Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

It had been a month since the day that changed his life: the day he met his soul mate. It was an amazing moment that almost made every shitty thing that had happened till then worth it, now if Ed would just stop avoiding him and allow Oswald to confess his feelings he could die happy.

~~~~~

Oswald had met Ed on a school trip to the museum apparently the new kid hadn’t got the memo that field trips where an excuse to bunk for most of the schools population. Oswald actuality enjoyed visiting the museum it helped that he was usually the only one there, he didn’t need to worry about being pushed or tripped up or called slurs. Today though he had to babysit Ed, who it seemed could not stop talking or asking questions, he looked extremely nervous, and Oswald felt sorry for him. After all he had only been at Gotham high for a week so he couldn’t yet know that there was no reason to be nervous around Oswald, if the social hierarchy was a ladder Ed would be here and Oswald would be in hell.

Even though he was a little annoying the whole trip he never acted cruelly to Oswald in any way which was a lot better than almost every one else treated him, he actually found himself enjoying his time. Ed seemed incredibly intelligent and pretty funny when he calmed down a bit. He had apparently been home schooled up until recently, which explained his nerves and lack of social skills, but it was refreshing in a way. If Ed knew how much of a loser he was, well he probably wouldn’t have had this conversation to begin with.

The day was going great till reality had to rear its ugly head on their way back into school in the form of one Mitchell Mayo a meat head that would take every opportunity he could to pick on Oswald; today was no exception as he walked past, he shoved him into one of the lockers and yelled.“You should stay away from the penguin new kid unless you want to end up a little fairy just like him!” Oswald should be used to it but he couldn’t help feeling incredibly embarrassed.

He tried to collect himself and shuffle away but Edward grabbed his arm and refused to let him move.“Is that what happened to you then?”Edward addressed Mitchell much more confidently than he had been all day.

“Wha-”

“Oswald was so irresistible that he turned you gay? I was asking if you were speaking from experience. I cant say I blame you if so.” Edward was, standing up for him? Ed thought he was irresistible? Ed was, incredibly attractive looking so smug. Of course Mitchell punched Ed because that's how idiots dealt with there problems. He had a first aid kit in his locker for exactly these situations.

As he patched Ed up he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “why would you do that for me?” the words came out far more pathetic than he would like but he needed to know.

“What dose God never see, a king seldom sees, and yet I saw in you the first moment we met?”Oswald just looked at Ed blankly he was beginning to really hate his affinity for riddles. “Oswald; I think your one of the only truly interesting people I’ve ever met, you don’t deserve to be treated like that.” He wasn’t doing it out of a sense of duty like Jim then, he genuinely cared, Oswald blushed.

~~~~~

The next week when he returned to school he was exited to possibly have lunch with someone other than Jim for the first time ever but to his disappointment Edward wasn’t in school all week and when he did return he almost acted like Oswald didn’t exist. Maybe he needed space, getting hit in the face in your first month at school could be a little shocking to someone that hadn't ever been before. He was getting a little concerned after two weeks of this though so he decided to corner Ed in the bike shed after school before he had a chance to ride home. When he entered the shed behind the other boy he propped one of the bikes against the door so they weren’t interrupted. As soon as Ed noticed him his expression and posture changed in an instant to that of a cornered animal, his grip on his bike tightened.

“Why have you been avoiding me Ed.” Might as well get straight to the point.

“I- I didn’t want to- that is- er well-”he was loosing his patience.

“spit it out Ed!”

“My parents forbade me from seeing you after they saw my face that day...” he spluttered.

Well Oswald didn’t expect that answer.“Why me? I didn’t punch you.” He pondered over what exactly Ed could have told them till he realised.

“They said you would make me into a target if we became friends.” Ed looked genuinely sorry.

“That’s, probably true..”Oswald paused feeling his chances with Ed slipping through his fingers then an idea struck “But, But what if it wasn’t!”

Edward just stared at him for a moment before slowly continuing “Well then of course we could be friends.” That was all Oswald needed he rushed out of the shed leaving a confused Nygma in his wake. This relentless bulling had really gone on too long anyway.

He was heading to Jims locker to give him a proposition before he left when in his hast he some how managed to miss the bald pale six foot goth around the corner. Oh no just as he was starting to enjoy life again. Victor Zsasz quickly recovered from the bump only to peer down and smile at him in an unnaturally cherry manner.“Hey there little penguin.”Just when life was beginning to seem better.

POV Victor

Victor was feeling fantastic, over the last year everything in his life has just clicked in to place he’s finally where he is supposed to be, he has a purpose. Working for Falcone in the nights and going to school in the days had been a little hard to balance but for the Don he would do anything, seeing his face swell up with pride was almost as good as hitting a target from 50 yards with his handgun or tossing out rowdier patrons at the club and really getting to beat the shit out of them for the trouble or even on a bad day pepperoni pizza.

Zsasz was so lost in thoughts of Don Falcone and pepperonis that he almost didn’t notice the cashier from his favourite milkshake and pizza pallor ‘The Iceclub’ rushing around the corner about to bump into him. He did notice though - his perfume had alerted him of the other’s presence far before he saw him an odd blend of sugar and spices that left him feeling nostalgic. He could have avoided knocking into him too but he couldn't help himself.

“Hey there little Penguin.”The little bird bristled trying to act unafraid but still glanced away lamely.

“Yes hello.” he seemed unsure how to continue.

“Victor Zsasz - your best customer!” he smiled knowing it drove most people sick with fear, he loved watching them try to avoid his gaze.

“Yes, I- I know your name. Now if you’ll erm, excuse me.”  he stuttered as he moved around the larger man.

Victor allowed him to pass without any trouble, ‘messing with people for no reason closes doors and no mater how skilled you are you can’t escape a room without one’ he hears the Don’s words advise him though he does keep his eyes on the boy as he rushes down the hall. The smell lingered even as the his form was lost down the corridor and he attempted to identify the sent. Beneath the perfume there was a strange earthiness that only made it more difficult to discern though it felt very familiar.

Moments later a grin settles on his face as he struts to his locker in the quickly emptying hallway. After he had his books packed and his cassette player ready he starts to head back to his apartment to the tone of stain’ alive.

~~~~~

“I-- I want you to tell people we’re friends.” Penguin blurted in his direction later that evening. Victor glanced up at him, in the dim lighting of ‘The Iceberg’ he almost looked like he wasn’t shaking.

“And why would I do that?” The little bird must have gotten tired of the bullying and figured a shark would scare away the fish. Funny he wanted to be ‘friends’ but could barely talk to him without stuttering.

“I can pay you, per appearance and menti-” nope. All the money in the world wouldn’t make him protect someone who couldn’t stand up for themselves.

“I don’t need your money, in case you haven't heard I’ve already got a job.” Oswald audibly gulped freezing at that; obviously contending with the various overblown rumours about what exactly Victors ‘job’ entailed. Sure - Zsasz could correct them quite easily but his fellow students were quite fun to mess with so most of the time he found himself only adding to the gossip.

Surprisingly insisted of apologising and running away Oswald sat down right across from him allowing light to wash over his stern expression.

“That’s exactly why your the perfect choice for this sort of deal! If you don’t want money then- then how about Food!” huh? Oswald took his silence as a prompt to continue.“Yes! I’ll make whatever treats you want, milkshakes too, I’ll even start making lunches for you if you want, all on the house of course.” It seemed the penguin had a back bone after all - Zasaz had been shooting him his creepiest looks and everything!

“Okay sounds good.” he replied simply which seemed to throw the bird for a loop. Free lunches made at his favourite eatery every day was well worth the small task. Plus Zsasz wanted to know if it was bravery or foolishness that drove him to making such an offer.

Despite appearances Oswald might be stronger than anyone gave him credit for.“You sure you want me as just a fake friend though, fake boyfriend would probably make sure people never bother you again.” he teased winking.

“No.”was the immediate answer, he looked completely mortified.

At that he burst out laughing “Oh were gonna’ get along great.” Oswald didn’t look so sure.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Oswald Cobblepot was drained. After summing up all of the bravery he possessed to face Victor Zsasz with his offer he just wanted to sleep. Unfortunately he still had to go over the terms of the agreement with Zsasz before he left.

Grabbing a small box of nachos he fixed up something for victor to eat while they talked, very aware that he was going to lose a small fortune in this deal and was potentially putting his job on the line. Fish Mooney didn’t take too kindly to stealing so he would need to be very careful with how much he gave Zsasz.

Equally Zsasz wasn't the type of person to take advantage of; he could easily beat him up or, if all the rumours were to be believed, do something much worse. Yes, this was a very dangerous game he was playing, it would have been much easier if Jim would have honoured his word and helped him out like he said he would.

~~~~~

“You want me to attack someone for you?!” Jim whisper shouted incredulity.

“Just one or two people, and you can go easy on them if you must. Ether way people will think twice about harassing me if they know that I have someone like you backing me up.” he could see the appeals to Jim’s care for his well-being weren’t really getting him anywhere, why should they now when they never had in all the time they’ve known each other. He decided to change tactics.

“Remember, you still owe me old friend.” Gordon’s eyes zipped around for a moment then he quickly grabbed Oswald’s arm and led him into a empty dead end corridor by the music department so they wouldn’t be heard.
“I thought I already replayed you for that, with how many times I’ve saved you from being beaten to a pulp, I must have!” Oswald could see turmoil in his eyes, perfect.

“You do all of that out of the goodness of your heart I have never once asked for you to save me. Not once.”

Yes Oswald had been saving this favour for some time knowing it would come in handy some day and perfect Jim Gordon wouldn’t be able to refu-“No.”

“What? What do you mean no?” the smaller man was left completely dumbstruck.

“I can’t just attack someone out of the blue Oswald that’s not right.” Jim spouted indignantly.

“What’s not right is going back on your word Jim, especially when your partly to blame for my situation!” he shrieked petulant not caring about the volume his voice was reaching. Jim cared.

“Look, Oswald I will continue to try and protect you when I can but I’m not going to become some goon you can order around just because you helped me once years ago. It may seem cruel but bulling happens to some people in school, it will stop when you get out of this shit hole and not a minute before. My advise is to just deal with it till we graduate.”Jim spoke wearily.

