by Z. Allora
Knock! “Two minutes!”
Indigo burst out of the bathroom. “Hey, Jordon. You know I didn’t mean any harm, right?”
Jordon nodded. “You’re just looking out for your boy. I get it. But I promise you, this isn’t me fetishizing anyone. I love him.”
“Yeah, I guess we’ve all got gay Asian boyfriends… except for Tian Di.” Indigo drummed his blue nail-polished fingertip against Tian Di’s cheek. “So maybe you’re the one with the fetish.”
Ignoring the jackass, Tian Di swatted Indigo’s hand and cuddled into Jordon.
Jordon snuggled back into him and whispered, “Hey, if this is a fetish, I’m good with that.”
“AND THERE’S your evidence. We both suck.” Tian Di might have said that a little too loudly on their way back into the main dressing room from the bathroom. He had dragged Jordon in there as soon as he was done with the show.
Indigo clapped. “You guys timed that perfectly. We should get to the interview.”
Jordon’s cheeks tinted pink. Maybe from Indigo’s attention, or maybe from their mouth sex, but either way, Jordon was all his.
“Come on. What room is the interview in?” Indigo rallied the band to their feet.
Li checked his phone. “In the basement, right next to the rink.”
Made in China and Jordon got into the elevator and made their way to the interview. They stood outside in the hallway waiting for the Dark Angels to finish with the reporter.
Indigo peeked in. “Shit! We should have thought of that.”
“What?” Li pressed his face to the door window. “Wow.”
Tian Di wanted to understand, but no one said what they saw. He took his turn peering through the glass.
The Dark Angels sat together with a reporter, but it was their choice of clothing that sent a thrill through Tian Di. Someone had apparently convinced them to wear Made in China T-shirts. Dusty even had on a Made in China bandanna, its letters in Mandarin, wrapped around his forehead, holding back his damp hair.
Tian Di glanced at Jordon, who looked away. Ah, he’d come to an agreement with Sebe about the shirts and might have had a hand in this too.
Indigo growled, “Damn, I wish we had Dark Angels shirts. Is the merchandise for the show still out?”
Jordon waved the members of Made in China to step away from the door and over to him. Opening his overstuffed messenger bag, he pulled out five T-shirts. “Zack said you guys might want these but not to give them to you unless you asked.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Indigo grabbed a Dark Angels T-shirt and swapped it for the one he was wearing.
Tian Di grabbed one and mouthed, “Zack?”
Shrugging, Jordon smiled.
Jin took a T-shirt and asked in English, “Did you make the Made in China T-shirts that the Dark Angels are wearing?”
Jordon nodded. “I drew the designs Sebe asked for, and he did everything else.”
“Thank you, Jordon.” Styx pronounced each word in English with careful precision.
The door opened, and the Dark Angels poured out into the hallway. The members of the Dark Angels saw the shirts Made in China wore and grinned. Everyone hugged.
“You know this is kind of history-making, don’t you?” Indigo asked.
Angel Luv smirked. “Every night the Dark Angels perform, we’re breaking rules and rewriting history.”
“I always thought it was shitty that bands don’t always act like family. All bands are related through lyrics and united by music.” Dusty’s words gave Tian Di chills.
Josh pointed to his shirt. “Wearing these were totally Dusty’s brain giant. It’s why we keep him around. Sometimes he has good ideas.”
“Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day.” Dusty made eye contact with Tian Di.
Tian Di touched his heart; he got the message. This was Jordon’s older brother accepting Tian Di as Jordon’s boyfriend. Maybe Davis-speak could be learned.
No one had to tell him the Dark Angels were special, and not because they were rock legends.
“Okay, okay! Enough with the huddle cuddle.” Josh pulled away, and Robin with him, breaking up the group hug.
Angel snorted. “Afraid of losing rock-star points?”
“Nah, man, there’s things I want to do before the after-party.” Josh led Robin away.
“Or someone he needs to do.” Indigo cackled.
Dusty slapped Tian Di on the back. “Go wow the reporter with your interview skills.”
