li’s uncle to the hotel.

  Chapter 14

  MORNING CAME early.

  Jin was already gone when Styx woke up. So he showered, dressed, and headed down to where breakfast was being served.

  “Morning.” Styx sat down, and the waitress poured him a cup of coffee. Bao-zhi, Li, Tai-hua, and even Indigo responded, while Jin kept eating.

  Styx restrained a sigh and trudged over to the buffet. He got a fried egg, a poor-quality steamed bun, and some diced vegetables but bypassed the porridge. His stomach was in knots. He slid back into his seat and put his napkin end under his plate so it covered him but didn’t fall to the floor.

  “Did you ask the band’s singer if he wanted to move into the apartment?” Uncle Bao-zhi asked Jin, then continued to eat his breakfast.

  Li’s uncle Tai-hua snorted, drawing all attention to him. “Still trying to rescue those in Ming’s evil clutches, Bao-zhi?”

  Jin’s uncle Bao-zhi shook his head. “The asshole used unethical practices in the past, and his apartments aren’t safe.”

  Tai-hua shrugged and then winced, grabbing his head.

  “Besides, a friend of the boys shouldn’t be left in one of those rat traps owned by Ming,” Bao-zhi said, glancing around the table, clearly pleased to help them out.

  “He’s no friend of mine,” Indigo grumbled low, assuring only Styx seemed to hear him.

  Jin cleared his throat to answer his uncle’s question. “Yeah. He didn’t want to at first—” His gray eyes darted over an apologetic wink at Indigo. “—but I convinced him.”

  “Oh, goody,” Indigo said flatly. He waved his hand to gesture for them to ignore him. Everyone did except Li, who kept frowning at him.

  Bao-zhi studied Tai-hua. “I’m sorry I stuck you boys with Tai-hua. He must have been a hoot to get back to the hotel.”

  “Poor Tai-hua was completely out of it. He stumbled until we just carried him back to the hotel,” Styx said with a grin. He lowered his voice as he told what happened. “He was completely drunk and even kissed Indigo. Now that’s drunk!”

  Everyone chuckled except Bao-zhi, whose eyes narrowed on his friend. “Really?”

  “Yeah. He claimed to love me too.” Indigo made a grimace at the memory.

  “Really?” Bao-zhi asked again. His eyes left Tai-hua. He pivoted his chair rather dramatically toward Indigo. “How is your father, Indigo?”

  Indigo answered around chewing. “He’s fine. Busy with work. Though he promised to come to China if we ever go on tour.”

  Bao-zhi shifted his gaze and stared at Tai-hua.

  Tai-hua focused on stirring his black coffee.

  “Well, it would be great to see your father again. It’s been way too long. Hasn’t it, Tai?”

  Snapping out of his daze, Tai-hua responded, “What? Yeah, well I have to find some tiger balm for my head.”

  Everyone laughed and wished him well.

  “I should get going too,” Bao-zhi said.

  Tai-hua said, “I’ll be taking the train home this afternoon with Bao-zhi. But we’ll be there for your first official night at the German restaurant.”

  Li stood and hugged his uncle. Jin hugged his uncle Bao-zhi. Everyone else shook hands before Tai-hua and Bao-zhi left.

  After breakfast, Jin, Indigo, Li, and Styx packed their suitcases and spent the remaining time in Beijing stomping around the Panjiayuan Market. Each of
the guys got one or two souvenirs to remember their trip.

  Jin wasn’t saying much, but at least he’d made eye contact with Styx a few times and even smiled once or twice.

  At the open-air market, Indigo found so many treasures that he had to buy another suitcase. “The prices are amazing,” he kept exclaiming as he continued to justify buying everything from incense burners to jewelry.

  When he pulled on a green baseball cap with Beijing written boldly on it, Styx cracked up. “What are you doing?”

  “What?” Indigo adjusted the hat. He put it on backward so his hair artfully poked out of the place above the sizing tab. “It would work with the right outfit.”

  Jin burst out laughing. “Take the hat off.”

  “What? Li?” Indigo called out in hope of reinforcements. “I think it’s good.” He ducked down to check himself out in a chipped mirror.

  Li glanced over and did a double take. He trudged over to snatch the hat right off Indigo’s head and tossed it back on the table.

  The vendor yelled at him to stop breaking his sale in broken English and then told Indigo, “I give good price.”

  Li angrily snapped, “You shouldn’t be selling something like this.”

  “Tourist like the green.” The vendor smirked.

  “Come on.” Li pushed Indigo down the aisle.

  Turning around, Indigo waved his arms at them. “What the fuck?” He lowered his voice to ask, “Is it like green M&Ms? You know green makes you horny?”

  Jin fell into Styx, laughing harder.

  Styx smiled down at Jin and steadied him. He kept his arm around Jin for as long as he dared before stepping back.

  “Green hats,” Li said like Indigo was an idiot. When Indigo didn’t show any understanding at all, Li explained, “To wear a green hat here is to be cheated on by your spouse.” He threw his hand back toward the vendor, who waved the hat as if to entice Indigo to race back for it. “Some vendors think it is funny to sell green hats to foreigners.”

  “Ah, got it.” Indigo blushed a little and mumbled, “Thanks. But it would have really gone with many of my….”