“You wouldn't be saying that if the roles were reversed Jim. Don’t forget how easily could have been.” with that Oswald left to pursue plan B perhaps hired muscle is the right choice after all, far less dramatic that way.

~~~~~

He sat back down across from Victor for the second time that night thankful for once that he was the only person that worked the closing shift Mondays. Thinking about holding up his end of the deal under the supervision of butch was already giving him a headache.

Victor tucked into the nachos as soon as they were scooted in fount of him. Hopefully this would mean the majority of the terms could be set by Oswald, the last thing he needed right now was Victor demanding another form of payment when he fully understood what would be expected of him as a ‘friend’.

“Alight then Victor for your part in this deal you will be firstly, expected to tell anyone you can that we are friends is that understood?”Victor paused for a moment then nodded.

“Along with this you will sit with me for lunch for at least three days a week.”Zsasz smiled that unnerving grin of his and nodded more slowly this time.

“Okay then, the last term is that you will be expected to walk me home once a week should I ask you to. Is this acceptable?”
Zsasz finished the last of the nachos and after licking his fingers offered “I’ll drive you home, sure.” nonchalantly.

“In return I’ll cook you a meal every day to eat at lunch and you can stop by here and eat whatever you want to on or off menu. Sound like a deal?”

“Yeah sounds fun, your lunches better be worth it though. Or else.” he threatened.

Victor gathered is things and headed for the door but before he left he turned and said over his shoulder,“See you tomorrow then, buddy.” Penguin gulped, this was certainly going to be something.

POV Victor

Victor woke up late. After finishing his food at the Iceberg he’d had a double shift at the club so ended up leaving work at 3 am. Victor made an effort to be punctual for school as ‘reliability is very important in all aspects of life’ but sometimes he slept in and was half an hour or so late. After he parked his truck he headed into maths, his first lesson.

Hours passed by pretty quickly and then it was brake. Since the deal he made with Oswald only involved lunch he decided to spend brake doing his usual routine of listening to his music out on the field by the gate. This corner of the school was rarely used by anyone but smokers and drug dealers, Victor Zsasz was nether but a secluded spot like this was a nice place to relax and smell the flowers. Not real flowers of course, the place smelled more strongly of weed than anything else.

Victor was laying back on the grass resting his head on his arms looking completely unaware of his surroundings, but looks can be deceiving.

“Heya Jim!” Zsasz smiled up at the student that had been trying to subtly tale him since he left class, not skipping a beat - Jim wore far to much deodorant so he was always easy to notice.

“Is it true Zsasz?” Jim spoke gruffly looking like he’d drank a ton of lemon juice. Victor waited for a moment for the other man to elaborate, until he didn’t.

“Ok yeah, gonna need ya to be a bit more specific there Jim. Quite a lot gets said about me.” he tried to convey how tiring the interruption was through his tone alone while keeping a plesent smile on his face.

“Are you really ‘friends’ with Oswald Cobblepot?” Gordon demanded stepping closer to where he was still lounging on the grass. He wished he didn’t the smell was nauseating.

The bald man sat up into a cross legged position and stuffed his hands in his pockets turning to look at the other man. He really hadn’t expected the first term of Oswalds deal to get that much use as he didn’t really know that many people who would care who his friends were.

He had run ins with the great Peter Gordon of course, Falcone spoke very highly of him but he had no clue what his son could possibly want to do with him or Oswald Cobblepot for that matter. They couldn’t be friends or the little bird wouldn’t need to go to the trouble of hiring someone like Zsasz. “Well?” Jim pushed.

“Sure.” he said simply. Jim looked like a caged animal his face was scrunched up and his posture was very tense.

Victor wrapped a hand around his folding karambit knife, he wouldn't seriously injure Peter Gordon’s son of course but he wanted to be prepared in case he tried anything.

Insisted of starting a fight though Jim sighed and said.“Whatever he’s paying you I’ll double it if you leave him alone.” now that was interesting.

Victor wouldn’t be taking the offer of course he may be a murderous, violent sociopath but he had standards. He was however a bit curios about Jim’s intentions, wondering for a moment if Jim Gordon was one of Oswald’s bullies, it didn’t seem quite right but then again - he never bothered keeping up to date on school drama (when it wasn’t about him at least) so he couldn’t be sure.

Gordon took the inquisitive glance as an invitation to continue.“Oswald has enough to deal with without you putting him in even more danger, I know he thinks you will deter people from picking on him but really your just painting a bigger target on his back. You have to leave him alone” the man pleaded.

For whatever reason the insinuation that he couldn’t protect Oswald annoyed him. He didn’t want to protect him, that wasn’t the deal. The idea that he couldn’t even if he tried was down right insulting though, especially to him, the man who would one day be working as don Carmine Falcon’s personal guard. “I think you’ll find Jim that Oswald will be far safer as my friend than he ever was as yours.”

The other man looked like he wanted to say something else but Zsasz didn’t give him the chance, he stood and headed back to school making sure to eye Jim as he walked past - finally relieved of the suffocating smell.

~~~~~

At lunch Victor walked into the canteen and scanned the tables searching for the little bird with his food. He wasn’t looking for long, Oswald had plunked himself right in the middle of the room obliviously wanting them to be seen by everyone. Unfortunately for him he was successful and some boys, he guessed the ones that usually sat there, were starting to harass him. Unfortunately for them Zsasz was still bitter from his conversation with Gordon.

“What are we talking about then boys?” he leaned over the table conspiratorially.“Zsasz?!” one of the smaller boys squeaked and they all shrank away form the table immediately.

Victor acted surprised for a moment looking between Oswald and the group of retreating boys.“Wait you weren’t bugging my bestest buddy were ya’? They weren’t bothering you were they Ossie?” he asked in a scandalised tone of voice. The whole room had quieted down, seemingly interested in what was going on. It was after all a well known fact that Penguin doesn’t have friends.

Oswald looked intensely pleased, a crooked smile splitting his face. It suited him.“No, of course not Mr Zsasz we just had a bit of a-- er a misunderstanding-” Zsasz pulled out his knife and had it at the boys throat before he could finish his sentence “I wasn’t talking to you,” he looked to Oswald who looked some how even more pleased.

“No Victor they weren’t bothering me, unless you still want the table back?” Penguin asked mockingly.

“N-no” the boy still in Victor’s grip stuttered shaking from head to toe.

“Good” Victor smiled and put the knife back turning to pat the boys shoulders and saying “Cos I’d really hate to ruin this jacket, looks expensive.” the boy ran after his friends who all left as soon as he pulled out his karambit, probably going to change his pants - funnily enough he actually smelt like he’d shit himself. That was a first.

“Excellent job Victor” Oswald stood up and pulled out the seat across from his placing a lunch box in front of it which Victor gladly accepted - the shit smell still lingered in the air but luckily the man wasn’t so easily put off. Before he could really admire Oswald’s new self assured disposition he shifted once more to an apprehensive bird as he opened up the lunch box; which was weird.

There were two containers of food and a BLT sandwich. He pulled open the first container, it smelled well seasoned an expert mixture of herbs and spices laced in what looked like a sort of pasta dish with meat and some other vegetables. He had never been a super picky eater either so without much fanfair he took his first bite of the pasta then his second then before he knew it he was licking up the last of the sauce from the sides of the container. It was delicious; victor could have eaten several more tubs full.

Oswald was still watching him but had seemed to relax and began eating his own lunch. The second tub smelled sweet containing four pastries with what looked like an apple filing so he left them until he had finished his sandwich which, although a really nice sandwich, didn’t really compare to the pasta from the first container.

This disappointment must have shown on his face as Oswald interrupted his thoughts by commenting.“I didn’t know what food you would want for lunch, you only ever really order milkshakes and pizza from the Iceclub. I ended up asking my mother who went a bit overboard when she found out I was making lunch for a er, friend. She’s the one who made the Goulash and the Apple strudel. I didn’t know if you would like them or prefer something more simple so I added the sandwich just in case.” He finished lamely and began once again looking timid.

Zsasz was a bit annoyed with the shift from confident to shy, he thought the timid face he wore when serving food at the Iceclub was all there was to him initially but the more time he spent with Oswald the more it became apparent that there was a more confident person beneath the surface. Victor wanted to peel back the penguins layers and take another peek at that guy; for-- some reason.

“We might have to change our deal then.” He said plainly.

The little bird looked startled for a moment then angry.“You-you can’t just do that! You can’t just change the deal whenever you feel like!” Oswald's face went red as he hissed out the words.

Victor couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped him then, the little bird had the ability to seem so confident and assertive with his smirk and yet the curse of seeming so cute in his anger.“I just wanted to ask for more of your mom’s cooking I could eat eight more tubs of this stuff.” he offered holding up the empty container.

Oswald’s face got redder so much so that he couldn’t even make out his freckles any more. The anger was gone though and in its place he seemed touched? Relieved? Victor couldn’t really tell. “You want more?” he inquired dazed then chuffed “I mean, of course you do my mother makes the best food around! Really she should have her own restaurant.” Zsasz wholeheartedly agreed as he dug into the apple strudel. 

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

The lunch with Victor Zsasz was surprisingly pleasant. The guy was pretty quite most of the time but he didn’t seem to mind Oswald's rambling and occasionally commented leading Oswald to assume he was actually listening. It was nice.

Though he’d started with trying to pars through his plans for some of his more prominent tormentors the lunchtime conversation drifted through a few different topics and somehow ended with a spirited discussion on alternative fashion. Victor seemed bizarrely knowledgeable about the various subcultures that this area encompassed and they actually managed to have a quite interesting conversation about punk accessories and there meanings.

Oswald briefly wondered if this was what having a real friend was like. Then again friends don’t usually have to bribe friends in to hanging out with them. No, how ever nice it was Oswald needed to remember it wasn’t real, Zsasz was just good at his job; as he should be Oswald was already paying handsomely for it.

It took him three hours the previous day to create enough food for lunch everyday this week, its a good thing Zsasz had enjoyed the lunch as he was scared he’d have to throw out everything he and mother had made.