Tian Di swallowed hard. “Thanks.”
THE BAND crushed onto one of the couches, with the reporter from the international magazine, Shanghai Music Scene peering at them from a chair.
“And that’s how we decided on the name Made in China,” Indigo finished the tale of the band naming.
The reporter turned to Tian Di and asked, “Since you weren’t there in Beijing on the Great Wall, did you feel left out of the decision?”
Tian Di’s turn to show the band’s united front. “I was new to the band and trusted the band to make the right decisions. Besides, I love the name.”
“There’s no friction in the band?” Argh, so the reporter wanted to play like that.
Tian Di countered with a smile.
“Not the kind of friction you’re talking about.” Indigo flirted with no one in particular.
Shooting Indigo a “not the time or the person” look, Tian Di drew the reporter’s attention back to him. “Indigo means any friction within the band is not necessarily a bad thing. We have a chemical reaction when we all come together.”
Indigo snorted.
Tian Di spared Indigo the glare his snort deserved and then cast a shy look at the reporter. “We know each of us brings something necessary to our music, and when we combine our efforts, well, I think it can be amazing.”
The reporter’s mouth dropped open, and his pen slipped out of his hand.
Li grabbed the pen off the floor and gave him a rock-star smile. “Sir.”
“Um, yeah. Thanks.” The reporter took the pen back but appeared dazzled by Li, staring for longer than necessary.
Indigo gave a small head bow, acknowledging their performances. Subtlety was king in Asia. Maybe Indigo would believe them and try getting with the program of delicacy and finesse.
Shaking off his bemusement, the reporter glanced over to where Styx was trying to hide and said in Mandarin, “I know you and Jin are just learning English, so thank you for doing an interview in your second language.”
Styx gave him a smile and Jin added, “No problem.”
The reporter grinned back and asked in Mandarin, “You two grew up together in… where again?”
Jin threw an arm around Styx. “Yintang. We’ve been best friends for longer than I can remember.”
The way Styx unconsciously melted into Jin before sitting straight spoke of more than a lifelong friendship.
An arched eyebrow reached to the reporter’s hairline. “I take it you’ve been playing together for a long time?”
“Yeah.” Styx gave yet another one-word answer in English.
Tian Di nodded, encouraging Styx to say more, but he didn’t.
The reporter asked, “So, someone special back home?”
Jin glanced over at Indigo and then repeated the scripted words they’d decided on in English. “The girl Styx was supposed to wed is happily married to someone else now.”
“Aw, that’s tough.” The reporter frowned, but Tian Di would bet all his yuan that would be a direct quote.
He had to admit, Indigo’s idea had been nothing short of genius. With a few words, Styx’s appeal would rise as the heartbroken jilted lover. Indigo spent a long time explaining to Styx’s father how branding Styx this way would increase his popularity and Made in China’s. This also added another layer of protection against Styx’s matchmaking mother.
Jin shrugged. “Besides we’re enjoying being bachelors for now. We’ve got our music—”
“And each other. We don�
�t need more.” Styx’s tone made the statement in English a declaration.
Jin beamed and shoulder-bumped him.
Indigo might have muttered something obnoxious and Tian Di ignored him.
“Since we’re talking about broken hearts and love, how about the rest of you?” The reporter went from sympathetic to “give me the dirt” in record time.
Tian Di did his best to call a blush to his cheeks and not look at Jordon, who milled around in the shadows, pretending to talk to the Dark Angels’ manager.
The reporter shifted forward. “Li, Indigo, and Tian Di, what about you?”
Indigo gave an overcompensating smirk. “What about us?”
“Well, the Dark Angels are all in relationships, albeit with each other. By the way, does that pose a problem?”
“What do you mean by that?” Indigo’s tone warned the reporter he really didn’t want to go down that path.
The reporter shook his head. “Our readers want to know if you guys are in relationships. Indigo, are you?”
Indigo puffed his chest up. “We have lots of relationships.”
Based on the way Li’s smile dropped, he understood what the plural of the word meant.
