The Temple of Heaven

by Z. Allora

  As he finished, Indigo gave him a nod of approval, and he caught Jordon backstage cheering. He almost felt like the rock god Jordon drew.

  Their set flew by, and much quicker than expected, he marched off the stage, flanked by the rest of Made in China to cheers from the audience.

  Jordon flew into his arms and hugged him. “You were amazing. So good.”

  “Really?” Tian Di could hear the roar of the throng and had felt they were with the band every step of the way, but Jordon’s opinion was more important than everyone else’s.

  Jordon kissed Tian Di’s cheek. “Absolutely! I think they want an encore.”

  Indigo tugged Tian Di out of Jordon’s embrace. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jordon’s big brother glowering at him. They definitely would have to deal with Jordon’s brothers sooner rather than later.

  Song Young stalked over to Made in China. “Made in China has the mythical it. You grabbed the audience immediately and didn’t let go. Now get back out there and give them a little more.”

  After a double encore, the Dark Angels lined up to congratulate them with high-fives and backslaps.

  When Tian Di got to Dusty, their eyes met. Instead of tapping his shoulder with a drumstick like Dusty did everyone else, he stated the obvious. “We need to talk.”

  Tian Di inclined his head. “We do. Have a great show.”

  “Always.” Angel shouted as he pulled Dusty away, “Get out there, drummer boy. Give me a strip tease to enter on.”

  Dusty smirked, saluted, and hit the stage.

  Angel gave Tian Di a shrug. “I gotta regain the audience. You did good making them yours.” He followed his band out to the stage.

  The Dark Angels roared louder than the audience with one of their most popular rock anthems.

  Turning, Tian Di found his boyfriend and rushed to him.

  The tension in Jordon’s body would have been a giveaway even if the grimace on his face didn’t scream “problem.”

  “Jordon?” Tian Di asked everything in that one word.

  Jordon shook his head. “They both know.”

  “You good?”

  “No… yeah. I mean, it’s not a surprise. I’m spending every second I can with you, and I can’t keep my lips off you.”

  Tian Di shrugged. “I don’t mind that one bit.”

  Jordon looked around and then pressed his mouth against his for a quick kiss. “I’ve got to tell them about us and also about Japan.”

  “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to pick the right tree, and we can make this all work.”

  Jordon’s chuckle faded into a groan, which sounded a lot like doubt. “I hope so.”

  Tian Di had to find a way to show Jordon they would be all right, because they were good together and loved each other.

  As Tian Di tugged Jordon downstairs under the stage and into Made in China’s dressing room, he fleshed out an idea that had been in the back of his mind. Their assigned dressing room wasn’t fancy. The sofas, chairs, and tables had seen some use, but the fact that they had a dressing room at all meant the band had made it to the big time. And the best thing by far was the two individual bathrooms with locking doors.

  Tian Di pulled Jordon into a bathroom with red walls and black fixtures.

  “Wow, even the toilet is black,” Jordon muttered as he looked around.

  There was a shower stall, but there wasn’t time. Tian Di slid the lock in place.

  “What are—” Jordon’s question died as Tian Di pushed him against the glossy vanity.

  “I’m relaxing you, and reminding you of a reason we’re worth fighting for.” Tian Di teased his hand down the front of Jordon’s pants.

  “Oh my God.” Jordon pressed against the attention Tian Di provided.

  “Not the time for teasing, only pleasing.” Tian Di unzipped Jordon’s jeans and slid his fingers into them. He bypassed Jordon’s pretty green jock and pulled out his cock.

  Tian Di gave Jordon’s beautiful circumcised cock a nice slow stroke. He might be biased, but he loved Jordon’s shaft.

  “I like that you get hard for me.” Tian Di rubbed his thumb over the glistening mushroom head.

  Jordon groaned. “What are you doing?”

  “Am I doing it that badly?” Tian Di purred. He continued using his fingers to spread the precum around the head of Jordon’s cock.

  Jordon opened and closed his mouth a number of times. “No, oh. No, you’re not. It feels incredible.”

  “Good, because sex is part of how I want to show you I love you. I do, you know, so much.” He nuzzled Jordon’s neck and gave him another tantalizing stroke.

