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The Iceberg lounge is eerily quiet when Ed walks in. The lights are on and the bar is stocked and ready for the night when they open to customers. Ed is there to discuss the newest arms shipment to the port of Gotham, set to make them millions. He and Oswald haven’t been close in nearly ten years, but they’ve managed to maintain a suitable working relationship that seemed to be working for them both; neither liked to mention any past transgressions, leaving everything in the past.
Of course, Oswald is nowhere to be found until he hears it, the unmistakable giggle of Oswald Cobblepot; the Penguin is in his office, laughing like he owns the world (and he practically does). Butterflies spread through his stomach.
He ascends the stairs to the manager’s office where the laughter originated; what Ed finds shocks him to the core. Oswald, ever the non-sexual creature, is clasping hands with a tall, handsome man. Oswald is tightly holding the man’s hands at his waist, their chests bumping and eyes locking.
“…Oswald?” Ed exclaims.
“Ed!” Oswald says, looking pleased. “What a lovely surprise. This is Aaron. He’s my new head of security.”
The man before him is tall, looking nothing like Ed; beefy with dark hair and eyes, and tanned skin. Oswald almost looks comical before him.
“What are you doing?” Ed asks.
“I feel that’s none of your business.” Oswald clears his throat. “Aaron, could you give us a minute please?”
Aaron nods, and quietly leaves the room, but not before throwing a salacious wink Oswald’s way.
“Is there something you need, Edward?”
Ed can’t explain why, but there’s a pain in his chest, brought on by seeing the two men together. There’s something horribly familiar about this feeling, which brings on a sense of dread. Could it be…
No. It wasn’t jealousy…was it?
“I-I wanted to speak to you about the arms shipment coming in tomorrow evening.”
Oswald squints at him before limping over to his desk and sitting down behind it. “And this couldn’t be done over the phone?”
“I was in the area so I thought I’d stop by. I didn’t realize you’d have…company.”
“What about the arms shipment?” He asks, ignoring Ed’s snide remark.
With a heavy sigh, Ed sits down across from Oswald, continuing on with business as usual; the butterflies in his stomach are long forgotten.
****
It’s only a week later that Ed makes his discovery. He walks into the Iceberg Lounge for a meeting with Oswald and sees him standing by a large open window, sunlight shining in and framing his body with a bright glow. He’s standing up straight, cane in his right hand, and Ed can think nothing but “he’s beautiful.”
“Oh dear,” he whispers, unable to tear his eyes away from Oswald’s regal form. You idiot. You just had to go fall for the man ten years too late. All because you saw him with someone else.
“Are you going to stand there all day, Ed?” He can practically hear Oswald’s smirk.
Jolting out of his own thoughts, Ed swallows hard. “Hello, Oswald.”
Finally forcing his legs to respond, he makes his way over to Oswald and stands beside him, trying his best not to notice how the sun is reflecting in his eyes; trying and failing, which is how Ed notices the purple hickeys adorning his pale neck. A flash of heat and anger goes through Ed, a snarl bubbling somewhere deep in his chest. His entire body aches.
“To what do I owe the pleasure? I figured you were heading out of town for a while after that last shipment came in.” Oswald looks at him from the corner of his eyes, body rigid; something is bothering him.
At this, Ed turns to really look at him. He sees the clenched jaw and tightened fists; he’s favouring his left side. Anyone who didn’t know the man inside and out would think nothing of it, but Ed knows that his leg is in excruciating pain, though he’s masking it well.
“Oswald…you’re in pain,” He states simply, frowning with worry.
“It’s nothing,” he grits out.
“Did Aaron do something?”
Oswald’s eyes darken as he spins to face Ed. “Jealousy is not becoming of you, Edward Nygma.”
When they had first met, Ed would’ve shrank back and looked away, but all Ed can do now is ignore Oswald’s accusation and offer his arm. “I…at least let me help you sit down.”
Together they make their way to a near-by booth, allowing Oswald to stretch out his hurt leg. Ed takes a knee in front of him, immediately grabbing Oswald’s calf and begins to massage it. It feels so familiar that a nostalgic ache settles in both of their chests.
“I’ve missed you, old friend,” Oswald practically whispers.
Ed looks up at him sadly. “Me too.”
There seems to be a sudden spell between them, their eyes connected until Oswald clears his throat and looks away.
“Why does Aaron bother you so much?”
“He…” Ed pauses. “I don’t know.” He frowns and looks back at his own hands, working their way up to Oswald’s knee. He’s not me, he wants to say, but instead, remains silent.
“Well I know why he bothers me,” Oswald chuckles, sounding close to tears.
Ed’s head snaps back up, heart suddenly lodged in his throat and pulse pounding wildly. “Why?”
“I’ve never stopped loving you, Ed. Never.” Sniffling, Oswald stares back at him, pain etched into every feature. “I thought you knew that. I thought that’s why you stayed away.” The smile he gives him makes Ed want to cry.
“Oswald…” he’s shaking his head, willing away the blurred vision threatening to hold him back. “I’m sorry. The heart keeps its own time.” He never wanted to cause him pain ever again.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Oswald nods as if he’s accepting rejection, a tear forcing its way down his pale cheek. Moving to grip their hands together, Ed stares at him until their eyes meet.
“I’m in love with you Oswald.”
Instead of waiting for a response, Ed leans up and softly presses their lips together, chaste and sweet. Oswald gasps into his mouth, hands immediately grabbing onto Ed’s lapels, pulling him closer, and kissing him with fervor.
It would be pointless to waste any time realizing they could’ve had this for over ten years, instead, they choose to focus on the now as they fall into each other, like two pieces of a puzzle.