When lunch ended Victor asked if he would be needing him for anything else today. Oswald said he might want to use up his free ride today but would decide after school ended, if he wouldn't mind waiting at the gates for him. It was necessary for cementing the idea that picking on the penguin meant incurring Mr Zsasz’s wrath in peoples minds even if it really didn’t.

Though highly exhilarating, the event at lunchtime was a likely a happy little accident that he doubted would happen again, Oswald guessed Victor was having a bad day or just saw an opportunity to mess with some people and took it. Ether way Victor Zsasz was a bluff he was pulling on the whole school, one they seemed to be falling for, but a bluff nonetheless.

Hopefully Edward had seen what had happened, he had after all instructed him to be in the canteen at lunch when he had seen him at brake. Edward couldn’t believe that he had convinced Victor Zsasz to be his friend but He had to now, everyone else seemed to; on the corridor the crowed parted to let him pass and people seemed scared to look his way in lesson. He could get used to this.

~~~~~

Ed and Oswald were in the same chemistry class last lesson so after the bell rang Oswald walked up to were Ed was packing his bag. Eds glasses were falling down his face so Oswald pushed them up and He noticed him with a start.

“Oswald! Are you ok, I wanted to see how you were doing after lunch but there was never a good time.” Edward was looking over him with worry written across his face. The boy felt his cheeks heating up at the concern.

“I’m fine Ed, better than fine really, with Victor as an ally no one will mess with us! I promise you won’t get hurt again.” He couldn’t help but beam as they started walking through the corridors and out to the bike shed.

“I’m happy you’ve found a solution to your bullying problem but you really need to be careful around Victor Oswald.” at this he pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the smaller boy.

“I did some sleuthing in the schools records about him he’s bad news I thought you should Know before you got too deep into this plan.” Oswald was still reeling from the information that Ed had broke into the schools records for him.

He couldn’t really sum up the sate of mind to be worried so instead he stopped Edward with a hug. “Thank you for caring Ed, I’ll take your information into account.”Ed tapped his back slightly awkwardly.

“It’s the least I can do to help Oswald.” Ed cleared his throat and Oswald suddenly realised the hug had been going on too long and pulled away, he had made it weird but he couldn’t help himself. It felt so nice to hug Ed.

“Well I better get going, I’ll see you tomorrow then Ed?” he asked hopeful. Thankfully Ed smiled and nodded as he walked the rest of the way to the shed. Oswald practically floated out of the gates.

His lovestruck daze was interrupted by non other than Victor, he had forgotten the man would be waiting for him at the back gate.“That your boyfriend?” the goth asked flatly pointing past him. Oswald's good mood completely shattered.

For a moment Oswald wasn’t talking to Victor any more he was talking to that smiling ginger weirdo that had made his childhood a living hell “Is that your boyfriend?”

Oswald saw red. When he came to he realised two things, the first was that he had slapped Victor Zsasz’ outstretched hand away the second was that Victor had not reacted to it at all, he was frozen with a blank look on his face as if he was processing what had just happened.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry Victor I didn’t- I couldn’t- you-”

“It’s all right. I’ll allow you that one Oswald, but” at this his monotone voice dropped in to something darker “if you ever so much as scuff my boots again, I’ll kill you.” He stared intently into his eyes like a shark looking at a particularly plump baby seal.

“Of course, I’m so sorry Victor.”Oswald spoke solemnly.

Victor took a moment to rub his no doubt stinging knuckles before saying quietly. “Me too, I wasn’t trying to be a dick, I just saw that hug and assumed…” Before he could respond properly the other man slipped back in to his normal persona and asked, “So d’ya still want that ride?” brightly.

Oswald was conflicted he’d initially planned on having Victor take him home to legitimise their friendship and after that slap he would need to show they were still friends, not that there were many people around to have witnessed what just happened. Another part of him just wanted to run home and read what Ed had found out about Zsasz in the safety of his room.

In the end he didn’t have a choice.“Actually you know what buddy I’ll give you a free ride today - to apologise.” he smiled and signalled for Oswald to follow him presumably to his car. After a moment of internal conflict Oswald followed.

The truck looked old but well cared for. The ride that followed was far more awkward than their relatively pleasant lunch.

Oswald was a bit concerned; why had victor been so nice when he should be furious, he felt like he owed the man some explanation.“You reminded me of something that happened a long time ago-- the reason I walk with a limp.” It wasn’t much but it was the best he could admit to for now. He’d never told anyone what had really happened that day not even his mother.

“I get it.” somehow, oddly, it felt like he really did.

~~~~~

Finally home he waved Victor off from the door to his small apartment. Inside he could smell his mothers cooking, the complex mix of herbs and spices always felt like home. He stepped through the threshold and almost tripped over the tiny girl stood right behind him.

“Who was that?” she asked nosily.

“No one you should concern yourself with lvy.” The last thing he needed was Ivy telling his poor mother about Victor Zsasz.

“Is that Edward?”Edward how-- why would she..?“I found your diary this morning -imsorryforreadingitpleasedon’tshoutatme..” Oswald sighed, she had to stay again last night and didn’t even feel safe enough to go back next door today, she would probably only go home when her mother eventually collected her in a few days.

He took a moment to calm his anger, Ivy heard enough shouting at home. “I’m not going to shout Ivy just ask for permission next time okay?” he patted on her head and moved passed to his room.

“well, was it Edward?” Ivy followed him in.

“No it was, a friend.. Victor” Ivy gasped

“But you said he was scary! He looked nice!” she shouted.

“I don’t think your the best judge of character Iv you think Venus fly traps look nice.” she liked all plants but tended to prefer the more poisonous or dangerous spices - so it was no wonder she liked the look of a psycho like Zsasz.

Oswald paused for a minute then a possibility dawned on him.“You didn’t tell Trudy about Edward did you Iv?” The guilty look was all the answer he needed.“How much?”

“Just that her baby bird has found his one true love…” She smiled up apolitically. Well if all went well she’d find that out eventually anyway so it wasn’t too bad.

“All right, please don’t tell her anything else Iv I don’t want her to worry.”

“I know, Ossy.” she hugged his legs then and he patted her head again.

“Why don’t you go and watch aunty Trudy cook dinner I’ve got homework to do” He really wanted to look at the information Ed gathered on Zsasz the paper was practically burning a hole in his pocket.“Ok!” she sprinted out and Oswald locked the door and pulled out the paper.

Victor Zsasz was tried for murder…

POV Victor

Os was acting strange: well, actually, he was quite strange the whole time Victor had known him so to notice the change he had to be acting much more than just strange. They’d had first period together but instead of quietly shuffling into his seat to his left and ignoring him the whole lesson as was the usual, he skipped in sliding down next to him and immediately whisper-shouting “Wanna’ get out of here?” With a manic sort of grin. An invitation like that was difficult to refuse; they left with some excuse of needing the toilet together and the teach simply nodded not even glancing up from her magazine.

As they tucked through the empty halls and out to the yard Victor tossed an arm over Oswald’s shoulders bringing him in close to ask what the plan was conspiratorially.

Oswald looked like he hadn’t expected to get this far “Ah well, I guess we could go get some drinks and -- hang out?” He stuttered clearly quite uncomfortable with their proximity but making no move to push him away.

Victor was trying to make sense of this sudden mood change; he’d been basically avoiding him all week (or as much as he could while still eating lunch with Victor every day at least) making this not just strange but extra weird with a side order of odd. It all became clear as they jumped the school fence and Oswald mumbled out - more unsure “or, yanno, whatever you usually do with your friends…”

Ah. The outing seemed a lot less interesting now; Oswald was probably insecure about how the school was talking there ‘friendship’; he’d heard people whispering all about how weird it was they were pals cos’ they had so little in common: weird since none of them knew shit about Victor Zsasz’ hobbies but people tended to only see his knife and not his glowing personality. Penguin was probably trying to establish a little delinquent streak to make them look like less of an odd couple.

Oswald started to shift his feet awkwardly after it became clear quite a while had passed. “Alright I know a place we can hit up” Victor answered happily: after all penguin seemed quite set on acting like a punk, and who was Victor to deny him that.

It didn’t take long to get to an off license in Gotham - they weren’t in the narrows though so they still had to walk about ten minutes. The shop had that text book Gotham city charm too; meaning it stank of piss and pot. The little prim and proper penguin couldn’t possibly look more out of place despite being raised far closer to the gutter than Victor ever was. It was the way Oswald carried himself as if he were better than his life - as if he was someone instead of one face in a crowd of hundreds with the exact same story.

Before the penguin could enter the shop Victor stoped him asking “You got the cash?” The boy just stared at him fish eyed.

“Unless you think you’ll have a better chance of not getting IDed?” He chuckled out gesturing to the cashier through the grimy glass door pane.

Oswald quickly whipped out his wallet flushing and looking away as he handed it over. Victor just smiled stuffing the thing in his jacket and moving to the side of the door leaning on the wall and waiting, hands in his pockets.
Oswald’s face flushed harder as he rasped “well?”

Victor simply continued smiling. “Well, what?”

“I’ve had enough of your sense of humour Victor, I haven’t got all day!”

“There’s nothing humours about faking your age to buy alcohol Oswald!” Victor drew in a scandalised gasp as he fanned his face with Oswald’s wallet.

“Argh-- fine, I’ll do it just give me my--” as penguin went to grab his money the man tucked it back in to his pocket tutting.

“I won’t be an accessory to your crimes Os, not with what you’re paying me…”

“Gah-- then how in the world am I suppose to…” his friend stilled towards the end of that sentence eyes darting between the shop and Victor.

Victors smile almost split his face as penguin hobbled into the store with a resolute frown pulling down his face. The next moment him and penguin were running from a very determined cashier finally loosing him a block away down an alley that led to train tracks. They finally stopped under a bridge to catch their breath; hard to do while Victor was laughing uncontrollably. This was probably the reason Oswald recovered quicker grabbing the whiskey he’d shoved in his pants and practically throwing it at his companion; completely fuming.

“You complete asshole - what was all that about!”

“What’d you mean- I haven’t done anything wrong...”

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Victor continued with the same shit-eating grin he’d been wearing as he plopped the hard-earned bottle onto the floor. Oswald couldn’t stop fretting about whether or not that cashier had seen his face; he’d tucked it as far in his hood as he could but it had flown off as he ran from the store so it’s possible even the cameras caught his profile.

