Chapter 19 - Confessions
As promised, Fenyang returned to Maryland, safe and sound. Hou was especially relieved to see him and told him so as soon as Fenyang entered the temp house. He gave the other humanoid big, open mouth kisses while holding him close. Jax couldn't help but laugh at the scene.
"Hou, please stop. I'm fine!" Fenyang gasped out as Hou kept kissing him.
"Mustard Seed." Hou purred.
Jax cleared his throat, making Hou stop lavishing attention on Fenyang. He decided to open the discussion, "Hou, Fenyang….we need to figure out what's going on—and what's gonna happen-between the three of us."
"Jackson, if I may?" Fenyang spoke up.
"Go ahead, Feng."
Fenyang parted from Hou and addressed the two men, "It's obvious that the three of us are attracted to each other. I don't honestly know what your connection to each other is, but I know that I'm…drawn to you both. Hou, we grew up together, fought together and killed together. We were friends and lovers for so many years. That love and brotherhood I held for you is still there. Jackson, you…what can I say about you? You made me feel human again. You gave me my life back, your friendship and love saved me, and I was too scared to hold on you because I didn't want to be betrayed again. I didn't think I was good enough for you."
"That wasn't for you to decide, Feng. I loved you, but I fell in love with Hou along the way too. I still love you."
"And I love you, Jackson…but I still love you, Hou."
"I love you both as well. Sheesh, enough sappiness!" Hou snorted, wrapping his arms around both men, "I don't see what's so complicated. We love each other; why not remain together, the three of us?"
There was an awkward silence in the room before Jax finally spoke up again, "…You're right, Hou. I can't believe you're right."
"Why are we making this complicated?" Fenyang added.
"Finally, we've come to a resolution."
"So…what are we to each other?" Jax asked.
"Boyfriends, I suppose." Hou answered, kissing both his lovers on their cheeks.
"Boyfriends it is." Fenyang agreed.
"So, Mustard Seed, where did you disappear to today?"
"I'll tell you over dinner."
Meanwhile, at Cox's high rise. Dana was pacing the floor of his living room. He was clearly bothered by Fenyang's rejection and even more bothered about the lives that the Lin Kuei cyborgs had prior to becoming cyborgs. John tried to console him, urging him that PIM was ultimately the right thing to do to help his country, but Cox wasn't hearing it right now. Plus, he was drinking again, which made Doe's goal to focus his protégé even harder.
"Dana, you have got to stop turning to alcohol to absolve your feelings." Dana tried, "We don't need, Fenyang, we'll just continue to hunt down Jiao Hou."
"I'm not thinking about them right now. I just got terrible news before we left the restaurant."
"What?"
"The General is re-assigning my team to other units, including Manhattan. Even when we capture Jiao, I'll have no one to trust the final stages of PIM to, other than your resources…I'll be alone."
John realized the hurt and pain in Dana's eyes, "Dana, I'm so sorry. I know how much you cared about your unit, but it's best that you let me handle it without outside forces interfering. Speaking of which, the General's agreed to allow an extension to capture Jiao Hou."
"That's good."
"It gets better, darling. The General's issues a cease and desist order against any financial or investigative doings involving Outerworld Investigation Agency. Major Briggs is going to have to rely on another way to escape us now."
"John…that's amazing. But how-"
"I have friends in high and low places, darling. I'm at your full disposal now. You've been approved for an extended leave to pursue Jiao Hou. And to lay off the fucking sauce."
"John…I…thank you. Thank you much."
"Don't thank me yet. We got a Lin Kuei Grandmaster to find."