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A nine year old Oswald Cobblepot jerked awake, tears falling from his face. The noise and sudden movement awoke his friend Bruce Wayne. Bruce sleepily sat up. “Oz, what’s the matter?” The other young man responded by hugging Bruce tightly and crying into his shoulder.
“I had the most awfullest of dreams, Bruce.” Oswald was sobbing between words. The raven haired boy patted his friend’s back. “Your dad was a badman and he locked my mum into the nut house and then my dad made us move and then my dad was all over the wall and then you wouldn’t talk to me and then I was treated like a dog and then a pretty lady came, and she hated you and me and her decided to hate you for your dad being a bad man and then...and then..” Young Oz was working himself up quite bad. His face was very red and you could barely understand what he was saying.
Oswald quickly pushed his friend away and barely made it into a Wayne manor hallway when he threw up. Bruce got up and followed his friend. “Are you okay?” The boy gingerly asked. Oz shook his head ‘no’. “Do you want me to get my mom?” Oz shook his head ‘yes’.
A few moments later Bruce returned with his mother and his butler. “Alfred, can you clean this up while I call Mrs. Cobblepot?” Martha asks while placing a hand on Oz’s back and leading him down the hall. “Sure thing, Mistress Wayne.” Oz looked back and saw Bruce waving bye. This weirdly made Oswald feel happy.
As soon as Oswald’s mom stepped through the door, he had his arms wrapped around her yelling about how much he loved her. She laughed to herself. “What has gotten into you, my penguin?” She asks as she messes with his hair. “I had a nightmare and in it you got sent away.” She smiles down at him. “It was just a dream, your mother isn’t going anywhere.”
~
A twelve year old Oswald Cobblepot sits across from Bruce Wayne. The two boys are having tea while the adults talk. “I can’t wait til we can join the adult business talks, Bruce.” Oz sighs as he look over to his friend and sees there’s jam on his face. “Wayne,” he grabs a napkin, “we are proper young gentlemen and we need to look like it,” he states as he wipes the other's face. “I know, I know, but it just came out the scone.” Bruce replied. “You need to be mor-” Oz stopped at the sound of laughter.
“The way they talk is just like an old married couple, don’t you think?” Mr. Cobblepot pointed out. Oswald could feel heat coming to his face as his mom took a picture.
~
A fifthteen year old Oswald Cobblepot is joining the Wayne family on a camping trip. After Bruce and him set up their tent, Bruce’s parents let them go swimming in the nearby lake. Oz sat on the pier watching his friend swim. “You know swimming is a lot more fun if you actually get in the water.” The raven haired boy pointed out.
“I’m not a big fan of swimming especially when it’s not in pools.” The green eyed boy states as he stares into the murky water. “How come?” Oz shrugged. “You can’t see the bottom and I think I have a fear of drowning. I mean I have nightmares of it a lot.” A moment of silence passes between them.
“Help me up.” Bruce held up his arm and Oz began to pull on it until he slipt. Both him and the gotham son fell into the water. Green eyes shot open. Brown murkiness clouded his vision. The water suddenly felt ice cold. Images of ice covering the top of the water flashes into his mind. Fear shot through Oz as Bruce grabbed him. The raven haired boy swam to the surface.
Oz coughed up some liquid as Bruce went to a more shallow part where the pier was closer to the water. The gotham son helped push Oswald onto the pier and then pulled himself on. Both boys were breathing heavy. The raven haired boy got up and grabbed the towels. He put Oz’s on him.
Oswald was intensely staring into the water. “Are you okay, Oz?” Bruce gingerly asked. The green eyed boy wrapped his towel closely around himself and stood up. “You did that on purpose…..” He spoke barely above a whisper. “What? Oz-” Bruce was interrupted by Oz violently grabbing him by the towel wrapped around his shoulders. “You did that on purpose, Wayne.” Bruce winced at being called his last name. Normally Bruce would be proud of being called a Wayne but the way Oz says it, he says it like it’s the worst thing a person can be.
“Oswald, calm down. Why would I on purpose pull us both into the water right after you opened up about being afraid of drowning? Think Oswald, why would I risk drowning us both for a little scare?” Bruce calmly spoke. Oswald closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting go of the other. The green eyed boy turned around walked to the end of the pier. He carefully sat down on the edge.
Bruce carefully sat down next to his friend. “You have nightmares a lot.” He stated. Oz sighed, “Yeah.” A silence filled the air. The gotham son gently wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulders. Oz couldn’t help but flinch a little at the touch. “You know you’re my best friend, right? That, and I would never do anything on purpose to hurt you.” Oswald closed his eyes so tightly and his fingers dug into his arms. “I…..I know, Bruce. I’m, I’m just paranoid. I always feel like the worst is just around the corner, like, I’m just waiting for everyone to disappear and abandon me.” Oz’s throat grew tight and small tears fell down his face.
