Episode 53 - Not Going Anywhere

"Taitai. Li gēge needs to stand for a minute, so go crawl on your ba, okay?"

The child was instantly out of his lap and Amari heard a grunt from Yangyang.

"Are you going to play with us now?" Yinyi called, noticing him stand, and he nodded. "What about Xiao Yang?"

Yangyang shifted back to the wall and groaned. "I'll just sit here with Taitai and watch."

"What do you all wanna play?" Grabbing his Little Martin, Amari headed closer to the band. "Do you know Aloe Blacc's acoustic version of Wake Me Up?"

"Nope, but we can read sheet music pretty well. I'll look it up and we'll try it out."

Amari paused and look out toward Yangyang. "Oh... but we'd need someone on the piano and violin for that..."

He frowned and heard Yangyang sigh, then the sound of footsteps as he carried Taitai over, setting him down next to Yinyi on the piano bench. "He really is a punk kid, your gēge. You sit with your gūmà while I play the violin, okay? Gūmà isn't good with violin sheets..."

There was a groan over by the piano and Yangyang chuckled, quickly moving next to Amari as he tuned the thin strings.

"Really?" Taitai sounded surprised and delighted, and Amari guessed the child didn't get to hear it often. "Ba, you're gonna play the via-lin?"

The man grunted and his son giggled happily.

Turning toward the piano, Amari smiled softly. "Taitai, can you clap to a rhythm? We need someone to clap for us." There was no response and he was sure the child didn't understand him. "Bowen, can you gimme the beat for the song?" A steady drum beat thumped behind him, and he clapped along. "Like this."

Clapping his hands to the low sound, he gestured for Taitai to follow, and the child amazingly kept time without many mistakes. "Hey, listen to you Taitai. You have really good rhythm."

"Yeah?" Taitai clapped a little faster as he grew excited, but then stopped, going back to match the drum. "What's ri-thumb?"

Amari pointed toward the small but sharp sounds. "It's what you're doing right now. Repeating that beat, over and over. It's the most important part in music."

"Really?"

He nodded, smiling a little wider at Taitai's amazement. "We're gonna start, then when I clap, you start clapping with me. Then I'll play guitar. You just need to keep clapping through the song."

Yinyi cleared her throat from the piano bench. "Do you think he'll be able to do that?"

"Why not?" he asked, flashing her a smirk. "Are you worried you'll get distracted? Yang ge told me you can play piano well, but maybe not?" There was a groan, then a few fancy scales, and he nodded, pretending to be impressed. "Wow..."

A deep voice chuckled next to him. "Okay, enough of that. Are we ready?"

Bowen gave them a count in and guitar and piano started together, joined quickly by Yangyang's violin as Amari hummed an intro. Though that smooth, high pitch dropped out for the verse, Yangyang was close enough to feel and smell, and Amari couldn't stop a grin, reminded of when they were playing in the family's small living room.

As he started singing the chorus, he released his guitar and began clapping on the offbeat. Taitai followed behind him, quickly picking up the rhythm despite the drums close by, and he started strumming again, listening to the child keep time with the music.

::Jesus, this fucking family...::

Taitai only lost the beat when Yangyang played the violin bridge, too mesmerized by his father, so Amari clapped with him again, bringing his focus back. He huffed as the child continued to clap through the quieter parts of the song, where no clapping was needed, and he tapped his foot clearly to help those little hands keep time without the drum. The child was having fun, and that was all that mattered.

By the end, Taitai had left the piano bench and was roaming around the room, clapping and giggling through even the slow ending. Amari heard Yangyang chuckling beside him, watching his excitable son, and he felt his cheeks warm at the family finally making music together.

"Another one!" shouted Taitai as the music stopped, still clapping, and Amari giggled.

They played a few more songs, Yangyang quitting after just one, and Taitai quitting after two. When they all had enough, Yinyi stepped beside Amari and laughed.

"Aww, how sweet. He's passed out."

"Which one?" Amari smiled at the light punch she gave him in response.

