Author's Note: Thanks for reading on some more! I really hope you are enjoying this. I'm excited to write out my ideas for how this story keeps progressing. I actually have some future bits scribbled out and I look forward to working towards getting to the part they come in at. Again, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Three

Mei was having the time of his life. This ear piece was so cool and the girls were so much fun. Each of them talking in their native languages but still all able to communicate freely. Mei would have to bring Nai back one Hell of a souvenir after this trip as a thank you. He only had one regret.

KO.

The thought of him off by himself made Mei antsy. His body was anxious to go to him, but there was still this nagging part of him that considered maybe this was what KO needed. But what if this was actually doing more harm than good? The possibilities were giving Mei a headache.

"You are wrong, Mar. My cats are so much better than Pringles and Cupcake."

The translator going off in his ear broke the spiral of worry for KO and distracted Mei long enough to ask, "What is a Pringles and Cupcake?"

Marisol's eyes gleamed as she clasped her hands together, but Genevieve's reaction wasn't quite so enthusiastic as she rolled her eyes. Marisol took out her phone and began to swipe through it. When she found what she was looking for she flashed a picture of two fluffy gremlins both with overbites and scrunched up faces, "My babies! Pringles and Cupcake! Aren't they beautiful? Just wanna squeeze them when I look at their little faces."

Genevieve's head just shook as she teased, "Don't get her started on those two. Dog owners, right? All crazy. You have any pets?"

"Says the crazy cat lady.", Marisol teased right back.

"Hush!"

Mei laughed at their banter and showed a picture of Nuer, "KO found her in the trash as a baby. She's been our lovely daughter since. Thats why we named her that. He's probably worried about her right now. I should go check on him."

Genevieve clucked her tongue, "He seems fine to me."

Marisol nodded, "Yeah, he's even found a new friend. He probably wouldn't want you to interrupt right now. They seem cozy."

Mei snapped around to spy KO talking with someone. His eyes may have been on his beer, but KO was actually smiling. It was a small one, but still. It was a legitimate smile while he was talking with someone who wasn't him. His jaw ticked and he started to stand up when Marisol put her hand on his to stop him, "He seems to be enjoying himself. Is there any reason he shouldn't be?"

Mei kept his eyes on the pair, but he decided maybe staying was in KO's best interest. He tried to be cordial as he asked, "Do you, ladies, think we can switch sides? I'd prefer to sit over there. You see facing south is bad luck and north is much better for thinking."

Genevieve acquiesced easy enough but the smug look on Marisol's face told him she smelled his lies easy enough.

Settling into his new seat, Mei tried to keep his focus on the attention of talking to the girls, but the handsome stranger leaning close to talk directly into KO's ear was much too much to look away from. They ordered more drinks and as soon as the pair received them, Mei slammed his beer back and barked, "Three more."

The conversation with the ladies continued but Mei's eyes never left KO and the handsome stranger. Cozier and cozier they became. Well, it was just KO sitting there, but the intentions of the stranger were perfectly clear to Mei. He had his dirty hands on KO. Patting his back and shoulder as he wanted. Who does that?

Mei grimaced. KO should assert himself and let him know he didn't like it. Or maybe he did? Maybe KO was all for this attention. Mei began kicking himself as he realized he had encouraged this development with KO.

Fingers snapping in his face brought his attention back. Genevieve was gone and Marisol was all that remained was Marisol. She reached forward and rubbed his cheek before taking his ear piece out. Her chin fell into her palm as she smiled at him, "Poor baby, you got it bad, don't you?"

"Where did Genevieve go?"

Marisol shrugged, "To find new prey. We only came over here in the first place, because she thought you were cute. Girl knows when to cut her losses. You've been staring over there at them long enough to basically give her the full message."

"You're still here though. Shouldn't you be on to the next since I've spoiled your evening."

Marisol rubbed his back and ordered them more beers, "Nope. I'm a lesbian."

"Lesbian?"

"It means I like girls. Specifically I like Genevieve. But she likes boys. So here I sit. With you. Staring at him.", she took a long sip of her beer and asked, "Whats the deal with the two of you anyway?"

Mei groaned and fake slammed his head on the bar. All Marisol could do was laugh nodding along, "I know that feeling all too well. Have you talked it out with him? It helps so much. Gen and I talked about it and it helped our friendship out so much. I know it'll never happen, but our friendship is a Hell of a lot easier."

Mei rubbed his chin and stared at the dance floor pensively, "I have thought about telling him I love him, but I have to let him say it first."

