Chapter 14 Who's out of their mind? Oh, it's me, bro. Never mind then...

Meanwhile, with the help of the reliable doctor Allen, Officer Grayson successfully took control of the 'squid's' small hideout as a police officer, making a great contribution.

This time he had obtained clear evidence and sealed it in the police station's evidence department before the "Squid" gang could destroy it.

Of course, he had a backup plan.

He made copies of the police dispatch videos, audio recordings, and various on-site photos as evidence, storing them at Nightwing's base to prevent the Evidence Division from having to steal evidence again without being able to catch the suspect.

While silently thanking Alan for helping him get promoted to a regular officer position ahead of schedule, Officer Grayson was seriously considering the menu for the evening.

Like Allen, they had been working continuously for over 30 hours, and they both needed a big meal to soothe their upset stomachs.

Officer Grayson continued to express his heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Osborn, because the doctor had forced him to take on the responsibilities of a stay-at-home dad every day, trying to make the two of them, who worked from 5 am to 11 pm, live like normal human beings instead of dark, crawling rodents.

Dick looked at his phone, thinking the doctor was probably asleep.

So he didn't call, but happily sent the doctor a text message—

"Let's go get steak together when you wake up. (Silly seagull kicking its leg.gif)"

After sending the text message and confirming that the doctor did not reply within half a minute, he contentedly stuffed his phone into his pocket and walked out of the Brudhaven Police Station in the sunshine, like a seagull on the dock who had just gotten a bag of fries.

Finally, there are no reporters blocking the door and relentlessly interrogating him. Now these people are going after their bureau chief instead. That's great.

Also, his new sofa arrived yesterday, and it should be assembled tonight so he can invite the doctor over to snuggle up on the sofa and read together.

He'd been annoyed with the sofa the doctor was using as a bookshelf for a long time.

Dick stroked his chin, thinking that he was now essentially living with the doctor.

The reasons are somewhat complicated—

When Dr. Osborn first moved in, he blew up the kitchen and microwave, so on his advice, they had to buy a new microwave, which the doctor casually placed in the living room—near the wall he shared with Allen's apartment.

In fact, the course of events was foreshadowed on the very day Dr. Osborn blew up the kitchen—unsurprisingly, Dr. Osborn blew up the microwave a second time.

But Dick felt he had to be fair; the explosion wasn't Dr. Osborn's fault at all. The blame lay with the unscrupulous appliance store owner. Dr. Osborn had undoubtedly been ripped off by a cunning local who had bought a used microwave.

And it wasn't checked carefully.

But who would have thought that a bomb was hidden inside a used microwave oven?

Fortunately, after getting neighbors, Dick had the foresight to save a small amount of money. He set up a small secret base for himself and moved away everything that would expose his identity.

So it doesn't matter if the wall is blown up, as long as Dr. Osborne is alright.

He even helped the doctor get the money he'd been swindled out of.

That night, they happily took the money and enjoyed a big meal.

However, the result of indulging in pleasure in the moment was that neither of them had a single extra coin in their pockets to repair the dilapidated and tragically damaged wall, so they could only let it be.

But neither he nor Allen minded, and they were happy to enjoy the grand hall.

Occasionally, he and Dr. Osborne would bump into each other at the apartment entrance, and then they would go home through either door, crawling through the large hole in the living room into their respective areas. However, neither of them currently planned to tell the landlord that they had converted two rooms into a two-bedroom apartment without permission.

Dr. Osborne would come to his kitchen for a free meal, and he would often go to Dr. Osborne's sofa to browse the latest medical journals and financial news.

They were very compatible roommates. Dr. Osborne, who was very tactful, had no interest in meddling in other people's business. He didn't even have to worry about being questioned if he used Dr. Osborne's balcony to go home.

They even built a rope ladder on the balcony, because it was the only way to get into their apartment building. Dr. Osborn insisted on using it secretly only late at night; the image of an elite doctor was incredibly important to him.

Dick couldn't help but chuckle, then he saw the crumpled mini Nightwing doll hanging on his backpack—sewed by Dr. Osborn himself with gut thread. He had just received it yesterday, and the first thing he thought was that this little thing was shockingly ugly and unique in the world.

After looking at her for a while, you realize she's absolutely adorable.

Nightwing gently patted the Nightwing doll's head, then felt a sharp pain in his fingertip.

He silently pulled a needle from the doll's neck.

Hmm... the image of the aloof doctor refusing to admit his mistake was already flashing through his mind, and Dick found himself wanting to laugh even more.

Officer Grayson was no fool; he knew that his trust and intimacy with Dr. Osborne had crossed a line.

However, he is currently quite engrossed in it and hopes to continue doing so.

He is not good at thinking too much about future plans and unpredictable changes. He prefers to enjoy the present and temporarily put aside things he doesn't want to face.

It's a very strange feeling.

Dick was sometimes surprised that he had so smoothly accepted the fact that his feelings for someone of the same sex had crossed the line... It was probably because Dr. Osborn had captured his attention the very first day he appeared before him. He was probably suffering from a bit of love at first sight, but he hadn't thought about taking it any further yet.

