30-year-old BOYS

Chapter 10 - Take-out and Pick-up, again

Chapter 10 – Take-out and Pick-up, again

I took you for a d**k, but clearly you’re not.

~ Daniel Cheng

“So when are you going to tell me about that kid you took inside a cab?” Daniel asks, lifting his attention away from his McLamb, “If you are a pedophile I swear to Buddha I’ll castrate you myself,” he warns, lifting a French fry and lathering it with ketchup.

“Patience, Daniel, patience. We’ll get to that,” Huang raises his palms in a gesture of conciliation, “Let’s just…let’s just have a nice meal together, yeah?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I said yes.”

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

“Tsk, there you go again Daniel. You say yes but it sounds like a no.”

Daniel shakes his head and mumbles, “I just like saying yes better than yeah, so deal with it.”

Huang’s mouth opens and closes like a fish, “O, wo de shangdi. Ni hen guaiyi. You get really weird sometimes. But I still love you,” Lau smiles and Daniel does too, “I’ll order take-out,” Huang announces, fishing out his worn-out leather wallet to pull notes.

“Don’t bother,” Daniel gestures covering his hand, “I got this,” he snaps his fingers to the same flustered manager of McDonalds from when they first ordered McLambs.

The manager bows before the king then smiles, “Zao shang hao xiansheng Cheng. What can I get you?”

Daniel gives a dry expression, “You don’t need to bow all the time. You are so 1980s. And good morning to you too,” Daniel gestures to Huang, “You take his order.”

Despite Daniel’s gesture of goodwill, Huang still stuffs whatever money he has left into the manager’s breast pocket, “Deduct that to my bill,” Lau smiles, “I need ten large orders of Big Mac with fries please. And also a hot fudge sundae! Um, Baby D, I don’t have enough money, but do you still want anything to-go?” he affectuates Daniel like they’re lovers and what it does is make Daniel’s stomach flip with butterflies, making him nauseous.

The manager notices this but doesn’t say anything for fear of losing his job, “Will that be all, sir?”

“Yes,” Huang answers and it makes Daniel smile, “That would be all.”

“Finally you used yes. It makes you sound less street-folk.”

Huang pouts, “What’s wrong with saying yeah? It’s cool.”

Daniel blithely shakes his head, “Saying yes makes you handsome.”

“Really Daniel? It does?” Lau can’t help but smile at the sight of a happier Daniel, “You really think it makes me handsome?” he repeats, bordering on egotistical.

“Yeah,” Daniel replies, and it makes Huang smile goofily at the word choice.

“Oh Daniel, I think saying yeah makes you sexy,” Huang bites his lip and wags his eyebrows.

“Oh Huang, what am I gonna do with you?”

“You can do me whichever way you want baby. All day, all night.”

They share a knowing smile and it’s the kind that’s warm with affection, bordering on intimacy which both are craving but are too scared to explore, “Um, Daniel.”

“Yeah?”

“We’ve been ah…” Huang stalls, feeling cold feet as something heavy roils into a tight knot in his stomach, “…we’ve, you know, dating—”

“And fighting,” Daniel interjects and it makes Huang do an eye-roll.

“We’ve been dating and we’ve kissed already and I let you touch my p***s—”

“I did not!” Cheng protests at an octave and it makes all the people at McDonalds look to him, and so he lowers his voice, “I did not,” he seethes through clenched teeth, “You made me touch your p***s, you horny and perverted man. You almost gave me a heart attack. Ooh, wo de fu.”

“Jesus, Daniel, don’t use Buddha’s name in vain or he’ll smite us!!”

“Damn,” Daniel mentally kicks himself in the groin, “Just get to the point.”

Huang swallows the butterflies from his throat back down to his stomach, “What I’m saying is…I ah…I uh…I um…shit…Daniel, you’re making me so damn nervous.”

“Just spit it out already,” Cheng mutters, “Tell me what you want.”

“I wanna make love to you. It’s been two months of m**********g and it’s driving me crazy.”

Daniel gasps and his body goes through so much nervous activity from the inside that it’s making him want to throw up, “I’m not…I d-don’t think I’m ready.”

