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Ever since the Iceberg Lounge opened Oswald hardly returns home. He practically lives at his new establishment, living there and sleeping there if need be. Ed thinks that there could be a chance that Oswald doesn’t sleep at all some nights. It worries him, but what is he to do? Oswald is stubborn and no matter the amount of flattery and begging, it won’t stop Oswald from doing what Oswald wants.
However, he does comes home tonight. Ed doesn’t know how long Oswald was home since after all his planning and lonesome he decided to go to bed early. He watches his partner silently try to change into pajamas and go in and out of the bathroom without waking him. He wants to say something, ask if he’s okay because he never comes home without wanting Ed’s attention.
He supposes he does want his attention though when he crawls into the bed on his right, pressing up against him and wrapping his arm around him with his face nestled into his back. Oswald’s a cuddler, he knows this because Oswald craves Ed’s affection, but tonight is different. There’s a particular reason behind his actions tonight.
“Ozzie?” Ed whispers, concern flooding into his words. “Are you okay?”
He feels his grip tighten. “I know I’ve been a terrible partner lately. There’s so many things going on you no nothing about. You should have known, Ed.”
Oswald had promised a year ago when they started dating, to never hold anything back from him. He almost lost him to that freaky blonde, the only way he got Ed back was telling him he loved him too. Yet, here he is, holding things back from his darling Edward.
“I know about Sofia and you, Oswald. I also know that you would never cheat on me with her due to obvious reasons.” He turns over to face his dear Oswald, to see his love’s eyes full of tears. “Oh my god. What happened? Did she hurt you? I knew she was no good! I should have said something!” He kisses Oswald’s forehead repeatedly. “I’m so sorry.”
He shakes his head. “It was only her partially. I honestly don’t care about her at the moment.”
Now he’s confused. What happened? Oswald never cries. The only emotion he shows when something bad happened is anger. Anger only Ed knows how to calm. “Oswald-”
“There was a boy at the orphanage, Ed. His name was Martin, and he was brilliant. Yes, he didn’t talk, but he was smart, cunning, ambitious, loyal, and just like us. I was going to bring him up to you because I so wanted to keep him around, but I couldn’t due to the fact that you never wanted any kids.”
“I never said I didn’t want them, Oswald. I thought you didn’t want them. You know why I didn’t show any interest, I didn’t want to mess up like… my father did.”
Oswald nods. Maybe later they can bring Martin back if Ed is willing. They’ll have to talk more. “She hurt him, Ed. She kidnapped him and used him against me to give up my throne. I had to fake his death with a car bomb because I’m smart, Ed. I knew how to keep my throne, and save him.”
“If you weren’t smart, Oswald we wouldn’t get along.” Ed places his hand on Oswald’s face, rubbing soft circle onto his cheek.
“I sent him away, Ed.” His voice cracks, and the tears start to creep slowly down his pale face. “I had to. To everyone, but you, Victor, and I, he’s dead. I had to send him away to protect him from Sofia.”
Ed shushes him reassuringly, brushing the tears off of Oswald’s face. “You did the right thing, Oswald. You’re protecting him this very second. It was a sacrifice, I know, and it hurts, but it was the right thing. You loved him, didn’t you?”
He grips at Ed’s shirt, and kisses his Ed softly and quickly. “I did and now he’s okay because of what I’ve done. I know that, but it stills hurts. He’s safe, but I wasn’t thinking about the aftermath of my words spoken to her, Ed.”
“I know you, Oswald. You do seem to go above and beyond occasionally, but you’re probably fine. I think-”
“No, Ed! I declared war upon her, Ed! I saved him, but now I’ve put you in danger!”
Once again, he’s shushing him. “I’m okay, Oswald. No one knows about us, Oswald. We made sure of that, remember? To protect each other we would stop being friends in public as the Riddler and the Penguin.”
“She’ll figure out, Ed. No matter how smart and tricky you are, she will hurt you! Everyone of my allies works for her. She’s taking them one by one. Soon enough, she’ll have Victor. She has Jim Gordon wrapped around her finger too.”
Ed raises an eyebrow. “Jim Gordon? The man who killed her brother? I doubt she’s genuine with him too. He might stay with her for some time, but he’ll find a way to break loose. He won’t help her hurt me. Do you understand?”
“There’s still more to come, Ed. Jim doesn’t know that the death was fake. What if she finds a way to arrest me? I won’t be around to keep you safe. No one is my friend, Ed. No one will help you.”
Ed presses his lips to Oswald’s, waiting only for Oswald to respond, starting to move his lips against his. He doesn’t need Oswald to worry about him. Not now. He rolls Oswald over onto his back, climbing on top of him without ever removing his lips.
“I will always be around to protect and be protected, Oswald.” He pecks his lips again. “If she takes you to Arkham, I will rip that building apart brick by brick with my bare hands to get you out. Every threat she puts against me, I will follow up with a bigger one. I will take her down with every explosion, bullet, slash, riddle, and torture method I can think of. Believe me, Oswald.”
“I love you, Edward Nygma.” He grabs his Edward’s face and pulls him to his lips, “You marvelous, beautiful man.”
Ed smiles. “I love you too, my little bird.” He gets a roll of his eyes from the name, but he doesn't care. “So, so very much.”
Ed places his head against Oswald’s forehead, looking deep into his love’s eyes. They’re blue and beautiful, the tears finally subsiding. He kisses his nose and eyes. He doesn’t want anything from Oswald tonight. He just wants to make him stress free. Even if for a night.
“After I torture her so brutally that she forgets her name, and you make her death even worse I will find Martin. We’ll raise him, okay? We’ll have some normal life here inside this ridiculously large house. Agreed?”
Oswald tilts his head, looking up at his partner from a new angle. He raises a hand to cup Ed’s face, caressing his face and cheekbones. Ed melts into it, closing his eyes and chasing after his hand.
“She isn’t going to separate us, Ed. Thank you for making me see that.”
Ed hums, leaning down to his Oswald once more. “Any time, my dear Oswald.”
“I’m still scared as hell, though.”
He nods. Of course he is, that’s perfectly normal. “I know. Everything will work out in the end, I assure you.”