The reporter’s expression remained the same, so he didn’t, which was probably for the best. “Tian Di?”
The band decided they wouldn’t lie, but they would take some cover behind vagueness. “Yes.”
“Marriage plans?”
Tian Di called on superhuman resistance not to look at Jordon. “I hope so.”
Crash!
“Sorry.” Jordon grimaced and picked up a beaten and tattered, but thankfully empty, guitar case off the floor.
AFTER THE reporter left, Indigo asked, “Tian Di, was that a proposal or what?”
Tian Di glared at Indigo and then grabbed Jordon in a half hug. “Come, let’s go to the after-show party.”
Jordon beamed at him. “Sorry for making a disturbance.”
“No worries.” Tian Di pulled him into a kiss he hoped confirmed his desire that they were headed toward marriage.
They all meandered down to the after-party, which was held in a large ballroom flooded with people.
Jordon whispered, “Go be a rock star. I’ll be hanging out in the back. Mingle.”
Sighing, Tian Di participated with the rest of Made in China, accepting congratulations on a great show. He endured numerous discussions with Chinese businessmen interested in how Made in China could make them richer.
Enough already. Tian Di needed a bit of peace.
Everyone was busy—Indigo and Li having a discussion with the Dark Angels’ manager, Styx chatting with Dusty, probably about the new drums he wanted to purchase, and Jin talking with Josh and Darius—so Tian Di took his chance and made a break for it.
He found Jordon in the back corner, sitting at a table by himself, sketching.
“I escaped.” Tian Di slid into the seat next to him.
“Hey, you. Here.” Jordon handed him a cup of warm tea.
“Ah, thanks. My cords are beat.” He drank the tea quickly.
Jordon refilled his cup.
A nervous slither crawled through Tian Di. Since they were headed to Hong Kong next, he had been kicking around an idea for the last couple of days. “Um, so we have a break in the tour between Hong Kong and Singapore.”
Jordon closed his sketch pad and gave him a small smile. “Yeah, the Dark Angels decided they wanted to enjoy this tour, so they had Megan spread the shows further apart than normal to allow them time for side travel.”
The schedule was inconvenient as hell for Made in China, since they didn’t have the discretionary funds the other band had, but the opportunity was worth the cost. They planned to commute to the apartment when the schedule made sense to do so, and stay cheap when they were stuck in a tour location longer.
“I guess Dusty and Justin wanted to see Singapore, while Dare, Angel, Josh, and Robin really want to go gambling in Macau.” Jordon paused but then pushed through. “Any thoughts?”
He and Jordon were still in the new-boyfriend phase, where neither wanted to make assumptions or ask for too much. Tian Di looked forward to moving past this hesitation dance.
“Um, well… I was wondering if….” This was Jordon. Tian Di could ask for what he wanted. “I would like to introduce you to my sister.”
Jordon’s whole body vibrated, and he bounced in his chair. “Of course. I’d love to meet her. She’s in Hong Kong, right? Is she like you? Or—”
Tian Di needed to manage Jordon’s excitement with reality. “But my parents will demand a dinner and, well, you know, they might be… rude.”
Jordon gestured to his chest and joked, “I’m from New York. Rude doesn’t bother me.”
“This would be the first time I’ve brought anyone home… ever. It could be… unpleasant.” Tian Di didn’t know what to expect and didn’t want to understate the potential for disaster, but he really wanted Zhang Min and Jordon to meet.
Jordon pressed his knee against Tian Di’s. “Hey, I’d walk on broken glass for you.”
“It might feel like you have by the end of the visit.” Fury burned through Tian Di that his family wasn’t more accepting.
Jordon took his hand. “I wish I could kiss your mouth right now until you remember what’s important. They don’t need to accept you. I do. I love you. I want to meet your sister, and I want your family to know I’m crazy in love with their incredible son.”
KNOCK. KNOCK. Knock.
Jordon stopped pulling off Tian Di’s shirt and exhaled hard. “Sorry.”