Bruce pulled him closer. “I’m not gonna leave or abandon you, Oz. I…...I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” The gotham son was blushing as his childhood friend hugged him and began crying and laughing onto his shoulder.
~
A seventeen year old Oswald is messing with his hair in the mirror. His date for the night knocks on the door. “Come on, Oz. Your mom wants to take pictures before we leave.” Bruce checks his watch. “All of Gotham is gonna want a picture tonight, Brucey. I’m just making sure I look camera ready.” Oswald states as he takes one final look at himself in the mirror before washing gel off his hands.
Oswald opens the door. “Well, how do I look, pretty boy?” He asks while playfully modeling, which includes putting his leg on the doorway and pressing his back on the other side of the doorway. Bruce shakes his head and lightly laughs. “Beautiful Oz, just beautiful.” The two young men laughed as they walked down stairs. Both their moms were waiting for them. Oz’s mom was in tears. “Oh, Martha, our boys look so handsome.” Gertrud was clapping with joy. Martha nodded, “They sure do.”
“Oh, Bruce, Bruce!” Gertrud exclaimed as she reached into a paper bag behind her. “Ozzie and I picked out some matching boutonnières!” She carefully handed Bruce and her baby their matching yellow boutonnières. “You two should put them on each other while I take a picture!” She gleefully held up her camera. Oswald perfectly pinned Bruce’s on the first try.
Oz laughed. “Need some help there, pretty boy? Should I call Alfred to come do this for you?” Bruce narrowed his eyes. “No, I got it. I’m just making sure it’s not crooked and/or stabbing into you.” The green eyed man grabbed Bruce’s wrists. “Do I need to do it, Love?”
“No, my dear baby boy, let Bruce do it. He needs to learn how to do things like this for when he’s your husband.” Oz immediately let go of Bruce, while Bruce finally managed to get it pinned right. Martha herself even looked a little shocked. Oswald was blushing. “Mum.” He linked arms with his date began to head for the door. “Come on Bruce, we’re leaving.”
“No, you can’t leave yet. I haven’t got a photo of you two in the prom pose.” Gertrud held up her camera as she spoke. “We can get a photo at the prom, Mother.” Oswald stated. Gertrud’s mood deflated as she slowly lowered the camera. “Do you not like my pictures, Oswald?”
“No, no, Mother of course, I love your pictures. I was just rushing because we’re in a hurry to get there, but of course we’ll wait for you to get your picture. Won’t we, Bruce?” Oswald lightly elbowed Bruce in the side. “Of course, Mrs. Cobblepot.”
She perked back up. “Oswald, you know the pose.” Oz positioned himself and Bruce into the classic taken at home prom pictureTM pose. He was behind Bruce and had a arm on his waist. Gertrud quickly took the photo and showed it to Martha. “Look, Martha, at how handsome our sons are.” Martha smiled as she took the camera and examined the photo.
“Bruce and I will be going now, Mother.” The prom goers once again attempted to leave only to be stopped but Gertrud. “Oz, wait.” She wraps her arms around her son and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Have fun.” Oswald nodded and headed for the door. When Bruce tried to follow he was stopped by Gertrud’s hand on his chest. “Bruce, you are a good boy. Please, be good to mine.” Tears were forming in her eyes. “I will be, Mrs. Cobblepot.” She smiled at his response. “Please, call me Gertrud. Also Bruce…..” Gertrud leaned close to his ear. “Make sure no hussies steal him away from us.” She pulled away laughing. Bruce and her had a nod of understanding before they left. “Also don’t stay out too late you two.” She hollered out the door.
All eyes were on Oswald and Bruce as they enter the Gotham high prom. Oz made sure that him and Bruce were always touching, don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea and try to steal Bruce away from him. Until was a teacher dared to get to them for dancing too close. That teacher should suspect to get pranked soon.
After that they hung out by the snack table. Oz leaned on the table and flashed Bruce a mischievous smile. “How about you and me blow this popsicle stand?” Bruce sighed as he put down his punch. “You ready to go home too?” The green eyed teen scoffed. “No, but I’m ready to get away from here.” He stated as he straightened himself. “Where would we go?” Bruce asked as Oz grabbed his hand and started to lead him out the door. “I don’t know, somewhere high and where we can be alone. Away from the public’s eye.”
Bruce took him to a point in the woods near Gotham. “This place has surprisingly good cell reception here, Brucey.” Oz stated while scrolling through his newsfeed and before taking a drink of the pop Bruce bought him on the way here. He was laying with his head in his date’s lap. “This is a good photo of us, Love. Look.” He handed Bruce his phone, on the screen was a photo of the two slow dancing. Hand in hand, eyes closed, foreheads touching, with smiles on their faces. The lighting was very romantic too. “So, how big of a story do you think we are?” The raven haired teen asked as he handed back the phone.
