The car continued on to Salt Lake City.
Danny took off his troublesome boots and threw them in the back seat. He stepped barefoot on the co-pilot's seat, hugged his knees, resting his chin between his knees, thinking about his thoughts. Crying can't simply stop, just as bad things can't just be forgotten. Danny's airway was still pushing a small burp from time to time. But Danny wasn't embarrassed. Even the pain in the ankle seems to be gone. His mind was completely absorbed in another matter.
For a while, they all remained silent, and no one mentioned the scene just now, as if Kuze didn't finally start speaking English again after three years, as if that scene didn't mean that Kuze started to open the door of the attic and was looking towards the sun. He cautiously stretched out his tentacles and listened to the new world.
Then Kuze said, "You have to change your check-in until tomorrow. That... That person told me that I would definitely miss the plane. And—" Danny looked sideways, and Kuze's lips twitched nervously.
"Okay," Danny said. He turned his head and stared at Kuze without blinking.
Kuze was obviously more nervous when he looked at him. He uncomfortably tightened his fingers holding the steering wheel and licked his lips again: "Also, can I add a ticket?"
Danny quieted down.
"… Who?" he asked after a while. Danny knew he was asking, but he couldn't believe it.
"Me." Kuze said, his eyes still stuck on the empty road, a straight road in the wilderness, and he made a few turns just to keep the driver's attention. The car turns smoothly, and distant mountains appear and disappear from sight. Kuze whispered: "I want you to win the lawsuit. I may not be of much help, but at least to testify in court, I want to give it a try... Danny, you have to bring me."
The last sentence he spoke was in English. His intonation was jerky and unnatural, even for Japanese English. But the sentence was very simple, and Danny heard it clearly.
This was the first time Kuze called Danny by his first name. Honestly, the scene wasn't what Danny had in mind.
When Kuze stepped out of the cat fantasy, Danny was looking forward to first a kiss, and then a hot sex/love. If it really doesn't work, Kuze will at least apologize to him, including binding bandages, brushes, rectal thermometers, Elizabethan rings and surveillance cameras. To have a sense of ceremony, to be special. Danny doesn't mind some unreasonable eachother or even an obtrusive ring. All in all, Kuze can't just say that you're going to take me with you.
Not hearing Danny's response, Kuze glanced sideways at him, then put his eyes back on the surface. He looked so restless, more so than he had shown along the way. He tried to explain, switching haphazardly between Japanese and flimsy English, but neither language seemed to express his thoughts accurately. Maybe those ideas are not clear enough on their own.
"Danny - Danny," he said twice Danny's name first, as if the word would give him strength, "I want to try. I don't know if it will work. I don't know where to start, How to do it, how long it can last... It's too hard. I thought after saying goodbye to you—I needed a lot of time... but just—"
Kuze stepped on the brakes. He can no longer focus on driving. Kuze looked at Danny and said earnestly, "I think I can try it, I can go a little faster—is it time for me? Would you still let me try it?"
Danny wanted to say something, but he couldn't make a sound when he spoke. His Adam's apple turned into a lump stuck in his throat. What a day it was, from the heart to the ankles, and now to the throat, with all the parts of Danny going against him. He could only stare at Kuze hard, trying to make him understand his grievances. He knew that Kuze absolutely understood, and Kuze did understand. He started to apologize.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry... I'm sorry I hesitated for so long, there are so many things..." Danny was still waiting for Kuze to mention the restraint bandages, brushes, rectal thermometers, Elizabethan rings and surveillance cameras, but this paragraph The apology ends here. Kuze paused for a long time as if he was running out of words.
Then he said, "Thank you."
Danny's tears immediately fell again. He was sobbing uncontrollably, thinking to himself what the hell this was all about, that he didn't cry so much. But his heart and lacrimal glands were sore and swollen, and he didn't obey him at all. He was aggrieved to the death, what kind of life has he lived this week! All of this must be blamed on Jiushi, blame this person for being stubborn, blame this person for weak will, how dare Jiushi make Danny sad for so long, how can he
He felt like he was being embraced by Kuze again. It's not enough, not enough at all. Danny backhanded on Kuze's back, his nails digging deep into his shirt and digging into his flesh. He even took a bite out of Kuze. Just on the shoulder, the force is so strong that it will definitely leave a tooth mark. He heard Kuze take a breath, but the gesture of hugging him didn't change. Kuze's palm gently stroked along his back. There is no one in the four fields, only the boundless natural yellow fields. The wind carries the smell of soil and spring. Danny's sobbing gradually ceased, and he leaned against Kuze's arms, feeling the long-lost safety.
