[185, 205, 246: Colt, no matter what kind of ordeal we face, I will never leave you. I think your father wouldn't choose to physically eliminate me either, because he loves you very much, he couldn't bear to make you sad.]
..
At eleven o'clock at night, Little Reed's house was still brightly lit.
Knock, knock.
In the master bedroom on the second floor, there was a knock on the glass door leading to the terrace, Red Robin, covered in snow and nearly frozen into an ice block, slipped inside.
Colt put down the biomedical book in his hands and looked at Red Robin's legs. "Timothy Drake, your legs aren't even healed yet!"
I used the Healing Lamp today, I'm almost fully recovered, these boots are custom-made to prevent bone displacement." Like a red bird, Red Robin leaped lightly onto the cabinet, then flipped back down, declaring proudly, "I feel like I could take on Killer Croc all by myself right now.
Colt nearly screamed, "If you dare to take on Killer Croc while injured, I'll use my Leap Mech to blow Arkham into ruins."
It was a metaphor; I was just providing intelligence support while Batman was hunting Mr. Freeze." Red Robin regretted not giving Mr. Freeze a few more kicks. He shook the snow off his body, propped one hand against the edge of the bed, leaned in to kiss Colt, added, "I've received your concern, my dear Little Reed.
Colt cupped his face, stroking his frostbitten, reddened skin, his fingertips tracing the edge of the Domino Mask to wipe away the frost at his temples, before pulling him into a full embrace.
Red Robin's uniform was stiff and cold, clearly uncomfortable for a freezing winter night, but it was even more heart-stirring. While thinking about how to manufacture a warming and anti-frost skincare cream, Colt kissed the slightly purplish lips, using his own body heat to warm Red Robin.
The kiss deepened.
The kiss grew more lingering, slowly becoming uncontrollable.
Red Robin's self-control was incredible; pulling back slightly, his breathing was uneven, "Colt, don't be afraid, I will find a way to earn your father's approval.."
Knock, knock
The knocking interrupted Red Robin's words.
"Colt, who are you talking to?" Joseph's voice was laced with anger.
"Wait, Dad, not right now." Colt jumped up, grabbing Red Robin and stuffing him under the covers.
Red Robin struggled, "I can.."
Colt covered Red Robin's mouth, also realizing the bed was no place to hide, hurriedly dragged Red Robin down and shoved him into the wardrobe.
Joseph burst through the door and stormed into the bedroom with a dark expression. Then, he kicked a pair of slippers, looked up to see two duvets on the bed, two water glasses placed on both nightstands, jackets hanging on the rack that were completely not Colt's style..
Joseph pushed open the closed bathroom door and saw no one, only two sets of toiletries on the sink. His vision went dark for a moment, he nearly lost his breath; he slammed the Leap Mech core component he was holding forcefully onto the floor.
Colt lunged forward to catch him. "Dad, I can still use this."
"Still useful? You're going to fix it just to blow it up for others to see? How many forced jumps do you think it takes for the core Power Reactor to end up like this? You're actually risking your life for someone else!" Joseph pushed Colt aside, like an angry lion patrolling its territory.
"What are you panicking for? Are you hiding him at home?!" Joseph pulled back the curtains, threw back the covers, then went to the wardrobe.
Colt's expression changed.
Joseph took a deep breath and knocked on the closet door: "Are you coming out on your own, or do I have to open the door and ask you to come out?"
Red Robin closed his eyes in despair; the situation could have been much less awkward. Summoning enough courage to call upon the Green Lantern Ring, he pushed open the wardrobe door and raised a hand to greet the pale-faced Joseph.
Hi, Uncle Joseph, Merry Christmas.
"I! Am! Not! Happy! At! All!" Joseph's chest heaved violently, looking as if his blood vessels might burst.
Colt didn't dare to breathe.
Red Robin stepped out of the wardrobe, attempting to soothe the furious Joseph: "Uncle Joseph, please calm down, I can explain."
You can explain? You can explain? I don't need your explanation!" Joseph paced around the room, trying to find his shotgun. "I work my tail off to make money for you all! And you're in my house messing with my son!