Oz smiled up at Bruce. “We’re the talk of the town, Brucey, by tomorrow everyone will know about us.” He sat up and pulled the other close. “But right now, it’s just us.” He rested his head on Bruce’s shoulder and yawned. “Sorry, to burst your bubble, but we got to get you home to your Mother.” Oz sighed. “You’re right. Maybe we could come up here some other time, the stars are quite lovely.” Bruce nodded. “They aren’t the only ones.” Oswald smirked and playfully hit Bruce in the arm.
The gotham son drove his date home. Oswald was quite sleepy by the time he got home, so Bruce helped him to the door. “H-Hey, Brucey.” Oz’s voice was quiet. “Yes, Oz?” Oswald gave his date a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks. Goodnight, Bruce.” The porch light came on as Oz got the door. His mother ushered him inside and started asking a hundred questions per minute. Through the curtains, Oswald could see that Bruce was still standing there. This made him smile as he dragged himself upstairs.
~
A nineteen year old Oswald Cobblepot is walking in his family’s park with his boyfriend. He holds tightly onto the umbrella in his hands. His green eyes land on a flooded potted area. “Why did we have to come here today, Bruce? It’s very muggy out here.” “April showers brings May flowers.” Oz laughs. “That sounds like something my mum would say.” He says as he turns to face Bruce, but to his surprise Bruce is kneeling.
Oz’s eyes widen. “Hah, what are you doing down there?” Bruce reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out a ring box, he opens it and reveals a sliver ring with gold lining. “Oswald, would you consider spending the rest of our life’s together?” Bruce’s grey eyes shined and his smiled made Oz weak.
“Bruce, we’re awfully young.” Oswald stammered out. The gotham son shrugged. “We can wait to actually do it for a couple years. We could call it a pre-engagement ring or a promise ring until we both feel like we’re ready and then we could go ring shopping together for the real.” Bruce suggested.
Oswald looked away. “Are you sure you’d want to make such a commitment with someone like me?” Bruce carefully stood up. “You mean with someone I love?” Oswald shook his head. “Bruce, look at you. You’re a cool glass of water. Everyone would take a look at us and know who settled for who.” Bruce wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “Yeah, they’ll say, have you seen that Oswald Cobblepot is going out with that dumbo Bruce Wayne.”
Oz laughed. “You’re not dumb, you just like everyone to think you are through.” He sighed. “Bruce, why me? You could have anyone, why have reckless harsh looking old me?” It was Bruce’s turn to laugh. “I love you, Oswald. You are my bestfriend and you are one of the only few people who’s seen the real me. Also, you are not harsh looking. You are very handsome. People other than your mother and I think so too. I saw somewhere online people comparing you to a male model.”
“Ha, that’s laugh.” Oz stated with no joy. Bruce held out the ring box infront of Oz. “So, what’s your answer?” He sigh. “Yes, Wayne, I’ll consider spending the rest of my life with you.” Oswald sounds tired as he slips on the ring. It fit perfectly. “Did my mother tell you my ring size?” Bruce nodded. “Well, aren’t you going to kiss your promised, Brucey?” Oswald turned around and the two kissed as the rain began to lightly pour.
~
Later that year, Oswald slams the door to his bedroom. Bruce Wayne follows close behind him. “Oswald, what’s wrong?” Oz sat down on his bed and folded his arms. “You didn’t have to flirt with her, y’know.” He sneered. “First off, I wasn’t flirting with her-” “You called her pretty.” Oz growled.
Bruce rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, she was pretty. Am I no longer allowed to give people compliments?” Oz’s fingers dug into his skin. “Not to hussie’s like that.” Bruce stepped closer. “What do you mean ‘hussies like that’?” Oz joylessly laughed. “Wayne, I know you. You’re weak for pretty little things in tight skirts that only want your money.”
“So, I can’t be nice to women, Oswald? Is that what you’re saying?” Oz shook his head. “You can nice to women, just not too nice.” He sighs. “You don’t know what it’s like dating the handsomest, richest man in town. To be on guard all the time, knowing people would literally kill to get what you have. Through it’s a good rush. It doesn’t help when you flirt with any dame in radius of you. It gets tiring wondering which one of them will be the one that gets rid of you.”
Bruce sat down next to Oz. “Do you…….do you want to break up? Oswald gasped. “Do you want to break up?” He asked in shock. “No,no. You just seemed like you aren’t happy.” Oz stands up and grabs a pillow. “We work it out, we don’t break up, you dick.” He throws the pillow at the other. “For fuck’s sakes the first major bump and you want to break up.” There is anger in his tone.