Dick sighed and took his wallet out of his pocket… Oh no, he took the wrong wallet again today; it was Dr. Osborne’s wallet.

It doesn't matter, it's all empty anyway.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and the temperature was just right for an autumn afternoon. The warm light made Dick drowsy, so he emptied the last coin from Dr. Osborn's wallet and bought a rose on a whim.

He only realized how foolish he was after he bought it.

Dick looked up at his reflection in the shop window. A smile he wasn't even aware of was playing on his lips, and his hair was tinged with gold by the sunlight. He looked exactly like someone Dr. Osborn would like... probably.

But Alan never seemed to have expressed any romantic feelings for him in that way. Dick suddenly realized this.

So did Dr. Osborn feel the same way about him?

I think so. The doctor seemed to have a strong sense of boundaries, but he never showed any aggression towards him, except on the first day they met.

Nightwing stood on the street, frowning, analyzing Dr. Osborn's emotional world with the solemn expression of someone pondering the Penguin's conspiracy.

Forget it, I can't figure it out.

Dick sighed as he looked at the sun.

Unlike Gotham, which is shrouded in dark clouds and cold rain all day long, Brodhaven occasionally enjoys bright sunshine and a gentle breeze. The air is filled with the unique aroma of sand, seafood, and the heavy industrial supply chain characteristic of a harbor city.

Dick took a deep breath and decided to put all the previous questions aside. He happily got into his beat-up car and headed to find Dr. Osborn.

Then he saw an uninvited guest sitting in the back of the broken-down car.

The uninvited guest wore a brown-yellow coat, his tie hung loosely around his neck, and his blond hair was so messy it could be used as a nest for seagulls.

An old acquaintance.

Dick paused for a moment, then looked puzzled: "...Constantine? What are you doing here? And you even broke into my car!"

Constantine expertly lit a cigarette, ignoring Dick's twitching lips: "Who do you think Allen got the address for 'Squid' from? I'm the private investigator he hired."

Dick: ...

It doesn't seem too surprising.

He said that Allen had hired some fearless guy to investigate the drug manufacturing company of the Black Gang, and it turned out to be Hellstalker.

Isn't this a bit of a waste of resources? Usually, this kind of heavyweight weapon is only used when the world is about to be destroyed, when demons are about to invade, or when humanity is about to be wiped out.

And—Constantine and Allen? They really don't seem like they should have any connection at all!

This time, Constantine didn't play the riddle-maker; he frankly explained the whole story: "How could I refuse Osborne's money? Just like I couldn't refuse Wayne's money."

Dick: "...Is it the Osborn I'm thinking of?"

“You didn’t know?” Constantine took another drag of his cigarette. “Hey… there’s not much to say. Alan started keeping me as his mistress a year ago. He offered me a price that would make me willing to go to hell and steal Satan’s underwear for him. Rich people can do whatever they want.”

Dick tried to ignore the slight annoyance he felt because of the overly familiar tone the other person used when talking about doctors.

"But I heard that Alan Baby isn't doing too well right now? His brother is going to inherit the Osborn Group, I wonder if he'll renew his contract next year... Tsk, it's a real shame to lose such a beautiful and demanding big client."

"...I think you should stay away from him."

“Oh, no need to be jealous, former Robin. I’m just helping you out today as the boss asked.” Constantine yawned. “Baby Allen told me to investigate that gang’s hideout as quickly as possible. You know, I don’t have as many moral principles as others.”

Hellstalker concealed the inverted triple helix that flashed across his palm and continued explaining casually, "He specifically instructed me to protect an officer named Richard Grayson and not let him get hurt in the slightest. I think I did a good job, don't you think, Officer Grayson?"

Dick's ears began to burn.

He didn't notice Constantine's subtle movements and continued to steer the conversation back to serious matters: "Is that all? I thought you didn't take on jobs that weren't related to magic."

“That’s it.” Constantine looked out the car window.

In a dimension invisible to ordinary humans, the fleeting black mist reflected a dark light in Constantine's eyes.

He mumbled through his cigarette butt, "What can I do? Money talks. My dear Allen didn't say he wanted to terminate the contract, so of course I have to provide good after-sales service. I have professional ethics, you know?"

He clicked his tongue, watching Dick's inexplicably flustered back, his eyes darting around with ill intent: "So, are you satisfied with my service? I need to report this to the boss later. If it's convenient, could you put in a good word for me with your boyfriend? Ask him to renew his subscription with me. I swear I can do anything, even if all three of us are together..."

"...Shut up! So how exactly do you know Allen?"

"We met on a dating app."

Constantine rubbed his fingertips, feeling a stinging and sticky burning sensation from the dark creation, and continued rambling incoherently, "My dear Allen used to love me so much, we always had so much to talk about. But now he hasn't contacted me for months, and the first thing he asks is for me to be your bodyguard and detective. To be honest, I'm a little heartbroken. Oh, lucky Officer Grayson, I'm jealous of you. Why isn't I the one living in the apple of my dear Allen's eye?"

