This was inspired by Tori Amos' China. A wonderful song that I highly recommend. Chapters will be short but hopefully quick. I hope you enjoy it. All feedback is welcome~ Even pointing out typos... wouldn't be surprised if there are a few.
The man stepped out of the airport, and Al spotted him immediately. A bright smile on his lips, he pulled his cab up in front of the stressed-looking man, tired eyes not hiding his obvious beauty. Al had almost mistaken him for a girl, except for how his rumpled suit was all straight lines, not the soft curves of a woman. He jumped as Al rolled down the cab's window, shouting out to him.
"Hey! Need a cab?"
The man stared at him for a long moment, then nodded stiffly, and Al hopped merrily out of the door, quickly picking up the man's lone suitcase and depositing it in his waiting trunk. His newest customer flinched when he had to slam the protesting thing, twice, to close it. Al had to bite back an even bigger smile. This man was not as straight and collected as his suit was, apparently. He moved to open the door for him as well, but was too slow. No matter! Al hummed a song to himself as he slipped back into the driver's seat.
"I'm Alfred F. Jones, at your service! Where ya headed?" A click of a button set his meter back to zero. The man glanced at it, and Al took a moment to admire the graceful ponytail he was sporting. He had a sudden, strange urge to reach over and give the the thing a quick tug, just to feel it. That was odd. Anyway, he kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel, tapping a rhyme on the worn leather. Not all cab drivers were crazy drivers, and he was trying to prove that. He was an awesome professional, here!
"Wang Yao." He ducked his head, voice nervous. "Nice to meet you."
A quick bob of the head, as Wang Yao- odd name, Al thought, but pretty cool- told him where he was going. "I know where that is! A bit of a drive, but easy enough! Ya here for business or pleasure, sir?"
A hot blush spread across his cheek, as Al watched in the rear-view mirror. "B-business. Just business."
The driver couldn't help but laugh. "Alright! Try to have a bit o'fun, though. New York is amazing when you know where to go, really. You ever been here before? Where you from?"
"No. I have never before been here." A purse of the lips, looking like he was concentrating. "I have been to other places, though. In America. I am from Xi'an." Perhaps he saw Al's blank look, because he was quick enough to elaborate. "China."
An 'Ah' of understanding. "And what do ya do, Mr. Yao?"
The older man's eye twitched, and his flight caught up with him, along with his nerves for the coming conference. "Do you always ask so many questions, aru? You are like a little brother!"
A pause. He sat there for a moment, jaw slack. Then he laughed, loudly, causing another blush to rise on Yao's cheeks. It took him a few moments to stop laughing, but when he did, he just shook his head.
"Nah. I only overwhelm the more interesting people." His smirk was enough to make the Chinese woman look away. "I'm assuming you have siblings?"
The way the man's posture tensed had Al backpedaling. "Kidding! No more questions? Got it!"
Yao just nodded. His thoughts were across an ocean. Surprisingly, so were Al's.
A few moments of silence later, Al pulled up in front of Yao's hotel, jumping out again to help the man with his bag. Just as Yao as about to walk through the doors, Al called out his name, running up the steps.
"Hey! You need a cab or anything, call me! I'm not available all the time, but if I am, I'd love to help you out!"
Yao blinked down at the card the beaming American had just given him. Alfred F. Jones. Hero Taxi. And a number.
"…thank you?"
Al just laughed. "Nothing to it!"
And he almost skipped back to his cab. Yao watched, feeling the dreaded onset of culture shock begin to set in.