“Aw, come on Daniel. Please? I’m clean. I don’t bareback. What do you want me to do? Have myself tested? I’ll do that if it makes you feel more comfortable.”

“Here are your Big Macs,” says the manager, piercing through the hazy fog of s****l tension.

With a dry mouth, Huang says his thank you as he remembers to breathe back in, “I’m sorry, Daniel. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m willing to wait. But just…just don’t make me wait long.”

“Okay.”

“Good.”

Daniel is pinched with curiosity, “You ordered the same amount when we first met. Is that all yours?”

Huang’s face animates with so many emotions; bewilderment, surprise, wonder, and awe for his 30-year-old billionaire lover, “No, silly. I’m not a boar,” Lau rises, “Come. I’ll show you,” he extends a hand and Daniel takes it, making the two of them smile in utter bliss as they experience the feeling that comes when holding hands with the one you love.

The 30-year-old couple park outside the school where Daniel saw Huang from days before, ushering a minor inside a taxi cab. Nervous anxiety twists and knots deep within Daniel’s underbelly as he is floundered by the memory of that day when Lau pulled a minor with him.

“I don’t feel comfortable,” Daniel says, “Just take me home. I don’t want to be here.”

Huang sees the transparency of emotion in Daniel’s face and he senses apprehension so he’s quick to put a hand over Daniel’s to calm him down, “Hey, I’m not here to hurt you.”

“You sure about that? Last time I saw you here I felt like dying. You almost killed me Huang.”

Lau frowns emphatically, “Trust me. I love you Daniel. I want you to know who I really am.”

Huang rolls the window down and spots the person he is looking for, “Ai! Hey! Yuan! Here!”

Daniel’s heart constricts as the boy comes closer, reminding him how affectionate Lau was when he shared a cab with the boy.

Yuan peers into the car and pulls an apprehensive look at Daniel, “Huang, who is this? Your benefactor?”

“Ai, ni yuchun de nanhai biaoxian chu yixie zunzhong! Show some respect you stupid boy! This is Daniel.”

“Ni hao,” Yuan says dryly and only spares Daniel a quick glance before looking back at Huang, “You’re late again, dad. Jeez.”

Cheng’s heart pulls tight in his chest at the mention of dad, “Huang…” Daniel whispers, “You’re a father?” he asks, wide-eyed.

Lau gives a shy smile, “Yes.”

“Can I come in now?” Yuan asks and Daniel is quick to make room inside his car, pushing Huang out of the way which made Lau mumble with irritation.

“Hello,” Daniel engages Yuan in conversation, “You’re Huang’s son. That’s…that’s great,” hope swells within Daniel, realizing his stupid mistake. He looks between Lau and Yuan and sees the uncanny resemblance. His troubles shrink as newfound hope rises to override vindictive emotions and malicious thoughts he had for his 32-year-old lover, “I’m Daniel. Nice to meet you,” he extends a hand and Yuan takes it with a firm handshake, making Daniel smile even more, “You’re just like your father. You both have steel grips.”

“Wait, did my dad hurt you? Please don’t kick him out. He’s a good manwhore and he will entertain you every night—”

“YUAN!” Huang bellows and it makes Daniel squeal with laughter, “It’s not funny, Baby D.”

Yuan gasps, “Oh my gosh. I don’t want to hear your pet names, please,” the boy covers his ears and it makes the 30-year-old couple break into maniacal laughter.

“He’s not my manwhore,” Daniel says to appease the kid’s worries, “He’s my…” Cheng looks at Lau and for a moment he feels his heart pull into a strange sensation, “He’s my boyfriend.”

“Oh wow! Way to go dad! No more screwing around with other men! Yay! And ooh, is that McDonalds I smell?” the boy starts sniffing and Daniel hears a stomach grumble, “I’m sorry.”

Daniel regards the boy with concern, “Are you hungry? Have you eaten?”

“No,” Yuan says, “I’m saving my allowance. I just eat when I get home.”

Daniel is quick to unwrap a Big Mac to give to Yuan, “Here, take it. There’s plenty more and I don’t think your father can consume them all.”

“But…” Yuan hesitates and looks to his dad who shares a look of compassion, “…those are for the kids.”