While he’d been worrying Victor had managed to find a few broken bottles that he’d piled up with the whiskey and as he walked away Oswald felt the indignation rise in him to the point he couldn’t help but to snap again.

“What the hell is your problem?”

Victor turned quicker than Oswald expected. The boy had only a few seconds to wonder whether the metal glint in Victors hand was the knife he’d seen the man brandish on occasion or something even worse. The next moment there was an impossibly loud pop that echoed along the secluded tracks. Then everything was black.

~~~

“Ed, you can’t just drop a bomb like this with no context-- I nearly had a heart attack reading this shit last night!”Ostwald whisper shouted waving Ed’s note in the air for emphasis.

It wasn’t even an understatement - he’d spent all night rereading the single sentence and thinking about all of the things ‘acquitted for murder’ could possibly mean. Oswald eventually managed to calm himself with the idea that Victor may be innocent (of murder at least); apparently the courts thought he was. He needed to know for sure though which is why he’d cornered Ed by the bikes before first period.

“I’m truly sorry Oswald but I’ve already given you all of the information I could find - children trialled for things like that tend to be given new identity’s so finding his original case was completely impossible, it was only referenced in the schools files concerning his transfer here from the juvenile detention centre he was in. Honestly that information may not even be completely accurate.”

“If it may not be true why did you give me it in the first place?”

“To show you the kind of person your dealing with. Even if that information isn’t true it didn’t surprise you did it?”

“I mean--”

“Oswald. Victor Zsasz is an extremely dangerous person, I hope what ever you’re paying him is worth his while because you don’t want to be in his dept.”

Oswald couldn’t get that thought out of his head after that conversation. What was he really paying Zsasz? Everything he could afford which was probably nothing at all to Victor. There was nothing else he could give the guy even if he knew the types of things he liked. Then again, how did he really know it was all so hopeless? Maybe if he figured out the types of things the guy liked he’d have a better chance of staying out of Victors debt.

It was with these thoughts that Oswald began to form a plan.

~~~

His head was ringing: it was a shrill screech that pulled at the back of his eyes. Just above the sound there was a voice calling his name quietly first then louder.

“Come on Os- wake up, you’ve probably already got aids from just touching the ground here.” Strangely enough it sounded like Victor.

All of a sudden his memory came back and he bolted upright too quickly causing new waves of pain to crash behind his eyes. When the pain finally started to subside the first thing he did was check if he was bleeding and unfortunately he was; but not in the place he had expected, he thought Victor had shot him but from the blood on his hood it seemed far more like he’d banged his head as he’d tripped back.
Victor himself was crouching to his left looking slightly less happy than before. “Sorry I startled ya there os, guess I should’ve warned you before pulling out my girls eh?” The girls in question being two pistols zsasz had in holstered under his open jacket.

“Do you always bring guns to school?” Oswald asked far too bewildered to form a more eloquent question.

“Huh?” Zsasz looked down at the exposed holsters and the started chucking. “Of course not! Not usually anyway - usually I’ll head home to grab em before driving down to the range, but I’ve been a bit short on time recently for some reason.” Victor punctuated the end of his sentence by poking him in the shoulder.

“Why are you so jumpy anyway Os; s’not like I’m gonna shoot ya am I?” Victor offered a hand to him then - but Oswald ignored it as he pushed himself back up onto his feet.

Victor just shrugged as Oswald dusted himself down. That was when the thought occurred to him, if Victor didn’t shoot him what did he shoot? His answer lay in a pile of shattered glass and whisky a little way down the tracks that he’d only managed to spot because of the obnoxiously neon label he remembered vividly stuffing down his pants not an hour ago.

“How am I ever supposed to guess what you’ll do Victor!” He screamed gesturing wildly towards the shattered glass “Nothing you do makes sense; You made me steal that shit just to what- use it for target practice?”

“Of course not!” Victor grinned with an expression Oswald was quickly starting to register as annoyingly playful. “It’s much to close to be good target practice.”

“And anyway none of this was my idea, so don’t go pinning it on me.”

“You’re--”

Oswald started on the defensive but swiftly realised Victor was sort of right: annoyingly this outing had been nothing more than Oswald’s aborted attempt at creating a sort of comrade with Zsasz.

Victor was right but he’d never actually admit that so instead he huffed out a noncommittal “whatever…”

“So we gonna continue this little date or have you had enough.” Victor teased.

“No. We can continue just-” he paused patting his pockets absently “give me my wallet back.”

Victors smile somehow grew wider.

~~~

The date continued, Victor was quiet as Oswald lead him to a spot he tended to frequent, an abandoned foot bridge just outside the narrows. They both sat down and Victor swung his legs out through the bars of the railing. Oswald had made several attempts at conversation just to settle the awkward atmosphere but Victor hadn’t really engaged the whole way over.

“I don’t smoke, not weed or tobacco. I don’t drink booze either. Every so often I’ll buy a shit ton of energy drinks and drink em in one go but only if I’m going out clubbing.” Victor spoke out of nowhere.

Oswald was reeling from the influx of bizarre info and only managed an undignified “huh?” His mind hadn’t caught up before Victor continued.

“I make a lot of my own clothes out of cheap shit, though I have a problem with buying expensive boots.” Victor spoke as he tapped the side of one of his big black boots through the railing.

Finally Oswald’s brain started to function again “Why-- are you telling me all of this?”

“Because I want to.” Victor answered looking at him blankly for a second like he’d only just noticed him.

“I buy a lot of second hand stuff too. I don’t smoke either but I do drink, occasionally.” Oswald offered.

“Ah, alcohol is bad for you os, you should consider quitting.” Victor remarked cheerfully, in that annoyingly airy way he tended to use when he was mocking someone’s fashion choices at lunch.

“I’m not an alcoholic Victor I think I’ll be fine.”

“You’re not eh? Well I’m sure every alcoholic has said the same thing at some point.” Victor taunted him and Oswald snapped.

“Gah-- as if your a saint - I’m sure you engage in plenty of bad habits Victor!” Penguin fumed standing up and dusting himself off, nearly out of patience for Victors particular brand of humour.

Victor remained seated. The boy looked up at him with a crooked smile. “When I have problems I fix them.” He said and Oswald felt a cold breeze run right down his spine.

The outing had ostensibly run its course and if Oswald walked home a little quicker then usual it was likely due the fact Victors last words kept echoing in his head. How long would it be before Victor considered him a problem to be fixed.

POV Victor

It was actually quite disturbing how quickly Oswald adapted to having lunch and driving home with him. They had a pretty steady routine all things considered it wasn’t really surprising that as the weeks slipped by so did Penguins timid disposition. The man was still quite strange in his moods though and he still couldn’t put his finger on the sent he wore though it quickly became a constant fixture in his life.

Rubble cracked beneath his feet, the path down to his apartment was as well kept as any in the city of Gotham. The sun was just setting and it drenched the world in pink and purple hues that would have been beautiful if it wasn’t accompanied by the sent of raw sewage, that tended to ruin the atmosphere.

His apartment was pretty shitty he wasn’t exactly living in the narrows but the roof leaked through when it rained and something broke every other month. It wasn’t much but it was far better than sleeping on the street so he couldn’t complain.

Victor opened up the door to his front room and wasn’t shocked to find Cindy and Rose lounging on his small couch flicking through his cassette collection.

The girls smelled pleasantly flowery - most girls did which was why he generally preferred their company “You got a job for me C?” He asked as he walked past to switch on the tv before siting down and pulling off his boots.

“No, we just wanted to hangout, you haven’t come to the club in weeks so we had to come to you” Cindy didn’t mince words.

“Ah, well sorry then babes but I’ve not had much free time lately.” He usually dropped in before work but he’d been driving Os home more times than not recently so he hadn’t been left with much time to spare.

At his words Rose jumped and he knew what she was going to say before she started “Oh you’re not-”

“No I’ve grown past that particular faze Rosy, I promise” Zsasz paused for a moment to glance up as his tone sobered. “I was actually hanging out with one of the guys at School I’m - eh driving him home” he realised to late he shouldn’t have went into it as a series of high pitched squeals almost deafened him.

They were cooing and pinching his cheeks in an instant.“Gah no guys he’s not a friend or anything he’s just paying me to scare away the people bullying him chill the fuck out!”

They piped down but didn’t retreat “I don’t know that sounds pretty friendly to me, unless he’s paying you tons but” rose looked around his beaten up apartment “it doesn’t look like it..”

“Yeah well looks can be deceiving.” was his only response before he switched the conversation by asking how Cindy’s new boyfriend was which predictably had her complaining the rest of their stay.

They eventually left but threatened to return if he didn’t visit and he had some time to mull over what Cindy had been insinuating. She wasn’t really wrong Oswald and him seemed like friends - that was sort of the aim of this whole thing. The thought of it rubbed him the wrong way - it ached in his head like a bad tooth irritating but not yet unbearable.

He was ordering his things for the next day when the ache settled and clarity washed over him. He’d begin - subconsciously - to view that little penguin as someone he could talk to someone worthy of driving home nearly every day someone that could snap at him and get off scott free because what - he smelled comforting? No. He needed to get a hold of himself.

Nothing good would come of being friends with someone that couldn’t look out for themselves, he couldn’t cope last time - had almost fell apart entirely till falcone had entered his life and gave him purpose. He needed to deal with this attachment before it got the better of him.

~~~~~
Zsasz arrived to school that next day avoiding Cobblepot to the point of missing his lunch with the guy: instead he spent his time out by the gates like he used to. Zsasz couldn’t really relax though so instead of loitering around when the final bell sounded he headed straight to English. He was settling in at the back of class about to flip on some ABBA when the loud whispers from the row in front caught his attention.

“Wait cobblepot did what to Mitch?”
Then some mumbling and a gasp,
“Yeah no one can say shit to em’ no more cos he’s under the protection of Zsasz…”

Well it seemed he wasn’t really needed much anymore, word had spread and penguin had the freedom he wanted now - even without him physically being there. Good. He needed some space.

At the end of the day he attempted to walk home without bumping into Oswald which should have been easy as he had spotted him chatting with his friend Ed. Usually when he even thought of that guy he acted like Zsasz didn’t exist which wasn’t annoying because why would it be.