Tian Di trudged over to the door after Jordon put his T-shirt back on. It was a little frustrating. After an extremely long after-party, he’d finally gotten Jordon alone. All he wanted to do was kiss and touch and celebrate all things Jordon with a slow round of mouth sex.
Tian Di opened the door. “Hi.”
Dusty clutched his phone in one hand. “Hi, um. Is Jordon in there? He’s not in his room, so I figured—”
Stepping aside, Tian Di waved Dusty in.
Justin stayed at the door and mouthed, “Sorry.”
“Does this text mean you’re not going to tour Singapore with us?” Dusty stood in front of Jordon and appeared honestly perplexed.
A rush of familiar emotions rained down on Tian Di. He hated to drag Jordon away from his brothers, but he didn’t want to be separated from him either.
Jordon’s expression screamed how much he loathed disappointing his brothers, but there was also a resolve. “I’m hanging out in Hong Kong a few days after the concert, which is why I sent the text letting you know.”
Dusty stepped back like he’d been punched. “Why? Where are you staying? Do you have a hotel yet? Things book quick there, and—”
“I’m staying with Tian Di and his sister.”
Dusty did a full stop. His eyes got wide. “Oh. Of course.”
“I want to meet Tian Di’s family.” Jordon restated his plans.
“But I thought—” Dusty snapped his fingers. “I know! We’ll just stay until you’re ready to go to Singapore.”
Guilt slashed through Tian Di. Dusty was grasping for salt running out of a bag.
Jordon shook his head. “Dust, I….”
Tian Di hated seeing Jordon torn. “Jordon, we can postpone you spending time with my sister so you can hang out with your brothers—”
Jordon stared at him. “No. I want to be with you.”
It didn’t have to be a choice. Tian Di said, “You can. Maybe we can—”
Zack poked his head into the room. “Dust, maybe the kid wants to see where Tian Di is from without his brothers.”
Dust stumbled over to the dresser and sat. “Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah. No worries. We’ll see you in Singapore still, right?”
Jordon’s face fell. “Of course. We don’t have exact plans yet, but I’ll be there. It’s not like I’m running away from home.”
Tian Di was ripped open by Jordon’s broken la
ugh.
Dusty’s expression said he couldn’t tell the difference between different plans and total abandonment.
Tian Di had to take that frown off Jordon’s face. “Hey, why don’t we meet for dim sum before you head to Singapore? And I can show you the highlights of Hong Kong.”
Zack’s and Dusty’s faces lit with the Davis smile.
Jordon turned to stare at Dusty, then at Zack. Then he gave Tian Di a big grin that told him he had done well.
Zack took two steps into the room to drape an arm around Tian Di’s shoulders. “Sounds great. Hey, how do you say ‘no mushroom’ in Mandarin?”
Chapter 19
HONG KONG reminded Jordon of an Asian version of New York City—a force to be reckoned with all on its own. The skyline stunned him, with skyscrapers sweeping down to the water. Not to mention, this was where Tian Di had grown up.
Tian Di stumbled out of Made in China’s first television interview.
Jordon nabbed him in a quick embrace. “You did great.” The weary expression Tian Di gave him compelled Jordon to say more. “Not that I’m judging you, but I considered myself an expert on your public persona. As your biggest stan, I might as well confess I used to watch your interviews on Youku for hours at a time.”
“Stan?”
Jordon could kick himself for using Zack’s word. “Um, it means stalker fan.”
“Oh, a combination of the words. Got it.” Tian Di cocked his head with a smirk. He accepted the cup of tea Jordon handed him. “You are a wonderful stan.”
Jordon attempted but probably failed at a glare, because really, who could cast aspersions on such a lovely boyfriend? “Look, maybe the whole being in love with you cancels the stan thing out. I, for one, think we can bypass the creepiness of me trolling websites to stare at you.”
Tian Di chuckled. “Well, I am your stan. I love your work… though I didn’t go on websites to ogle you.”
“Fine, fine. Let’s ignore the fact that there were no websites with my picture for your whack-off pleasure.”
“Whack-off pleasure?” Tian Di arched his eyebrow.
