Work Text:
Edward can’t stand the outdoors, and that sentiment was doubled whenever it’s this cold outside.
Gotham offers its own special brand of hell each season; the humid, blistering summers would cling to your skin, while the winters would cut straight to the bone. Fall and spring are… fine, but Edward has yet to find an allergy medication that makes the pollen bearable. At any rate, going outside is an easy skip for him on most occasions except for those brief times he summons the resolve to crawl from his hideout to go buy a case of tequila, hummus, and some new vape pen cartridges.
That being said, when Oswald called him a moment earlier asking if he had any interest in going out for a walk at Robinson Park, he immediately responded with a resounding ‘yes’. He didn’t even have to think twice.
In fact, he didn’t even stop to think about it at all.
As Edward hung up on his phone and stood in the middle of the abandoned GameStop he had taken residence in, he realized that he had nothing to wear for the snow. He shuffled through the makeshift dresser, swearing under his breath as he tossed aside the grubby clothes he had been perfectly content with until now. Canceling would be out of the question- Edward had just broken out of Arkham, and the monotony of renovating this old store into a worthwhile hideout was starting to wear on him. Most importantly, he was much too proud to reschedule.
Besides, if it meant he could see Oswald… the cold couldn’t be that bad, right?
The cold was that bad, as Edward had come to discover later that afternoon.
He shivered miserably in the chill, occasionally rubbing his nose to keep it warm. In his desperation, Edward decided to throw on the clothes that looked and smelled the least gross; he was fortunate to snag a pair of jeans, but had to settle for a thin sweatshirt he nicked from Jonathan at some point. (he’ll have to remind him to buy better clothes the next time they meet). He refused to expose his leather shoes to the snow, so the flimsy pair of prison sneakers he wore when he broke out of Arkham were his only other option. As his toes slowly started to grow numb from the water soaking into his feet, he was starting to regret his hastiness.
“Goodness, Ed- you look so cold!”
Edward turned to find his boyfriend a few yards down the trail. Unlike his own outfit, Oswald actually wore clothes that could keep him warm. Oswald ran up to Edward, and pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his cheek into Edward’s chest. It wasn’t until they pulled apart that Edward could see the exasperation in Oswald’s face.
“Don’t you have anything warmer to wear?” He fussed.
Edward spluttered incoherently, and squirmed out of Oswald’s grasp “I’m fine! It’s not like I’m ever outside long enough to need clothes that are heavier than what I'm currently in!”
“Silly goose...” Oswald tsked, shaking his head. “You should have said something, what if you get sick? You must have been freezing in that decrepit old Radio Shack!!!”
Edward bristled. “It’s a GameStop , actually.”
“… Are they not the same thing?”
Before Edward could offer a rebuttal, Oswald was already shrugging off his luxurious gray coat.
“It’s unbecoming of a gentleman to allow his date to be out in these sorts of conditions- here.” He said, thrusting it into Edward’s arms.
“You’re kidding!”
“I am most certainly not!”
Edward was tempted to dig his heels in, but a gust of frigid air against his exposed neck was enough to change his mind. Ignoring the whine of his ego, he threw the coat over himself. The size proportions were off, but he was grateful to feel the warmth return to his body. The fur collar licked at his nose, and he managed to catch a whiff of expensive cologne that had seeped itself into the fabric. He glanced back to Oswald, who didn’t seem the slightest bit phased by the snow.
“Oz... Won’t you get cold too?”
Oswald scoffed. “This weather is invigorating! Besides, the coat was more of a public flaunting of my wealth.” He cleared his throat, “… Personally, I think it looks much better on you than it ever did on me.”
Edward clicked his tongue, and took off his glasses… the lenses had conveniently gotten foggy at that exact moment, and he didn’t want to look more flustered than he already did. Once he was satisfied with the way they looked, he placed them back on his nose, and regarded Oswald with as much coolness as he could possibly muster.
“Well… fine... but don’t come crying for it if you get chilly.”
“Nonsense, this is all I need to stay warm~” With that said, Oswald took Edward’s arm and smoothly tucked it into his. “Let’s get walking, shall we?”
"I..." Edward sighed, interlocking his fingers with Oswald's. "... Thank you, Oswald."
"You're very welcome, my dear. Think nothing of it."
For the first time since leaving his hideout, Edward felt grateful for the cold weather... the blush on his face would have been obvious during any other time of the year.