Unfortunately the one time it could have been useful he some how instantly caught penguin’s attention.

“Victor we’re heading to the iceclub tonight we’ve got to celebrate!” Oswald was positively beaming as he through an arm around his shoulders a difficult feet as he was so small.

He hated that his perfume wasn’t overwhelming like it should have been. He wasn’t happy Oswald was so comfortable around him, he should be scared - should know to stay away. He didn’t want Oswald confident any more - not with him - it only makes things harder.

Zsasz continued walking trying to act as if he wasn’t there, “Can’t tonight I’m busy.” He really needed some space.

“Your not busy - it’s Friday you haven’t got work till Saturday. You have to come anyway, you missed lunch so this is how you can make up to me.”Oswald was clearly irritated now and his voice rose into that nasally wine Victor couldn’t believe he’d thought was cute.

“I’ve got things to do I can’t tonight.” He replied trying to keep himself from shouting. He tried to think of some advice falcone had given about anger but he didn’t have time to as penguin was in his face again with his little boyfriend in tow.

Edward always smelled of old books, musky and damp - entirely unpleasant.

“You don’t have things to do - the only things that you do is work, school and annoy me at the iceclub!” He shouted they were attracting a bit of attention now.

Victor couldn’t take it he dragged the boy back behind the bike shed by the scruff of his neck away from the eyes - away Edward. Oswald was pressed against the wall quickly realising he’d pushed Zsasz a little too far.

“You seem to have forgotten so I'm going to remind you Oswald. We are not friends - never were and never will be. I only hang out with you because I thought it could be funny to see what a pathetic little penguin would do if he was revered like me, and Oswald -” he paused for a moment starring into his eyes “you’ve stopped being funny.” the boy gulped “So I am leaving now.” He pulled his voice into a cheerer tone. “- or I’ll be late for my date.”

He took no satisfaction in scaring Oswald and for some reason he’d made up a fake date - as if saying no wasn’t enough. Victor really needed some space.

He dusted off the other boys shoulders, smiled and left.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Oswald Cobblepot was furious.

The day had started out so promising he’d finally gotten back at Mitch after so many years of torment by dumping an entire bin on his head at lunch and because he was friends with Zsasz he didn’t even get detention.

Life had been improving ever since Zsasz agreed to his deal Ed was talking to him more and more and after lunch he even agreed to go to the iceclub with him. Victor Zsasz had to go and ruin it all by throwing a tantrum over some stupid girl. She’d have to be stupid to go out with a punk like Zsasz. A stupid blonde with big boobs. Ugh. He needed to stop thinking about Victor on what could possibly be his first date with the love of his life. Sure Edward probably didn’t see this as a date yet but one day they would count this as the place it all began.

“Your so brave Oswald! To stand up to someone like Victor Zsasz - I couldn’t move I was so scared!” Ed gushed as they left the school grounds.

“Yeah well Zsasz may seem intimidating but he’s all bark and no bite” he hoped. Truthfully Oswald had been quite scared pressed up against the bike shed. He couldn’t stop thinking of the person Zsasz may have killed. What had they done and who where they to Zsasz? Was it his father like the rumours said and if it was what would Zsasz do to him someone he didn’t even really like.

“Well he’s bitten before…” Edward mumbled distantly.

The conversation sort of died after that. Edward prattled on a few different tangents sure but Oswald had checked out till they reached the iceclub. For once Butch’s familiar grumbling was useful for something helping to ground him somewhat in the present and allowing him to focus on normal issues.

At the end of the night he said bye to Ed before helping butch get everything sorted to close. He’d finally settled back down from the days events when Butch just had to go and mention Victor.

“Ay, lefty. I been meaning to talk to ya about that brat you been feeding on the sly”

He didn’t want to have this conversation right now “Shit Butch I’ve been paying for all his fo-”

“I don’t care alright just don’t let fish know you’ve been feeding one of Falcone’s punks or she’ll have both of are asses” Falcone? Victor was working for Falcone. He was more screwed than he thought. Falcone was a real gangster someone you hoped to never meet, let alone work for.

Oswald could not deal with this information - up until this point he’d reassured himself with the thought that Victor probably had not killed anyone (because surely if he had he’d be in prison) but Falcone is exactly the type of man that could get away with murder.

His body had went completely cold he didn’t even register locking up the shop and leaving till he was on the street. Unfortunately this meant he also didn’t notice the people following him till it was too late the tallest figure greeting him with a pipe to the back of his head and he blacked out.

POV Victor

Victor wasn’t feeling great so he did what he always did when he was blue and headed to the shooting range. First thing Saturday morning he was up with his beloved pistols - practicing to near perfection always managed to pull him out of any funk he fell into.

The smell of the smoke and sounds of bullets reaching their target. Focusing and completely grounding himself in the moment to aim - to fire. There was almost nothing as calming.

Hours passed yet every moment of silence was deafening. He just kept at it - trying to get this shit out of his system till there was a hand on his shoulder. His head wiped around to the grimacing face of Falcone. Good thing he looked he’d almost shot the man: the shock of it prevented him from saying anything for a moment.

Falcone who was used to people attempting to kill him simply raised an eyebrow at the pistol aimed at his gut as he stepped back motioning to a bench towards the back wall. Now that Zsasz had been brought out of his head he realised how late it was - god he must have missed his shift.

Victor dropped to one knee in front of the don “I’m sorry sir I lost track of time. It won’t happen again” he couldn’t believe his own stupidity.

Falcone simply waved him off ordering “Come on kid sit down I’m not here to punish you,” then after a moment added “The double you’ll work tomorrow will be punishment enough.” he chuckled and Zsasz sat at his side secretly thankful for the extra work. The less time he had to himself the better.

The don didn’t wear perfume like Oswald or too much deodorant like jim - the man smelled like almost nothing, there was the smallest hint of cigar smoke that lingered in a room after he left but barring that he was almost a ghost.

“So has your… skin been itching again?” Falcone interrupted his train of thought.

First the girls and now him - why did everyone think he was loosing it. It had been years - he had that under control.

“Ah, don’t give me that look brat - what else should I think - you haven’t missed a single shift since” the older man ran out of steam somewhat “well, you know, you where there.” He grumbled.

When he said nothing the other man spoke again “So what then Zsasz - what’s eating at ya?” quietly.

What was eating at him? He thought of Jim Gordon the prick had been harassing him for weeks now. Edward Nigma a minor annoyance - but if he had to hear one more word about how smart and interesting he was Zsasz would really go crazy. He thought of the source of it all penguin. For a moment he mulled over his problems - in comparison to last time it was all just - he started to laugh, a little at first then full on Cackling. He was almost choking on the chuckles that shook right through him when he finally answered Falcone.

“It’s ha - just - ha ha, it’s just - just school drama sir” Falcones brows furrowed for a moment before he started chuckling along.

After the laughs had subsided Carmine patted his shoulder turning the boy to get a look at him. The man always helped to clear away any confusing thoughts and feelings. It’s moments like this that Victor knew he made the right choice.

“Well kid - if it becomes more than that you know where to find me I’d rather not have to assemble my lawyers on short notice again.” The don sighed patting his shoulder once more before standing. Definitely the right choice.

He felt so much better and super sleepy. Who knew teenage angst was so exhausting.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Everything hurt. Oswald just wanted to sleep but there was no position he could get in to feel comfortable, his mattress felt so rough on his skin and there was too much noise he just wanted to scream and push everything away - the noise, the heavy blankets it was all so irritating.

It was this irritation that eventually forced him awake as he kicked something solid and his entire leg started burning. Oswald would have shot up after that if it weren’t for the shooting pain’s all up and down his back.

A scream ripped right through his raw throat creating a sickening noise of abject agony. Before he knew it he was vomiting and a bucket was quickly shoved under his mouth. That’s when he noticed his mother.

He coughed and hacked out the last of the yellow liquid - ‘well at least it’s not red’ he thought absently. His mother - who had been holding the bucket had begin stroking his hair telling him everything would be ok and as he pulled back and took a look at where he was. A hospital room by the looks of it. His mother looked like she hadn’t slept in days. The boy muffled another scream as another shooting pain ran right up his arm.

“Could you get me some pain killers mom” Oswald managed to rasp out and his mother started crying or more likely continued crying - her eyes were very red.

“I’m ok mom it looks a lot worse than it feels” he tried to smile - his mother only cried harder.

He managed to get pain killers eventually along with the story of what happened to him. He’d been jumped on his way back home by a group that may have killed him if it weren’t for fucking butch guzien who’d managed to scare them off and drove him to the hospital. He hoped butch didn’t expect much for this rescue because he refused be in debt to that idiot.

So much for all of his plans then - this ruined everything.

His weekend was spent getting a cast on his broken left arm and surgery on his right leg which sustained the majority of the beating - at least that leg was already his bad one. With all the bruises and the glue in his head he felt justifiably awful.

One little silver lining though was his insurance and savings were just about enough to cover the treatment so he was broke but not dead or (arguably worst) in debt. After all that shit Oswald allowed himself to wallow in self pity till on Monday at lunch he was texted by Ed.

Monday at 12:15 AM

Ed <3<3
Oswald are you sick?

It was still sort of touching to know Ed was worried about him. He answered quickly.

No
Well yes… I guess
I just got out of the hospital.

Ed <3<3
Hospital???

He thought he may as well get it over with.

You should probably stay away from me Ed.
This thing with Zsasz isn’t gonna work out.

Ed<3<3
What?
What do you mean Oswald?
Oswald?
?

Oswald just ignored the rest of Ed’s messages.

If only Zsasz had joined them at the iceclub then his assailants would have jumped them both and even if he still got beaten it would have sent a message. With the way things had turned out it would become clear to everyone Victor didn’t really care what happened to him. Ugh. He was too tired to even be that angry. He passed out in his bed after lunch.

POV Victor

Well this was embarrassing Victor had asked for space and got it. He had arrived Monday ready to clear things up - so what if he let Oswald to do as he pleased, it wasn’t like any of it really mattered it was just lunch. Predictably when he actually wanted to see Os he couldn’t find his fake bestie anywhere. They weren’t in many of the same classes so he had to ask Ed of all people where he was at lunch.