Dad," Colt's head was buzzing, "we aren't messing around yet.
Shut up! Be quiet! Don't force me to confiscate your hearing aid!" Joseph pointed at Colt, raising his voice at his son for the first time. He paused, forcing himself to smile and softening his voice, "I'm sorry, Colt, Daddy is just furious, that's why I'm shouting. I know, I know, you two are just dating—Wayne-style dating, in bed today and broken up by tomorrow!
As he continued, Joseph's voice rose again.
"I like him!" Colt also turned up the volume on the loudspeaker.
Joseph quieted down, looking at Colt, then at Red Robin.
"I like him, Dad," Colt said, grabbing Red Robin's hand.
Red Robin interlaced his fingers with Colt's, looking seriously at Joseph. "Uncle Joseph, I love Colt. I'm serious, this isn't some game of romance."
Joseph scrutinized the two before him, especially their eyesore of intertwined hands, took a deep breath, gritting his teeth. "We need to talk."
"Fine." Colt let go of Red Robin; he had wanted to talk to Joseph for a long time, but Joseph had been the one refusing to talk to him.
Joseph shook his head and pointed at Red Robin. "The one who needs to talk to me isn't you, it's him."
“Dad, what do you want to talk to him about?” Colt shielded Red Robin behind him. “Without my initiative, nothing would have happened. It was I who first created the Spiritual Connection and chose him; only then could he see me, only then did everything else follow.”
Joseph did not answer, only looking at Red Robin and asking, "Your answer?"
Red Robin stepped out from behind Colt, "I am very willing to speak with you."
Tim! Colt gasped.
Joseph nodded and reached out toward Colt: "He has agreed. To prevent you from interrupting the conversation, the hearing aid, give it to me."
"Dad, does it have to be like this?" Colt shook his head.
Joseph extended his hand toward Colt, gesturing for him to hand it over. "Give it to me."
Colt took off his hearing aid under Joseph's stern gaze.
Joseph took a handkerchief from his pocket to wrap up the hearing aid, then reached out again: "Where is the spare?"
Timothy took a small box from a small pouch at the back of his waist bag and placed it gently into Joseph's hands.
Joseph opened the box, saw the hearing aid inside, closed his eyes in disbelief. He looked at Colt, then at Red Robin, nearly hyperventilating.
Colt had his hearing aid confiscated and turned his head angrily, snorting to express his dissatisfaction.
Joseph's hair stood on end, then he scanned the room, stuffing the quantum terminal, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, all other electronic devices into Colt's backpack.
Colt nudged Red Robin gently and gestured with his eyes.
Red Robin felt it wasn't quite right, but he still slid a mobile phone into Colt's pocket.
Joseph didn't notice their little movements; he simply finished rummaging through the bag and placed the opening of the backpack in front of Colt, reminding him, "Spacetime Signal Stabilizer, Spiritual Power Guide."
Colt clutched the locket at his chest, trying to use pleading eyes to win Joseph's mercy.
I'll die without this, Dad! Losing the network will be pure agony!
The angry Joseph did not soften his heart and forcibly confiscated all of Colt's personal tools.
The Spacetime Signal Stabilizer is Colt's vital link to reality; without it, even if he held a mobile phone, he would be unable to connect to the network. Furthermore, the Spiritual Power Inducer is of even greater importance; without the inducer, his Spiritual Power would be like a ship that has lost its direction in the middle of the ocean, drifting aimlessly without finding its bounds.
Everything before his eyes had become gray and hazy, as if everything were separated by a film; although he could see them, his Spiritual Power could not find its targets, thus he naturally could not touch them.
Quiet, void.
Colt felt as if everything had returned to how it was before, back to when he had first become Ghost; everything was clearly telling him: you do not belong here.
Red Robin kept a constant watch on Colt. After the pendant and bracelet were taken away, Colt's eyes gradually lost focus, his expression becoming numb and dazed, even the aura surrounding him grew dim.
'It would be best not to provoke Joseph at a time like this.'