Bruce stands up. “I don’t want to break up, Oz.” Oswald gets in his face. “Yes, you do. Why else would you bring it up? You bloody asshole, leave then.” He pokes Bruce’s chest with every word. “Oswald, I’m not leaving until we fix this.” Oz stomps his foot and crosses his arms. “Well, that’s tough fucking shit, Wayne, because I want you out. You said it, so out you go.” “Oz-” Bruce was cut off by Oswald pushing him literally out the door of his house.
The green eyed man stomps back to his room and look out the window. Wayne is sitting there under a tree. “Fucking asshole.” Oz cursed as tears fell down his face. He quickly turned away and fell into bed.
When he awoke his Mother was staring out his window. Oswald got up and looked outside. It was dark out now, Bruce was still out there. Expect he had some blankets. “He’s been out there this whole time. He hasn’t moved from that spot since I gave him the blankets. He said he isn’t leaving.” Oswald’s eyes met Bruce’s. “Bruce is a good boy, my son.” Oz rested his chin in his palm. “I suppose he is.”
Right after the words left his lips rain began to pour. Oswald rushed past his mother and grabbed an umbrella and without putting on shoes ran out into the yard. Bruce stood up as his boyfriend got near. “You didn’t leave.” Oz points out. Bruce shakes his head. “I’ll never leave you, Oswald. I’m not gonna disappear and no one’s gonna take me. I’m all your’s.” He holds his arms wide. Oswald rushes into them and share a moment in the rain. “You’re stuck with me now, Brucey. Now let’s go inside and get cleaned up get before mum freaks out.”
~
A twenty year old Oswald Cobblepot lays down on a tattoo artist’s table. His soon to be husband holding his hand as he gets tattoo of a penguin tattooed on his hip. “I don’t why you like penguins so much, Oz.” Bruce states while messing with his phone. “And I don’t know why you like bats so much, love, but here we are. With our fav animals on our hips.” Oz stuck his tongue out.
~
A twenty two year old, Oswald Cobblepot watches Bruce Wayne down the aisle towards. This is the most popular wedding Gotham’s had in years. Women, including their own mothers, were weeping. The two said their vows without a single slip up and said ‘I do.’Oswald dipped Bruce in the kiss.
Oswald’s Mother was crying all over him the second it was over. While he comforted his Mum, he couldn’t help but noticed that his father wasn’t there and that he didn’t care.
~
A twenty three year old Oswald Cobblepot moves into the Wayne manor.
~
A twenty nine year old Oswald Cobblepot enters his husband’s and his’ office, carrying a bottle of wine and some glasses. “Knock, knock.” Bruce lifts his head and smiles. “What’s the occasion?” He asks as Oz sits on the desk and begins to pour the wine into the glasses. “I just felt like having a small celebration for you and I. I still can’t believe we’re really here, that we’re at the top.” Oswald hands Bruce his glass through walks the windows. “We can see it all from up here. We could break this town if wanted to, we’re not going to, but like kings we have that power.” Oswald smiles as he takes a drink.
Bruce joins him by the window. “It’s quite the view, good thing neither of us has a fear of heights.” They both started laughing. Bruce takes Oswald by the hand and the two gently kiss. “I love you, Oz.” “I love you too, Bruce.”
Suddenly Bruce started coughing. “Love are you okay?” Oz asked as he took a step back. Bruce was coughing so violently he dropped his glass. Everything started shaking as red stuff came out of Bruce’s mouth. The gotham son fell to the ground. “Bruce!” Oswald yelled as he fell to the ground and caressed his husband. “Oswald, I love you. I Love you, Oswald. I don’t want to leave you. I’d never want to leave you.” Bruce rambled on.
Oz kissed his lover’s hand and kept repeating his name as if it was a spell that was gonna save him.
~
A thirty two year old, Oswald Cobblepot wakes up. He shoots straight up. “Bruce!” He calls out only to be greeted by batman’s slightly confused face. Pain courses through Oz’s head. “Batman, what are you doing here?”
Batman clears his throat. “Penguin, you were drugged. The drug made you go into a coma like state and made you a somewhat realistic dream world, that you were supposed to live in until you died.” He states as Oz weakly sits up. “O-oh.” Oswald dusts himself off and grabs his cane. “To be honest, I don’t know if I should be thanking or cursing you right now, Batman.”
Batman nods. “I’m sorry you had to give up your dream, but it would have killed you.” Oz clears his throat. “So, am I free to go or?” Batman turns around looking at the lab. “For now…” Oswald stands up and limps to the door. “One thing before I leave Batman….” “Mmm?” “Do you know who drugged me?” Oz’s voice was ice cold. “Not yet, why?” “Oh, no reason.” As Oswald walked farther and farther his face twisted into pure rage. “I’m going to kill whomever did this to me. No, when I’m done with them they’ll be begging for death.”