The boy was sat at one of the tables in the corner of the canteen eating his packed lunch and writing in his journal so he didn’t seem to notice Zsasz whistle as he approached - not till Victor scoped up his journal asking “What’cha writing there Eddy.”

The boy shot up immediately flailing to take the book of what looked like poems back. None of it was too interesting so he tossed it back and sat facing him. The boy looked annoyed but more scared than anything else shaking as he obsessively organised his things. Good. It was nice to know he wasn’t losing his edge - with Ed at least.

“Ya know where I can find Ossy he owes me some lunch.”

Ed fiddled with his phone a moment before answering “He just got out of hospital so at home it would seem.”

“Hospital, why was he in hospital?” Victor tried to just sound curious even as a nervous weight settled in his stomach.

“Hm, he won’t give me a straight answer - perhaps you should go investigate.” Ed asserted before looking up at him and mumbling “Depending on how much you want your food of course.”

Not at all now but that didn’t stop him from leaving school and heading straight to Oswald’s place. The trip didn’t take long in his truck arriving at his buddies apartment block in just under ten minutes though that’s where the complications started as he couldn’t remember which was Oswald’s. He started walking along the dirty pathway past each shabby apartment looking for anything that looked familiar he’d only been to the door once and never inside so he was quite lost.

“Victor?” A high pitched voice spoke behind him.

Turning he saw an unfamiliar little ginger girl. She looked maybe six or seven and she was beaming at him.

“Your Ossy’s friend!” She announced before running up next to him.

Victor didn’t like kids at the best of times but if this girl knew he was Oswald’s friend maybe she knew where he lived. He forced down the instinctual ‘Beat it kid’ and instead rasped out a little laugh.

“Yep that’s me, you don’t happen to know where he is do ya?”

At this her whole expression dimmed. God he hoped she wouldn’t start crying what would he be expected to do?

Thankfully instead of tearing up she said, “Yeah I’ll show you where he is as long as you promise me one thing” the kid looked at him seriously till he nodded “promise me you’ll kill the people who hurt him.” She was looking up sternly now. Well that was unexpected. She wasn’t half as bad as every other kid he’d met.

Victor leaned down and offered the girl his pinky. “Of course - anyone who hurts a friend of mine is as good as dead.” She shook his pinky and smiled again. He wasn’t sure if he intended to keep this promise yet but it was necessary to finding out what was going on so he made it all the same - Falcone probably wouldn’t have liked that.

“I knew you were nice!” She said as she took his hand and led him to an apartment with potted plants and gardening equipment outside. Victor didn’t think agreeing to kill people was typically considered very nice but he was starting to like the kid so he didn’t bother correcting her.

Just as he was about to knock on the door the girl stopped him picking up one of the plants and pulling a key out from inside of it. Well that works too.

He followed the kid in - the place was small barely bigger than his own apartment unlike his though Oswald’s house smelled like him - like carnations he noticed the white flowers in the hallway.

Carnations why was it always Carnations- for a moment he couldn’t believe he’d had trouble distinguishing the smell.

He forced his eyes away from the flowers to look down the corridor and noted the photos of Os and a woman who he assumed was his mother - there were some of the girl too was she his sister? It would actually explain a lot.

The girl opened a door at the end of the hall asking “Trudy one of Ossy’s friends wanted to see him I hope that’s ok?” to a woman in the kitchen making - something delicious by the smell of it. He walked in behind the kid trying to act casual as he waved and said hey.

The woman was small with wild hair and eyes that seemed too big for her face “Oh my sweet boy has finally the friends he always deserve!” She gasped rushing over to them, the lady’s accent was quite strange, sort of Russian-ish.

He realised he hadn’t introduced himself “Victor Zsasz mam,” he dramatically dropped to kiss her offered hand and the woman started fanning her face.

“And such a gentleman too!” She spoke again. ‘Trudy’ was a strange lady - like he was one to talk. “You must be my boys suitor I shall bing you him to right this way.” she continued and he was once again being pulled down the hall to the door on the left this time. He hadn’t got much of what she said but she seemed to think Oswald had the hots for him. Which was certainly something. Something to think about later maybe.

He asked himself for a moment how and why he was even here - not the best time to start thinking about that seconds before confronting Oswald in his own home but for some reason there wasn’t really much thought involved in this whole trip till now. He’d heard Oswald was hurt and he ran to - what? Lick his wounds like some loyal lapdog? He didn’t really know, he just had to see if Oswald was ok.

Trudy opened the door and nudged him inside leaving for some reason or another and Zsasz was left to take in the sight of Oswald’s room - of the man himself laying on his bed sleeping. He wasted no time at the door moving further inside to inspect his friend.

Oswald looked terrible he had bandages and bruises all over his body but the worst of it seemed to be his legs they were more purple than peach and over one was a lot of wires keeping his bones in place. Worse than any of that though; Oswald smelled bad. In the whole time he’d known the man he’d never once smelled bad. Zsasz clenched his fists.

Victor left as soon as he arrived, he had a promise to keep after all and his skin was terribly itchy.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Oswald woke up early Tuesday morning to a bowl of cereal and a strong cup of coffee. As he finished his bowl he noticed how much of a mess his room had become there were tablet boxes scattered all over the bed and nightstand, his bed itself was a mess he’d been meaning to change the sheets for a few days before his stay at the hospital and now they positively reeked and so did he. It was this state he’d let his body get into that lead him to venture beyond his room. He needed a bath.

Moving was predictably awkward he wasn’t used to using a crutch so he bumped into all sorts of clutter on the way to the bathroom. Mother wanted to help him get washed but he desperately wanted to asses the damage and he couldn’t do that without her worrying eyes on him so he shooed her out.

God, he looked much worse than he assumed he would, his entire body was covered in bruises it almost made him sick as he peeled the last of his clothes off. He just sat there on the edge of the tub for a little while stewing over his altered appearance. The boy in the mirror was nothing more than a beaten dog - so ugly and rotten it was hard to even pity the creature anymore. His eyes began to water though he couldn’t tell if it was due to the ghastly sight in the mirror or how long he’d been stirring at it.