"Why?"

"KO is a complicated guy. On the computer there is no one more powerful than him. He is truly a master. A hacking legend. A self taught genius. He has worked extremely hard to get himself where he is. All alone too! He impresses me." he took a long drink to help him gather his words, "But he doesn't talk much. Before me I suspect he didn't have any friends. I think he was alone."

"You're worried his feelings for you are because your his only friend?"

Mei nodded, "Does he stick to me because he loves me? Or does he stick to me because I am all he has? If I say it first, I can't have him saying it out of duty."

"How long have the two of you been going this way?"

"Well we've been friends for around four years now and living together for three."

Marisol coughed on her beer as she sputtered at him, "Good gracious, man! And you two aren't any clearer on your feelings?"

Mei chewed on his bottom lip pouting with concern as he eyed KO with the handsome stranger, "Well, I was pretty confident in how I thought he felt, but now I'm not so sure."

-Friday 4:45 p.m., China-

His phone began to vibrate and Xiao Nai glanced at it before going back to his screen, except he glanced at it once more before asking his friends working on the couch in his office, "Yu. Houzi. What time is it in Las Vegas?"

The pair looked at each other, then up towards the ceiling as they did the math. Yu was first to the answer, "Should be almost 1 am I think."

Houzi nodded his agreement and so did Nai as he started to answer, "Thought so. This should be an interesting video call. Its Mei."

Both of them looked at each other with big smiles spreading across their faces before scrambling to fit into the screen behind Nai. There was a flushed and barely able to hold his eyes open properly Mei. As soon as the three of them came into view and he spotted them a lush smile spread across his face, "Brothers! Do you miss me?"

Nai nodded, "The office lacks life."

Yu added, "And beauty without Mr. Girly."

Houzi pointed to Mei on the phone, "Why are you drunk? You are there on business."

"This is a business call. I have business with my business partners so we can do business together. Its business I say."

Houzi groaned, "Say business one more time and I am hanging up this phone for Nai."

Nai put his hand up silencing Houzi, "Mei, what did you call for?"

Now the face crumpled in a furrowed pout as Mei tried his best to look a like an angry man but instead was channeling petulant child, "I need you to fire KO."

Concern and confusion passed between all three of them as Mei's voice caught on those words. He was trying to sound playful, but there was genuine pain there. Nai leaned forward into the phone, "What happened?"

"KO found someone else. He's replaced me. See!" Mei flashed the phone over to the two in seclusion and the right back at himself where he got closer to the phone to whisper, "Nai, I might have gotten a little drunk."

Anger, protection, vindication all pulsed through Nai's body as for the first time Mei's playful jester mask faltered. He signaled Yu and Houzi to their laptops. KO may have been his friend, but a lesson had to be taught. Nai cursed his own involvement in putting them in this position. He focused back on Mei, "Where are you right now?"

"Still at the bar drinking away my broken heart."

Thats when Nai noticed a well-manicured painted set of nails scratching Mei's hair comfortingly. He halted Yu and Houzi as he asked the question he already knew the answer to, "Mei, who is that with you?"

Mei perked up and flashed the camera to a pretty lady who was equally as drunk, "This is Marisol. She's a new friend of mine."

"Did you meet Marisol before or after KO left your side?"

"Before. That was when Genevieve was still with us too!"

Groaning from the couch Yu and Houzi stormed the phone cursing Mei to several circles of Hell. Only Nai kept his composure as he said, "Miss Marisol, would you be so kind as to stop my friend from drinking anymore." he looked back to Mei, "I am hanging the phone up now. Do not move."

Nai hung up immediately with Yu and Houzi both looking at him perplexed. But still he video-dialed. He waited for them to pick up and soon after he was rewarded with KO's face. The level tone and even face of the man who met him was as Nai would expect him, "Take Hao Mei back to the room. He's drunk."

KO looked off camera at what he assumed was at Mei. As soon as KO looked back at him giving a single nod of his head before hanging up the phone. Nai went right back to work tap-tap-tapping away.

It took Yu snapping, "Well?"

Nai never looked up, "KO is handling the situation."

-Friday 1 am, Las Vegas-

"Lets go." was all Mei heard as he turned to face KO.

Immediately Mei turned his back on him and slurred, "Go with your friend."

"You called Nai."

Mei spun around and his head swam with his stomach lurching forward from the momentum. He fought to gain control of his senses again, "He called you? No fair! I told him to fire you, not call you."