  Jordon bit his lip as if he could stop the moan that echoed off the bathroom walls. “I love you too, but—”

  “Good.” Tian Di would never get enough of feeling Jordon’s erection throbbing in his hand. He was careful not to pull the skin on Jordon’s shaft the wrong way since he didn’t have foreskin.

  “You know some people don’t consider what we’re doing sex.” Jordon worked Tian Di’s zipper down.

  That was an odd comment. “This is whatever we want it to be. It’s just about us. I’m loving you….”

  “I want to love you back.” Jordon wrestled Tian Di’s leather pants and underwear down to his thighs. “Mm, nice.”

  Tian Di jutted out rather obscenely, albeit proud.

  Jordon stared down at him and closed his hand around Tian Di’s shaft. With no hesitation, he rolled Tian Di’s foreskin over the head of his cock. He adored how Jordon handled his cock like he owned Tian Di’s cock, and in a way, he did.

  Allowing himself to be pulled into a thorough kiss, Tian Di stroked a bit faster. Maybe someday soon Jordon would let him suck, but now he just wanted to kiss him and make him come.

  The bathroom shook a little as the Dark Angels’ music started up again, adding a dose of reality to their private little adventure. The crowd’s enthusiasm rebounded through the bathroom.

  Jordon pulled back and glanced at the ceiling. “I can’t believe we’re doing this here.”

  “You like it?”

  Nodding, Jordon added, “Yeah, it’s mega hot… anyone could just walk in.”

  Tian Di had locked the door, but public sex did add a bit of naughtiness to what they were doing. “Would you like someone to walk in and find you like this?”

  Jordon groaned. “Oh God. I’m backstage at a concert…. Mm, doing this.”

  Tian Di followed that thread of what sounded like a highly desirable fantasy and, in between pressing kisses along Jordon’s neck, added, “You’re in my dressing room. Are you my groupie?”

  Indigo had taught him that English word, and Tian Di loved saying it. The word felt good in his mouth.

  “Yeah.” Jordon twirled his hand in Tian Di’s hair and yanked.

  Tian Di growled. He loved the tight pull on the nape of his neck. The move never failed to send fireworks of arousal throughout his body. “That’s right. But I’m also the man who loves you.”

  “I love you more than I thought possible.” Jordon pushed himself into Tian Di’s hand while tightening the hold on his hair. “More. Please, more.”

  Tian Di had a hard time keeping a grip on Jordon when he started writhing. “You want me to make you come… backstage?”

  Jordon gasped, “Fuck, yeah.”

  The stadium broke into applause. “Hear that? They’re clapping for you.”

  Tian Di caught himself moaning because Jordon’s relentless strokes were bringing him close to the point of no return. Breathing hard, he got swept along with his own words. If Tian Di wasn’t careful, he’d come before Jordon.

  Redoubling his own efforts on the upward stroke, Tian Di twisted his palm over the head of Jordon’s cock.

  Jordon groaned.

  He loved that arousing sound. “You going to lose it in a rock star’s bathroom? How many groupies have come in here?”

  “How many rock stars?” Jordon whimpered.

  In one last-ditch
effort, Tian Di asked, “You going to come, right now?”

  “Yes!” And Jordon did.

  Tian Di stroked him through his orgasm and then joined him in release. The waves of pleasure dragged him under as he shot in time with Jordon’s tugs.

  Jordon sagged into him. “I think I like being your groupie, and—”

  Jordon’s cell vibrated.

  Sighing, he grabbed his cell. “It’s Zack. Let me text back, otherwise he’ll be calling me. I’m sorry I—”

  “Go ahead and answer him. You don’t want him to worry.” He just needed to make sure the Davis brothers knew he loved Jordon.

  He cleaned himself and refastened his pants.

  Jordon rezipped his pants and washed his hands. “This thing of keeping tabs on me never bothered me before. To be honest, their texts reminded me when to eat, and when to sleep. When I’m working I can get lost. But now it’s… I don’t know.”

  “They raised you and want to protect you. And I know you want to be treated like the man you are.” Tian Di understood why Jordon felt stifled.