It was the last straw when Oswald saw tears running down that monstrous face. Something changed - the monster spoke to him “This isn’t my fault, I didn’t do anything to deserve this!” The face contorted horribly before hardening “They’re going to pay for this.” The monster - his reflection fumed all the while pointless tears ran down his checks.

~~~

After he’d finished cleaning his body he started ordering his room a bit obsessively trying to create a plan of attack for getting revenge on the people who attacked him, he may still be able to salvage the situation with Victor if he played his cards right and made the attack into a challenge. Though that largely depended on how Victor felt about him after his date. On second thought he didn’t even need Victor if fish moonie had beef with the falcones maybe he could stare the pot a little with her and butch and make out that it was Victors fault he was beaten. Though he didn’t really want that sort of attention on him, he vowed he would not stand for this treatment a single moment more.

Ossy grumbling around his room was what Ivy returned to after school and she was so relieved he was up she all most knocked him over as she ran to hug him.

“Eek, Ivy god you can’t run up to me like that my legs are already broke enough!” Oswald shouted at the girl but he immediately lost all anger as she started to sob. He dropped down to sit on his bed and give the girl as good a hug as he could presently manage. “I’m sorry lv you just startled me is all” he patted the her head until she stopped crying.

She was hiccuping through the last of her tears when she spoke “I - I thought you were gonna die.” Her big green eyes boar into him.

He sighed wiping her cheek and said “I’m fine petal a few broken bones aren’t enough to take me out.” He boasted.

She looked like she didn’t believe him.

“Honestly I’m fine, or I will be when I deal with the thugs that did this!” He gestured at himself some of the anger returning to him.

The girl strangely lit up at that “Don’t worry about them Ossy I’ve already taken care of it.” She smiled up at him as if that statement wasn’t completely insane. She continued quieter now leaning closer to his ear. “Victor promised me he’d kill them when he came to see you.”

“What?”

POV Victor

Victor had, at first, a bit of trouble finding the names and locations of the three guys that had attacked Oswald. He’d been forced to ask butch gulzine for help though the conversation went a lot smoother than he had assumed as the man had also been attacked and so was more than willing to show him the security footage from the night.
The video of them hurting Os made him exponentially more angry but he recognised the ringleader as Mayoboy some guy that had occasionally given Oswald a hard time before Victor had become his friend. He couldn’t help smiling as he scratched the skin around his neck.

As luck would have it him and Oswald had seen mayo boy walking home a few times and he’d taken note since the guy was one of the main guys that bullied Os. Soon he’d made it to his apartment crawling through an open window on the second story.

After that he got right to work through the night. He masked up then tied up Mayoboy who’d still been sleeping and forced him to rat out his buddy’s who he’d managed to catch on there way to school. Once he’d rounded everyone up under the train tracks outside of town he let loose and had some fun. With no one around to hear them scream he could do as much as he wanted and he really wanted to do it all. It had been so long since he had gotten to actually hurt anyone that he went a little overboard with Mayoboy almost bleeding him to death.

The crying and pleading was annoying but during the useless blubbering he managed to learn the reason behind the attack, apparently mayo boy had overheard his and Oswald’s argument behind the bike sheds and assumed their friendship was all a bluff. This information only managed to make him even more furious: he was shaking head to toe with barely suppressed rage.

His skin was crying out for him to make the final cut but he managed to just barely rain himself in by thinking about the Don, he didn’t want the man to have to deal with another unwarranted murder charge so he stopped before anyone died piling the boys into his truck and leaving them in the alley behind central hospital. He felt a little bad for not keeping his promise to Os’s sister though so he decided to leave a note on Mayoboys chest that way he wouldn’t be able to forget why he’d gotten on Victor Zsasz’ bad side.

After one final stomp on mayoboys cracked ribs he snapped some pictures and finished cleaning everything up. It was too late to get into school on time but he managed to make it a half day getting in for lunch as if he’d simply overslept. All in all he felt a lot better about everything even though he’d had no sleep and nothing to eat since the morning before.

His sleep deprived brain decided now was the best time to start thinking about what Trudy had said the day before. ‘You must be my boys suitor’ if he remembered correctly, she must’ve thought they were dating, not just that - the way she said it made it sound like Oswald had told her about him. Thinking back through the time he’d known Oswald he did seem to have some other motivation in hiring him. It didn’t really seem like Victor was the guy he wanted though - Edward seemed a more likely choice - but for some reason he didn’t think he’d mind much if Trudy was right. The events of the morning meant that Victor could no longer deny the real attachment he felt towards Oswald (as a friend obviously). His only friend unrelated to Falcone - which was quite sad honestly.

It wasn’t too surprising; Oswald was awfully comforting to be around, not just because of the carnations that seeped from his pours or his home cooked lunches but the way he talked - how easy he was to get along with when he was happy and how cute he became as he fumed he was also really funny even unintentionally so. Penguin having the hots for him may complicate there friendship a bit but Victor had, over the years, also developed crushes on friends before so long as he wasn’t weird about it they could probably get over this and still be real good buddies.

A nagging voice in his head pointed out that this was how it had all started last time. There wasn’t much he could do about it now - clearly he couldn’t stop his feelings anymore, so he’d just need to make sure Os could defend himself.

Zsasz recognised he was getting a bit a head of himself though and decided he’d simply talk to the little twerp about it all the next time he saw him which would probably be Wednesday after school since he had work Tuesday night and some sleep to catch up on.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

The events of the last few days had really felt like one long nightmare to Oswald but Victor Zsasz being inside his room - his home - was more than that. Victor knowing anything about his family was one of the things he’d vowed to avoid. The penguin had went to great lengths over last few month's making sure to never enter his apartment when Victor was able to see (after that first time at least). He’d never imagined Ivy of all people would be the one to lead him right in, and when he was so defenceless too. It was a miracle he wasn’t dead after how badly Victor and him had left things the last time they had spoke.

He’d lectured Ivy for half an hour about how dangerous Victor was in the end she promised not to speak to him again without Oswald’s permission - cold comfort really the damage had already been done. Though what damage exactly the man wasn’t sure.

What the hell did Victor want with him? Ivy said he didn’t seem angry but the guy very rarely did, he didn’t stay long ether. He’d introduced himself to Oswald’s mother stood in his room for a few minutes then Victor quickly left without saying another word. Ivy hadn’t even noticed Victor was gone till she and Trudy checked in to see if he wanted to stay for dinner and instead found the room Victor-less.

Oswald hadn’t had very long to come up with a plan for the punks that attacked him much less the Victor situation so it was unsurprising that when the man himself arrived at his door Wednesday morning the best he could do was offer a seat and polite cup of tea. Siting in his room in the same wooden seat Ivy or his mother would occupy to keep him company Victor looked very different than he had last time they’d spoken. He wasn’t smiling exactly but he wasn’t frowning ether he looked sort of focused but not in that alarmingly unsettling way he’d use when he was trying to scare someone - no Victor looked a bit more like he’d heard a joke and didn’t fully understand it yet polite but a little expectant. Silence covered the room in a thick mist that made intentions seem purposely obscured. Oswald had to hold his hands together to stop them fidgeting - he wouldn’t allow himself to appear even weaker to the other man.

“Your little sister let me in last time, sorry for just visiting out of no-where.” The man stated bluntly though he looked away seemingly with embarrassment which was surprising. Victor was an unflappable monolith the whole time he’d known him, Oswald couldn’t even recall a time he’d been the first to look away - in fact he tended to make far to much eye contact during conversations. It was just another thing that made Victors presence unnerving.

“Yes it was quite rude to show up unannounced, you should have called me.” Oswald tried to sound aloof “And Ivy’s not my sister - just a neighbour.”

Victor started to chuckle a little focussing back on to the crippled man’s bruised eyes instead of the corner of the room he’d been inspecting. “Quite hard to call when I don’t have your number…”

There was another tense silence as penguin tried to figure out what Victor was really getting at.

“How was your date?” Oswald wanted to brooch the subject of how they had left things last time though flat out asking about it felt dangerous now he was alone with the man.

“Are you jealous?” Victor wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “You got the hots for me Boss?”

Oswald felt feint at the thought - Victor was teasing him again. “Oh for gods sake! No - of course not! Certainly not for you Victor.”

“Not for me?”

“I don’t have a crush on you alright - just because I'm gay doesn’t mean I’ll settle for any guy that crosses my path!”

“Aw shit, so your not actually into Ed then? I mean he’s as ‘any guy’ as they get.” The other man shot back plainly like it was completely obvious.

“How did you-”

“Call it intuition, I’m not an idiot Os I’ve seen the way you are.” Oswald honestly thought he was better at hiding his feelings so the idea that a guy like Zsasz could see right through him was unsettling. Still it wasn’t all that surprising Victor could be remarkably perceptive when he wanted.

Oswald really couldn’t deal with the other man’s mocking comments so while he waited for Victor to get it over with he began looking for some way to get him to leave.

“Aw come on boss don’t stress out - I know how it is in-fact I wanna help ya.” Victor said resting a hand on his shoulder while he was looking away, but he was too surprised to react properly.

“Help me?”

“Yeah dating guys can be a bit of a hassle sometimes right? You certainly haven’t been getting anywhere fast with eddy.”

Finally he realised Zsasz was still holding his shoulder and Oswald shuffled away “Your mocking me.”

“No I’m bi.”

“What?”

“Yeah, it’s not something I advertise but I’ve never hid it. Now d’you believe me when I say I get it” Victor chuckled hollowly “if you think high schoolers are homophobic you can’t imagine how annoying some of the pricks that hang around Falcone can be.”

“Your - you actually want to help me?” Oswald felt insane just verbalising that thought he couldn’t quite understand what was happening. They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth but Victor made no sense so the injured man felt compelled to ask “Why?”

“Because I’d like to be friends.” Was the other man’s far too simple reply.

How dare he - “Friends? Some friend you’d make Victor if you had accompanied me like you were supposed to none of this would have happened! No thanks - I don’t need friends like you!” Oswald shouted impulsively then uttered under his breath “I was better off on my own…” as if to punctuate the statement he glared into Victors eyes and almost immediately regretted it; he looked murderous. Tension seemed to be coiling in the man’s shoulders as he sat up straighter in his chair and stiffly reached into his pocket - for a moment Oswald feared the gleam of Victors karambit or pistol would be the last thing he’d ever see.

Then the tension slipped away revealing the object Victor had reached for - a phone “Ha yeah, I guess I have been a bit of a prick, good thing I brought you a present to apologise.”

The phone lit up and after some fumbling he suddenly had it shoved up to his face - the screen held an image and it only took a second for Oswald to realised it was a boy, three boys in a pile though that was difficult to distinguish. The body’s didn’t even really look human - more like a pile of off cuts he’d see outside the butches all blood and beaten flesh with only a hint to there original shape.

Somewhere in the back of his mind a voice told him he should be very scared. Victor was presenting this picture like a cat presents a dead bird to its owner - with a sort of smug satisfaction - like he was certain he’d be stroked and fed well for the gift; like he wasn’t showing him something utterly horrific. The voice, Jim’s voice, reminded him of how easily one of the body’s he saw could have been his own.

“I thought you might like to see the fuckers who did this to you punished.” Victor was barely able to get the words out through his large toothy grin as he flipped to the next picture in his photo album.

The picture was a close up of one of the boys chest covered in blood with the words ‘don’t fuck with penguins’ carved across it.

The conversation he’d had with Ed all those weeks ago suddenly replayed in his head as lead settled into his stomach.

‘Victor Zsasz is an extremely dangerous person, I hope what ever you’re paying him is worth his while because you don’t want to be in his dept…’

POV Victor

Sulking was not a pastime Victor Zsasz indulged in all that much anymore. After a few too many near death experiences he hadn’t thought himself capable of it - or at least not under such petty circumstances. Os had shoved him out of his room without so much as a thank you, making some off handed excuse about ‘needing a change of clothes’. That wasn’t even the worst of it: Victor was now sitting precariously on the edge of the small sofa in the main room flipping aimlessly through tv channels and trying to ignore the pointed stares of Oswald’s very small, very ginger neighbour. He had one fist resting against his cheek supporting his head so he didn’t catch the eye of the girl fidgeting to his right. Ignoring the girl was going quite well until she started poking his side but he mostly ignored this too till it graduated to little hands reaching into his open jacket pocket. God he hated kids.

She let out a startled noise when he grabbed the hand still working it’s way in to his pocket pulling it out and narrowing his eyes at her. She had something in her hand that she’d dropped when he grabbed it so he turned to face her more siting straighter and retrieving it with his other hand. It was a little receipt, he gave the girl a warning glare as he let her arm go to look at it a little closer, she didn’t seem too bothered making a motion he didn’t quite catch.

Turning the little receipt around in his hands he found writing on the back it was very scruffy, barely legible if he was being honest - it read “DId U do Wat U Promast?” He looked up to the girl with a brow raised only to meet her pouting face. She looked to be waiting for something. He read over the words again till it clicked.

“You need to pay better attention in school kid your writing sucks.” Victor joked.

The girl pouted pointing her little uncoordinated finger at the note furiously.

“Don’t worry, I found the guys who hurt him,” like clouds parting for the sun to shine through, the girls face split into a wide grin. “I didn’t kill them but-” it was almost comical watching her face fall so quickly as he once again reached for his phone opening it up on the same photo he’d shown Oswald and showing the kid as he continued “they won’t ever be hurting Os again don’t doubt that!” She was taken back for a moment, processing the image before jumping up to wrap her little arms around his neck cuddling into him. It was annoying. He wished Os had been half as grateful as the girl was, then maybe he could have been getting cuddled by him engulfed in his earthy perfume and not the small sticky, snot-machine. The girl smelled far too strongly of weed, he could only take so much of it before he started trying to detach her.

Thankfully she didn’t put up much of a fight on that front. Moving away comically fast as Victor heard the door to Oswald’s room creak open. Soon they were joined by the man himself he stood in the door way for a few moments staring past Victor at the girl standing just behind him, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Oswald didn’t seem to be buying it but he didn’t say anything to the girl except. “Ivey go do your homework, I need to talk to Victor.” The girl puffed out her cheeks but before she could complain Oswald’s sharp “alone.” Cut her off and she ran past the two of them into the room at the end of the entry hallway.

There was a moment where neither of them spoke.

“What do you want from me Victor?” Penguin seemed more genuinely curious than annoyed now which Victor counted as a good thing, he must have liked his gift.

“I already told you.”

“What could you possibly gain by helping me?” Oswald spoke as if wanting to help a friend was deeply out of character for the version of Victor he’d built up in his head, the punk found himself a little irritated at Oswald’s misconception about who he is: he’d need to fix that.

“Your making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be Ossy.” Victor chided softly.

“Alright victor, lets say I'm struck with a temporary bout of insanity - I’d have to be to believe you - so lets say, for arguments sake that I am: how the hell do you plan on helping me with Edward?” The injured boy let out a humourless little laugh before continuing “No wait don’t tell me - you haven’t thought it through. Have you thought about the ramifications of any thing you’ve done recently?” The last sentence almost sounded like os was worried about him, which was cute really.

“Thinking is your problem Os, thinking doesn’t get you a boyfriend, or deal with your bullies or get you through any of the bad shit. Acting is the only way to solve your problems, thats were I can help.” Victor puffed out his chest continuing “How many dates you been on with ed Os?”

Oswald looked away from him, contemplative before finally sitting down next to him on the sofa “One, actually.” He uttered quietly.

“Did he realise it was a date or was it more of a ‘he’ll count this as were it all began in fifty years time when I work up the nerve to really ask him out’ sort of situation?” Victor joked and from the angry flush of Oswald’s face he assumed he’d hit the nail right on the head.

The punk hummed for a moment mulling over a plan to romance the bookish loser Os was so enamoured with.

“Tomorrow your asking him to go to the pier with you.”

“Ah-- Tomorrow? Thats too soon he’ll--”

“He’ll reject you? Os if he’s not gay for you tomorrow he’s not gonna be in thirty years.” Zsasz deadpanned.

“But- I’m not, I don’t think I’m ready. Not yet.” Penguin sounded more nervous than he did when he first proposed their deal, he wasn’t looking at Victor and was instead retreating further into the his side of the couch.

“It’s ok buddy I’ll help ya, I’ve probably watched every romance movie in existence so I know the way this stuff is supposed to go” that seemed to really catch os of guard because he actually turned to give him an incredulous stare.

“That’s - wait really? You - like romance movies?”

“Yeah, romcoms especially are the shit, I watch em with my girls all the time.” The punk shrugged.

“Oh, yes of course.”

“So, do we have a deal?” Victor said after a beat of silence, holding his hand out.

Oswald looked at him for a long moment. Victor kept his hand out.

“We have a deal.” Oswald took the hand and shook it once firmly.

“Hey, since we’re now friends, you won’t mind me staying for dinner - right buddy.”

“God Victor, must you immediately test my patience?”the boy jumped off the couch with a huff.

“Of course just cos we’re pals doesn’t mean am not gonna be me!” Victor grinned.

Maybe things really could be different this time.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

Whoever thought to describe the coiling of guts that people get around a crush ‘butterflies’ was clearly insane, if he was pressed to compare it to any insect Oswald would say the sensation was much more reminiscent of the buzzing of a thousand wasps trapped inside his small intestine. The bugs were causing a particularly bad ruckus because of how little time he had before his fate was sealed. He had chemistry for second period every Thursday morning and though he usually looked forward to it for the interesting lectures he’d receive from his lab partner, today he was dreading having to see Edward so early in the morning. All this trouble because of one particular stupid punk who seemed to think peer pressure was the foundational component of any good friendship.

As Edward entered the lab and slid down to sit next to him with a friendly smile Oswald did not return it; rather he prepared himself breathing deeply before turning to Edward, like he wasn’t being stung by thousands of angry intestinal wasps. Last night Oswald had been given clear instructions that he wasn’t in a hurry to disobey.