“What kids?” Daniel asks, turning to Huang.

“I’ll show you,” Huang replies and he tells Daniel’s driver to take them to a very special place.

“I took you for a d**k, but clearly you’re not,” Daniel whispers to Huang while handing out food for all the children to share, “How long have you been doing this?”

“Close to a decade now? Yeah. Almost ten years. When I left this orphanage I took it upon myself to visit whenever I can because this was my home, you know. I grew up here,” There is a mist of emotion that crosses Huang’s face but he’s quick to dispel the fog just as soon as it came, “You grow up and leave family. But family doesn’t leave you. It stays with you,” There is melancholy in Huang’s words which Daniel identifies as sadness. Daniel’s heart pulls at the thought that his 32-year-old bad boy isn’t so bad after all. He’s a blessing.

Daniel smiles and starts chuckling and it makes Huang look to him in utter bewilderment, “What’s so funny?” Lau asks, smiling again at the sight of a jovial Daniel Cheng, “Did I say something funny?”

“No,” Daniel casually shakes his head smiling, “Do you even know whose orphanage this is?” he asks and by the look on Huang’s face Daniel can already tell that he doesn’t, “This is ours.”

“What!? No shit.”

“Nome s**t,” says the little boy standing in line, and it makes both Daniel and Huang break into a gag, “What is nome s**t?”

“It’s a bad word, little one,” says Daniel, stroking the head of the boy who quickly scampers away upon receiving his Big Mac, “It’s a good thing we stopped by to get a dozen more. How are you able to feed all these kids?”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m an in-demand manwhore.”

Daniel’s face drops, “Well, not anymore. You are my w***e now. And if I see you with another man I will hunt you down and give you another circumcision.”

Huang gasps, “Ooh, a circumcision. I like that. Can you do it with your mouth?” he jokes and it warrants him a light slap from Daniel, “Hmm, dominating. I like you already,” he jokes again and it gets him another playful slap.

“You’re too much,” smiles Daniel, enjoying the back-and-forth tease.

The 30-year-old couple empty the McDonalds bags and spends time with the children. The caretakers are surprised by Cheng’s unscheduled visit and they took the opportune moment to take photos with him. It is then that Huang realizes that unknowingly both he and Daniel contribute to the same cause, and in a moment he also realizes how he owed so much to Daniel’s family and their humanitarian efforts.

“You ready for tonight?” Huang asks, which makes Daniel’s stomach do another back flip at the way Lau sounded his words with a husky growl.

“Ready for what?” Daniel responds timidly. He can’t deny the arousal stemming through his veins, overriding his system with physical desire.

Huang finds humor in Daniel’s naïveté, “For the Chinese Harvest Festival, you silly. Are you…” Lau extends his words as if to tease, “…thinking about having s*x with me?” Lau’s eyes are round with joy and expectation, “Do you want to?”

Daniel’s breath hitches at the touch of Huang’s hand, guiding his back as they enter the black Audi, with Yuan sitting in the front beside the driver.

“I want to but I’m…I’m scared. Are you really going to put your p***s inside me? How long will it stay?”

“BAHAHAHAHAHA! It will stay for as long as you like.”

“Okay.”

And with that thought, the couple drive into the night with Yuan in tow. The three of them walk hand in hand to arrive just in time for the Chinese Harvest Festival, or the Mid-Autumn Festival in the streets of central Hong Kong.

Floats are alight with colorful buntings and sparkly light installations that make everything come alive. It is a visual feast with paper lanterns lining the streets, elaborately-costumed dragon dancers doing a festive show throughout the metropolis.

“Can I call you dad,” Yuan asks Daniel and it makes Daniel’s heart pull again with an emotion.

“Of course you can,” Daniel feels a lovely pang of warmth in his chest as he looks from Yuan to Huang. Lau gives a satisfied smirk, knowing that Daniel won over his son.

The three of them enjoy the food, the lights, and the crowd as they feast on their world famous moon cake that never fails to delight every man, woman, and child, “Hey,” Daniel calls Huang and Huang says Hey right back. They both smile, knowing that they found their 30-year-old love.