"I guess I'm taking the little one, and you're taking the big one?"

He nodded and they both headed over to the corner of the studio. After packing up their instruments, Yinyi scooped the sleeping Taitai out of her brother's arms.

"Later boys. I'll calm ma down before you come home tomorrow."

Yangyang sighed and Amari heard him ruffle through his pockets. "Here. Take a cab. It'll be easier than trying to carry him and a guitar on a bus."

"Sure thing ba. Night." She left and the others were close behind, leaving only Amari and Yangyang in the studio. The instant the door clicked closed, the man shuffled over and collapsed onto Amari's back, large arms wrapping tightly around his small waist and warm lips kissing him on the neck.

"Ah... I missed you."

"I just saw you Monday." The corners of his mouth curled upward and he covered Yangyang's hands with his own.

"You know that isn't what I meant."

Dragging Yangyang over to his guitar, he handed him the case and the man groaned.

"C'mon Yang ge," he said sweetly. "Wouldn't you rather do this at home?"

The man groaned louder, but removed his arms and took the case, slinging it onto his back. Amari grabbed his own, throwing it over his shoulder, and then took Yangyang's hand, pulling him out of the studio.

On the street, he held out an arm to wave down a taxi. Hearing one stop in front of them, he ran his hand along the side until he found the handle, opening the door and pushing the man inside.

As they rode, Yangyang laid his head on Amari's lap, burrowing his face into the boy's stomach.

"Are you gonna sleep?" Amari asked quietly, petting his long, soft hair. The only reply was a low grunt and he giggled, taking Yangyang's hand. "I think I'll be disappointed if you fall asleep."

Yangyang let out a breath. "This is nice. We should take cabs all the time," he mumbled, the sound muffled against Amari's shirt.

"Oh? I didn't know Yang ge was so wealthy."

Reaching the apartment building, he pulled the man and his guitar out of the taxi, and once they were on the sidewalk, Yangyang wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Music still drifted out from The Basement, so it would be hours before Ziggy was home.

The two headed upstairs, Amari dragging Yangyang in the door, and he could only remove his jacket and drop his guitar case before the man had him in his arms, carrying him into the bedroom.

"I thought you were tired." He giggled hearing only a low grunt in reply.

As he had many times before, Yangyang tossed him onto the bed and shut the door, but this time he crawled up beside him, cocooning him into his arms and legs.

Stretching to reach, Amari kissed under the man's chin, then his Adam's apple, then the space between his collarbones. Yangyang replied with a kiss to the forehead, then nose, and then softly pressed against his lips. The man's smell was intoxicating. It had been so long since they were this close, and Amari took in a heavy breath.

"Yang ge," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

"Mm?" Yangyang's response was just as quiet.

Amari gently created a space between the man's lips, opening his mouth and lightly touching his tongue. After a short breath in, he locked their lips together and used his hands to pull Yangyang closer, the man's strong arms tightening around his back and waist.

When they finally separated, Amari smiled in the dark and outlined Yangyang's face with his finger.

"I love you."

He heard a little laugh escape through the man's nose and felt a kiss at the corner of his eye.

"I love you, A Li."

A shiver ran down his spine at the words, and Yangyang rolled over until he hovered above him. His hair was loose and hanging, tickling his face.

Bringing the man in for a quick kiss, he smirked and wondered if it could be seen in the dark. "You have to let me get ready," he said quietly and Yangyang rolled back over to his side.

As he slid off the mattress, the faintest huff came from behind and Amari wished he could see the man's expression.

------------------------------------------------

When he returned, Yangyang barely let him shut the door before scooping him up and placing him gently on the bed.

"I'll take things slow, alright?"

Yangyang was hovering over him again, and Amari reached out, pulling the man's shirt up and over his head. Then he was lifted, his own shirt tossed away, and Amari shifted forward to kiss Yangyang's bare chest, taking in his scent.

"You don't need to be gentle with me." He hated that he had frightened the man away, and desperately wanted to make up for what he had done. "Whatever you do, I'm not going anywhere."