They held this position long enough until Danny finally regained control of the tear ducts. He instructed Kuze to turn his back, carefully wiped away the tears in the rearview mirror, and returned to his usual expression. Danny's eyes are still a little swollen, but technology can make up for physical deficiencies. He rolled the windows all the way down, letting the wind blow away the lingering sensational atmosphere that didn't provoke tears. It wasn't until the willfulness, wit, and sense of humor that he had been away from him for almost a week finally settled down and refilled his body before Danny allowed Kuze to turn around.
They looked at each other for a while. Kuze was obviously still a little worried about Danny's mood. Danny didn't like being looked at like this. He was slightly annoyed: "What are you looking at?"
Kuze said, "Look at you—seems like I haven't looked at you so well in a week."
"Who's to blame!" Danny cried.
"Blame me," Kuze said, and then he added hesitantly, "Maybe... Danny, I mean, maybe, there's more to blame for me in the future."
Danny knew what he was referring to. He just doesn't care.
"Then continue to blame you," Danny said. "It's all your fault, even the hole in the nail in your bedroom wall."
Kuze didn't understand, so Danny explained it to him. As Danny spoke, a strange expression of surprise and timid appeared on Kuze's face, as if he could see Danny's feelings from Danny's attention to this little detail, as if he didn't expect it. Even then Danny was so obsessed with him. Danny looked annoyed again at Kuze's smile. This person was too sensitive to emotional projection, and Danny didn't want to reveal his fascination so early. No, he has to take the initiative back.
Danny cleared his throat and took out his cat voice: "You said you wanted to try it."
Kuze nodded.
"Then you need some sweet talk," Danny said, raising his chin proudly. "Say you love me, and I'll buy a plane ticket for my sweetheart."
Kuze blushed. He was obviously not used to the sudden ridicule, or simply not used to the title of "heart baby". Danny sneered. He dangled Kuze's phone between his index finger and thumb, showing the open airline page on the screen. The meaning is obvious: there is no air ticket if you don't say it. Kuze hesitated for a moment, murmured something, and Danny shouted, "I can't hear it, I can't hear it, I can't hear it."
Kuze took a deep breath, turned around and wrapped his arms around the back of Danny's head, kissing him hard on the lips—to be honest, the movement wasn't romantic at all, even a little funny, but Danny was able to tolerate it. What's wrong with a virgin doctor being clumsy? As long as he's good at it. Like he said, as long as Kuze gave him a nod, Danny would paddle his canoe across the Pacific Ocean between them. Danny willingly. More importantly, he can do it.
After Kuze kissed, he hurriedly started the engine, as if he was afraid that if he stayed any longer, Danny would ask for more inappropriate things. Danny graciously tolerated Kuze's slipping through with a kiss. They have a long way to go, from Idaho to Utah to Miami and beyond. Danny calculated in his heart. He thought too much, too far, and forgot about the plane ticket. Seeing that he didn't move for a long time, Kuze couldn't help but exhort: "Now you have to change the ticket. There is also a hotel. After changing the ticket, you have to spend the night in Salt Lake City. Remember to book two rooms."
"Two rooms? No, we have to sleep together! I can let you not fuck the cat today, but we have to sleep together!"
Danny's words were so heavy that if he couldn't see his expression, Kusebo would have thought he was still angry. But actually, Danny was already laughing. He couldn't help it. The corners of his mouth became wider and wider, and he finally laughed.
The fresh wind blowing in the field. The further south you go, the warmer the weather gets. There are wild geese in the sky, flying high against their route. There were a few goose chirps in the distance, and Danny returned with a song. He sang loudly towards the window. He sang very hard, and everyone from aunts to peers had the final say, but he didn't care.
Danny sang happily out of tune. Kuze glanced at him in the rearview mirror and began to smile too.
THE END