Red Robin thought rationally, but he still opened his arms and embraced Colt. The person in his embrace trembled slightly, clutching his cape like a lifeline. In the quiet world of only their two breaths and heartbeats, Red Robin whispered incessantly into Colt's ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, I won't leave."
Colt leaned his head against Red Robin's shoulder, watching the exceptionally vibrant gold and red colors in his graying vision, as his uncontrollable physiological trembling gradually subsided.
Joseph grabbed Colt by the collar, forcefully pulling the two apart, held a piece of paper up in front of Colt's eyes: [While I am talking with him, you stay quietly in the room. Once the conversation is over, I will return everything to you as it was.]
Colt held the note as if it were a precious treasure, pressing it carefully against his chest, nodded.
Joseph nodded to Red Robin while carrying his schoolbag: "Follow me."
Red Robin made a "wait for me" gesture toward Colt.
..
The basement, a glass room used for resting.
Joseph placed Colt's backpack on the single bed and gestured for Red Robin to sit on the sofa: "Have you been here before?"
"Yes." Red Robin sat up straight.
Joseph took a bottle of water from the small refrigerator, sat down opposite Red Robin, unscrewed the cap, took a sip, wiped the droplets from his beard, looked at Red Robin with a sharp gaze, "Relax, Mr. Drake, I'm not going to kill you."
Chapter 52
Joseph's attitude was unexpectedly good.
Red Robin relaxed his shoulders slightly, but his back remained straight. He took off his Domino Mask and spoke seriously and sincerely, "You can call me Tim, Uncle Joseph; that's what my family calls me."
You can also just call me Joseph." Joseph nodded, appearing not quite as angry as he had been in front of Colt. "I don't dislike you; in fact, I might even say I like you—more so than Bruce Wayne, who can never be found when I need a signature.
I am honored to have your favor, Joseph. Your newly discovered room-temperature superconductor could make Wayne Enterprise a true number one in the world, the Interstellar Warp Ship you are secretly researching is also vital technology that Batman urgently needs. If Bruce knew you were looking for him, he would fly back to see you even from another world.
Timothy had a mouth that could work as a politician's, he was very skilled at saying things that people loved to hear.
Joseph looked at Timothy.
Despite the tingling sensation on his scalp and the hair standing on end, Timothy still managed to force a sincere smile.
Heh, such hypocritical pleasantries, yet you say them with such absolute sincerity. You and your adoptive father are like two peas in a pod." Joseph stroked his beard, ending the pleasantries and getting straight to the point. "What do you want from my son?
Everything he has, I am willing to give my all for it." Timothy looked Joseph straight in the eyes, his tone even more sincere, "I like Colt.
"Say that again." Joseph's gaze looked like he wanted to kill someone.
Timothy did not back down, but instead took a step forward: "I love Colt."
Joseph gritted his teeth. "Are you really not afraid that I'll kill you?"
Timothy said with certainty, "You won't, because you love Colt, you can't bear to see him heartbroken."
Joseph leaned forward, his hands forming a steeple with his fingertips pressed against his bearded chin, his sharp gaze piercing Timothy: "I am a Gotham native through and through. I could easily kill you and then make him forget you ever existed; I am capable of that."
I believe that people in this world whose intelligence can rival yours are few and far between; there is nothing you cannot do, only things you choose not to do." Timothy's attitude was neither fierce nor weak, much like a non-Newtonian fluid. "I have never doubted your abilities. You love Colt, for all these years, it has been your persistence that has kept him in this world. I love him, my goals align with yours; we both want him back. Please, let me work with you to help Colt escape the dimensional rift that traps him, so that he may return to this world whole and complete.
“I must say, your linguistic abilities are superior to Bruce's; you are very persuasive.” Joseph's gaze gradually softened. He rubbed his face, setting aside his previous hardness, tapped his fingers restlessly on the coffee table before letting out a weary sigh. “So, how did you two form a connection, what makes you the most special person in Colt's life?”
“You are the most special one in Colt's life.” Timothy leaned forward to take Joseph's hand, looking into his eyes. “I could never replace your place in Colt's heart, I will also view you as a father, just as Colt does.”
His gaze was so sincere that Joseph felt momentarily at a loss.