  “I don’t want to be the little pain-in-the-ass Jordon. I’m an adult, and it’s time they started treating me like one.” After a frown, Jordon added, “Granted, I need to continue acting like one, but I’m changing how I’m behaving. They need to get with the damned program.”

  “Maybe being honest with them and telling them what bothers you, and maybe sharing your success as Sakura Rose, might help them see how independent you really are.”

  Jordon said, “Yeah, it’s not like I don’t want them in my life. I don’t need them in my business constantly. I wish they could see me as who I am and not the person who thought it was easier to have them take care of everything.”

  “You are a phoenix.” Tian Di wanted to encourage him without pushing him.

  “Though after this discussion about us and Japan, ashes might be the only thing left of me.” Jordon sighed.

  “No.” Tian Di would make sure that wouldn’t happen.

  “I’m being dramatic. It’s time I deal with them, and they need to start seeing me differently.”

  TIAN DI followed Jordon back upstairs to the backstage area. Watching Angel work the crowd was nothing short of amazing.

  Finally the Dark Angels sauntered offstage, waiting to do an encore. Mayhem swallowed them for a few minutes.

  Tian Di and Jordon stood off to the side and clapped.

  Dusty hustled over to them and stopped short. “You’ve got dressing on your shirt.” He reached out to touch Jordon’s shirt.

  No!

  Jordon jumped back from his brother.

  Angel sauntered over to them and stayed Dusty’s hand. “Dude, that’s not dressing.”

  “What?” Dusty looked positively puzzled.

  Angel held out his fist to Jordon. “Way to go, little man.”

  Jordon froze, and his eyes looked like they might pop out of his head.

  Zack appeared out of nowhere and glowered at Tian Di. “So, what now, Jordie? You’re such a sex pixie you can’t wait to jack off until later?”

  Did he think Jordon had been alone?

  Jordon smirked as he wiped off his shirt. “And you’re a lobotomized fuckwit. After the show, I want to talk with you and Dusty.”

  “Absolutely.” Dusty nodded, and he headed back out to the stage.

  Zack opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, gave him a nod, turned on his heel, and stalked off.

  THE JOY and electricity of Tian Di’s first successful arena show drained while he and Jordon waited to speak with Dusty and Zack.

  Jordon paced in place, shifting foot to foot. The little muscle under his eye twitched. He kept looking around.

  Zack hurried past them but took the time to shake his head at Jordon like he had done something terribly wrong and disappointing.

  “What is your problem, Zack?” Jordon asked with a frown.

  Glancing around, Zack stomped back to them and requested, “We’ll talk later.”

  “Hey, let’s go downstairs.” Tian Di led Jordon back downstairs and into the Dark Angels’ dressing room.

  He and Jordon sat on one of the sofas.

  “By the way, I see what you mean about not being treated like an adult. However you decide to handle this, I support you.”

  Jordon slipped his hand into Tian Di’s, and somehow, with an unsure smile, Jordon made the world brighter. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

  “It’s going to be okay” was the last thing Tian Di said, because band members and various other people filed into the dressing room.

  People milled around.

  Dusty darted into the dressing room. “I’m going to grab a quick shower.”

  “Take your time.” Jordon’s voice squeaked.

  Tian Di held back a smile as Dusty’s fiancé tried to slip into the bathroom unnoticed, but the Dark Angels’ bass player ratted him out. “Where are you going, Justin?”

  With a smile, Justin used his fingerless gloved hand and gave Josh a middle finger.

  Josh snorted. “Is that an offer? I don’t think Dust would like that.”

  Dusty threw his sweaty T-shirt at Josh and pulled Justin into the bathroom with him. The door bolt slid into place before Josh could pull it open.

  Zack dropped into a nearby chair, crossed his arms, and glowered at Tian Di.

  Tian Di chose to remain silent, though he wanted to tell Zack there was no need for the posturing.

  Jordon looked back and forth between them like they were in a perverse ping pong match. He cleared his throat. “So, um, wasn’t Made in China great? Zack? Zack!”

  “Ow. No kicking, you damned brat,” Zack snarled as he rubbed his shin.

  “Then answer me.” Jordon opened his eyes wide. “Um, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kicked you. That was childish.”