Dick finally couldn't help but cough loudly.

He was quite certain that the first half of Constantine's statement was nonsense, while the second half was absolutely true.

He felt as if his heart had suddenly been stuffed into a large, soft, pink, cotton candy-like cloud, or as if he had taken a big gulp of ice-cold cola on a hot day. He was so happy he felt like he was bubbling over.

Dr. Osborn's beloved Officer Grayson secretly grinned from an angle unseen by Hellstalker, then stepped on the gas and drove the car out of the parking lot.

The poor Hellstalker almost hit his head off the window.

Constantine: "...Don't get so excited, okay? You're acting like Romeo who can't wait to see Juliet."

"...Don't say such unlucky things."

Broodhaven, the superhero, struggled to pull himself out of his rosy bubble and asked seriously, "So why did Allen hire you a year ago?"

Constantine hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Is it strange for rich kids to want to experience magic? Everyone is curious about Harry Potter."

Nightwing stared intently at Constantine's face in the rearview mirror, not missing a single subtle change in his expression. He certainly wasn't so easily convinced by Constantine's words, or rather, he was almost certain that Constantine hadn't finished speaking.

Hellstalker is a master conman. His stories are nine parts truth and one part falsehood, and he twists cause and effect. What comes out of his mouth is often completely contrary to the truth. After all, this man has even fooled Satan.

He suddenly became curious about why Allen had chosen to run away from home, and even more curious about why Allen had approached Constantine a year ago. It certainly wasn't because Allen had too much money to burn; after all, a doctor isn't Bruce.

Nightwing forced himself not to think about the worst-case scenario—people who approached Constantine usually had many demands, desires that money couldn't fulfill and that couldn't be achieved in the real world, so they had to rely on magic. But magic was often the most unreliable thing.

So what exactly does Eren want to get through Constantine?

"I'm planning a vacation in Brudhaven. Find me a place to stay, Nightwing," Hellblazer said matter-of-factly. "Consider it severance pay for my precious Alan. I'll give you a 20% discount, don't be shy!"

Nightwing rolled his eyes, but did not refuse.

He sped along with Constantine, trying to extract more information about Dr. Osborn, but Constantine rambled on and on, not saying a single useful word.

Dick was so annoyed by him that he wanted to go back and give Dr. Osborn a big hug even more.

He'll definitely find out the doctor's little secrets, but not now.

He just wanted to tell the doctor that next time they really didn't need to call in Hellfire to investigate the case or protect his safety; he could manage on his own.

Well... but the doctor is concerned about him, so he will very subtly show the doctor that he is actually very strong and can protect not only himself but also the doctor.

He wants to take the doctor out for a big meal later, and then they can go to the beach to relax and enjoy the sea breeze. There's a horror movie that recently premiered in theaters with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score; it supposedly has dismemberment scenes, which the doctor will definitely be interested in. And there's also the new ice cream shop that just opened on the corner…

Officer Grayson was completely satisfied with his plan, and the smile on his face was no longer concealed.

So he still doesn't want to use the main entrance today.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, the cheerful Officer Grayson quickly climbed the rope ladder to the balcony of Allen's bedroom and then dashed inside.

He often used Dr. Osborne's balcony in this way, and was warmly welcomed by Dr. Osborne.

His arrival often meant hot cocoa, chocolate, double-sugar coffee, and burritos. The warm food brought a sweet and gentle feeling of fullness and great emotional value to the doctor's tired nights, so much so that Dr. Osborn had developed a habit of finding food on the balcony.

Today, Dick placed two movie tickets on the doctor's bedside table.

After thinking for a moment, he added the roses he had bought with the coins he had just emptied from Dr. Osborne's wallet.

The doctor was still fast asleep, covered by the blanket; he was clearly exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes and his weary sleeping face made Dick feel a pang of heartache.

At the same time, they were also firmly attracted.

Dick stared at the small mole on the tip of Dr. Osborne's nose, his gaze gradually moving downwards until it finally landed on the doctor's pale lips.

Perhaps... he could take another step?

Would the doctor accept it?

In the dimly lit room, Dick sat quietly by the doctor's bedside, his mind reeling, preoccupied with a whole host of things he couldn't quite put his finger on.

He reached out and slowly extended his fingertips toward Allen's cheek.

Just as his palm was about to touch Dr. Osborn's cheek, a voice suddenly came from the doorway—

"...Eren, Eren, are you awake?"

Dick's mind went blank for a moment, and as his IQ dropped to zero, his limbs moved at lightning speed.

Then, he didn't know what he was thinking, but by the time he realized it, he was already squatting in Dr. Osborn's closet in a strange position.

Surrounded by Dr. Osborn's clothes and scent, Dick momentarily thought he was being held tightly in the doctor's arms.

Or perhaps he held the doctor tightly in his arms and did what he had just wanted to do but hadn't dared to.

The poor, imaginative, long-legged police officer huddled in the closet, staring blankly at Dr. Osborne's hanging suit trousers for a few seconds, then clutched Dr. Osborne's shirt and buried his head in it in frustration.