KO didn't wait for an invitation as he wrapped his arm around Mei's back to tuck his hand under his armpit hoisting him to his feet. But Marisol was quick to block their way. The smirk on her face and the gleam in her eyes screamed mischief, "He can always spend the night with me." then she leaned in and kissed Mei right on the lips, "Nightynight, Mei, you know where to find me."

KO watched her go and immediately dragged Mei back to their room. As soon as they were in there he tossed Mei onto the bed. KO sat down next to him and stared at the floor.

Was that girl really what Mei wanted? Was that his type? Without moving, KO dared ask, "Why did you call Nai?"

Mei crossed his arms over his chest and just laid staring at the ceiling there petulantly, "Why did you let that guy flirt with you? Gross."

KO stared a hole right through the floor down to the lobby. So one guy flirting with another grossed him out. Great. Just great. The idea of two men flirting sickened him. Guess that answered any questions KO might have happened about possibilities between the two of them. That kiss between that woman and Mei still pulverizing every last inch of his soul from the inside to out. His control was cracking as the blood in his veins boiled and seethed turning to acid beneath skin.

"She's a great kisser, you know? Did you see that kiss? What. A. Woman. De-lic-ious! Ask me all about it.", Mei watched him for a minute before sitting up and wrapping KO's neck in a head lock, "Say something, man! React! Flinch! Damn it!" he collapsed back onto the bed with a heavy groan and sigh, "I'm better looking than him."

"Mmm."

Sitting up on his elbows, Mei stared at him long enough to make him uncomfortable till he was finally forced to look back at him as soon as he did Mei demanded, "Smile. Smile for me."

"No."

"You smiled for him and you can't smile for me? I'm your most important person and you would deny me a smile. I'm leaving." Mei rose, staggered, braced himself on air, then did the best swagger he could before KO grabbed his arm, "Let go, KO. I want out of here and away from you."

"Her room?"

Mei snorted and looked at him, "She likes girls. She kissed me to make you jealous. Did it work?"

Before KO could answer him, Mei blacked out and once more forced KO to carry him to the bed. Staring down at Mei's sleeping face with the faint aroma of beer wafting out with every exhale, KO stroked the back of his fingertips along Mei's cheek. With a catch in his confidence, KO was forced to make his confession alone, "Yes."

-Friday 6 pm, China-

Erxi unlocked the door and screamed…again. Every morning, every evening since her owners left in the wee hours Thursday morning. The same sight. Sitting directly on the other side of the door was two very striking and very blue eyes. The head cocked in confusion and the pink nose sniffed delicately. Erxi kept her hand to her chest to prevent her heart from escaping as it beat wildly in her chest. When she finally calmed down, she said, "We have to set-up a new routine for you. I can't have you sitting there like that every time I open the door. You look like some kind of demon welcoming me to death. It gives me the creeps. Now come get some dinner."

But as she passed her and went to the kitchen…the dog remained vigilant in her sentry position.

For a moment, Erxi almost felt sorry for the spooky canine, "They aren't coming home. Come. Auntie Erxi will heat up your tasty dinner, then I'll eat, then we can go on your walk. How does that sound? Sound fun? Come on, Nuer. Come here, girl."

Nothing.

Scratching her head in wonder, Erxi began to prepare the dog's food in the hopes it would coax something out of her. But since yesterday, Nuer hadn't moved. With the exception of her walk, Nuer sat waiting by the door, ate by the door, slept by the door. No matter what Erxi did the dog refused to leave her spot. She had a mission she would not be swayed from.

It was time for a new tactic. Erxi called out, "Oooo yum! How good is this? Nuer, I am eating your food. How yummy! Your daddy makes such yummy food." Nothing. Not even a flinch.

Time for the big guns Erxi decided. So she squatted next to Nuer and began pantomiming eating the food, but to no prevail. Nuer still didn't care. Erxi plopped down next to her and began petting her, "I know, Nuer, I know. You miss your daddies. They'll be back soon." then absently Erxi took a bite of Nuer's food. She started to act horrified but was quick to realize, "Hey! This isn't too shabby. Your daddy is a pretty good cook." slowly stuffing her face Erxi nodded along and rested her head on the dog, "I know how you feel. Don't tell anyone but I actually miss my Guang. Here. Want some?" surprisingly the dog took the bite and relaxed into her cuddles, "Don't worry I'll stay with you by the door. You pout as long as you need. I'm sure your daddies will come back and everything will be happy just like you remember it. Its only a few days. What could go wrong? I'm sure they are enjoying their trip, so you don't have to worry."

To be continued…