  Zack rested against the back of his seat to study Jordon. “You’ve been acting weird since you got here. Did aliens do a swap?”

  Jordon inhaled and exhaled deeply several times. “Made in China was good, weren’t they?”

  Huffing out an angry breath, Zack admitted, “Yeah, Made in China did well, from what I heard.” He shrugged almost in an apologetic way at Tian Di. “There was drama around Jin’s second guitar, and I… it doesn’t matter. You guys killed it. For your first big show, Made in China probably did better than any other of the opening acts the Dark Angels have ever had.”

  Tian Di didn’t let his shock show, but those were strong words of praise, even with the undercurrent of misgivings coming off Zack in a torrential downpour. “Thank you. We hope we can live up to the honor the Dark Angels have allowed us.”

  The conversation ground to a halt.

  Jordon and Zack stared at each other.

  Tian Di failed to think of something to say to end the bizarre contest.

  Zack frowned, opened his mouth, and shut it as Dusty reentered wearing jeans, rubbing his hair with a towel.

  Dusty snapped the towel, catching Angel in the ass. “Hey, can you guys head over to the other dressing room. I wanna—” He nodded his head toward Tian Di, Jordon, and Zack.

  Angel followed Dusty’s gesture. “Sure.” Angel clapped. “Pretties, let’s move this party next door.”

  Everyone else followed Angel out like he was drunk and dropping yuan.

  Justin kissed Dusty right on the mouth. He whispered something that ended with “later.”

  Dusty had a bemused smile on his face while he watched Justin exit.

  The door clicked shut.

  Pulling on a fresh T-shirt, Dusty fell into the space next to Zack on the sofa.

  The only thing breaking the silence was the laughter from the other dressing room that filtered through the air vents.

  Dusty and Zack narrowed their focus on Jordon as if they compelled him to speak. Only great restraint allowed Tian Di not to squirm. He didn’t know who was scarier, Zack or Dusty. He kept reminding himself they all loved Jordon.

  Tian Di made a mental
note that he and Jordon needed to coordinate better as a couple. He was here to support, however Jordon chose to handle this situation. Knowing Jordon’s wishes might have helped.

  Jordon pressed closer to Tian Di.

  Tian Di was glad he’d taken Jordon for some private time, because the way Jordon’s tension coiled up, he might have exploded otherwise.

  Jordon ended the staring contest. “I see people in colors.”

  “This… this isn’t about Tian Di being Asian,” Zack sputtered.

  Jordon shook his head and waved Zack off. “No. I mean… I see the colors of people’s essence. Like Dusty’s all protective blue unless he’s with Justin; then he’s tinted in purples and indigo. Zack’s golds mixed with metallic silver, and when he’s with Andrew he goes a leathery bronze. I’m reds and oranges, but you two only see me as bubblegum pink.”

  Within two beats, Zack snorted. “What?”

  The comment seemed to spur Jordon, making him pour out his words. “I love Tian Di, and I’m going to Japan to meet my publisher at one of their events.”

  “Well, that’s a lot to unpack.” Dusty leaned forward and studied Jordon.

  “You love him? You don’t even know him.” Zack pointed to Tian Di.

  Jordon snarled, “I know everything that matters.”

  The pause turned into silence with only frustrated breathing accenting the air.

  Dusty broke the quiet. “What publisher? I thought Megan hooked you into a house in New York for the Dark Angels manga?”

  “She did. This other publisher is for Sakura Rose.” Jordon stared at them as if he could will them to understand.

  “Sakura Rose? Who the hell is Sakura Rose?” Zack demanded with anger, frowning at Tian Di.

  Jordon pointed to his chest. “Me. I’m Sakura Rose.”

  “What?” Dusty stared at Jordon, then Zack, and then back to Jordon. His face scrunched with bafflement.

  “I’m Sakura Rose. I write for Kin Jirareta Ai Press.” Jordon held his chin higher in defiance.

  Zack shook his head. “Why? For how long?”

  Jordon opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

  Dusty tilted his head. “So you’ve been drawing, I’m assuming, not just manga, but yaoi? Why didn’t you tell us?”