~~~

“The first words I say to him? Why can’t I ease in to it, do you want me to come across like some desperate idiot!” Oswald stressed, he'd been doing a lot of that recently, directly in opposition to the doctors recommended ‘two to three week relaxation period’ which was supposed to help knit his bones back together. To bad Oswald had never relaxed a day in his life and he was not about to start because some privileged twat with a medical degree suggested it; besides even if he wanted to he had victor to contend with.

“Because if you don’t spit it out first thing you never will Os, trust me it’s easier this way.” The punk drawled out in a board monotone sounding very much as normal. Normal despite the very abnormal situation. That’s one thing Oswald found himself envying about Victor, the man seemed completely secure in himself no mater the situation nothing ever really got to him. Just a few days ago he’d been torturing three guys he didn’t even know to the brink of death and now here he was eating the last of the Lángos his mother had offered them after dinner laying across the couch and idly flicking through the channels.

“Easier for you maybe.” Oswald huffed. Obviously his problems didn’t seem like a big deal to Victor. He found himself sighing again as the tv switched from adverts to what looked like some cheesy hallmark romance movie, it had clearly been on for a while as the characters had a big dramatic argument only a few minutes into it. From the argument Oswald gleamed that the premise revolved around a love triangle between an up tight businesswoman, her business partner and her childhood sweetheart, it didn’t take a genius to figure out which one she’d choose.

The movie was really bad so Oswald’s attention drifted elsewhere, to his ‘new friend’ who seemed bizarrely interested in the trashy movie (Victor had mentioned watching lots of romance movies but his further comments on the subject lead Oswald to the assumption it was more or less something he just did on dates). He wasn’t faking the way his eyes narrowed and lips pressed together as if he was the only person in the world unable to see where the story was heading. His eyes lingered on Victor watching the ups and downs of the film through his now oddly more expressive face, at first his expression was soft and open, but as the story progressed his eyes hardened and he started to fidget, he even stoped smiling his mouth settling into grim line.

“That’s stupid, she is like, way too good for him.” Victor grumbled braking Oswald out of his strange trance his gaze flicking quickly back to the movie, as he’d predicted the woman was in a church now marrying her childhood sweetheart no doubt quitting here job to move back to her home town.

“Yeah well, what did you expect.” Oswald retorted sarcastically.

“I thought she was gonna choose David.” The punk answered his rhetorical question far to earnestly and Oswald found himself glancing back at victor who was now looking at him.

“She hasn’t seen Peter in twelve years, and suddenly out of know where they are in love?” He scoffed.

“Sometimes thats the way love is though isn’t it? It comes out of no where and suddenly they are all you can think about.” Oswald replied unsure why he felt the need to defend the subpar movie.

Victor gave him an odd look that he didn't really know how to interpret.

“I would have picked David he was hunky, the other guy was just some boring nerd.” The punk continued mouth braking into a cheeky grin.

“I don’t know, intelligence can be quite attractive…” Oswald was under no illusions as to why he was defending this particular point, thinking of the morning riddles and poems ed would text him before school so they had something interesting to talk about during break.

“Of course, how could I forget boring nerds are your type right?” Victors sarcasm chafed slightly on this particular topic.

Oswald bristled at the comment but didn’t humour the punk by responding to it, saying instead “its not like the movie was actually trying to tell a real story, these movies just exist to make women feel bad about wanting a career.”

One bald eyebrow was raised in his direction and Oswald felt the last of his patience leaving his body. “Anyway you should be leaving Victor I’ve certainly got lots to prepare for tomorrow, no thanks to you.”

The goth left his house only a little reluctantly after that, leaving the building easily enough but after that he stood outside on his doorstep for over ten minutes before Oswald finally spotted him trotting down the path. It was only after he’d left Oswald’s sight did the boy fully deflate letting out every held breath of the evening in one extended sigh.

~~~~

“So have you been doing alright? Since the…” Ed’s mouth opened and closed several times but no more words escaped, he reminded Oswald of a fish he’d had years ago, Bubbles, so named because the little guy would sit for hours blowing bubbles into the mirror at the back of the tank, looking into its own reflection like it was trying to talk to the fish on the other side of the glass.

“The… accident?” Oswald supplied gesturing to his cast and Ed reacted how bubbles may have if his reflection ever talked back: his eyes widened dumbly giving him a fish eyed stare. It took a moment to recompose himself after that he pushed his glasses up and looked away.

“We both know it wasn’t an accident Oswald.” Ed grumbled into his palm which he’d began to rest his head on.

Oswald began speaking, trying to remember the words he’d rehearsed but it all came out a bit jumbled. “Would you, or do you have the time, I mean it’s fine if you don’t but could you, or rather we- er i- I should start again…” the boy closed his eyes took in a breath and tried again.

“Would you come to the pier- with me…”

His eyes where still closed when he heard Ed’s slightly muffled response.

“Sure when?”

For a moment Oswald had been building up in his head for months it passed alarmingly quickly. The boy tried to grasp at it once more before it was gone.

“Ah- really?” He opened his eyes chancing a peek in his beloved’s direction.

Ed was writing on a work sheet that must have been handed out while his eyes were closed, his lab partner didn’t even look up as he asked, “Of course, what day are you free, I could do Saturday.” The whole thing felt quite a lot more casual than Oswald was expecting, but he didn’t care, the wasps in his gut had vanished leaving behind a sweeping vertigo that made him feel weightless and light. The world looked so much brighter from this angle, somehow, even though he was in the same shitty stool in the Same shitty science room in the same shitty school that he’d been in for years: only now Ed was here too. He wasn’t alone anymore and it seemed at this moment, like he never would be again.

“Saturday is perfect.”

POV Victor

Victor Zsasz was a creature of habit. His morning routine was one of the most organised and structured parts of his day, he’d wake up two hours before school eat some breakfast (usually porridge but sometimes he’d treat himself with last nights left over pizza) watching the morning news (trying to track falcones movements through the stories of murder sabotage and drug trafficking if he was feeling particularly awake) then he’d get dressed checking he had his keys knife and wallet before driving into school.

Routine hadn’t always came naturally to him with how he was raised if you would call what that crack addicted bitch did raising him, though Victor personally wouldn’t. Routine had helped him through the worst of it though, once he’d discovered it, after Falcone took him in. The man knew how much he relied on his structure to keep himself sane, so he knew exactly how much he could alter the routine to punish him but not push him over the edge.

Victor hadn’t expected to see Falcone sitting on the single seat in his kitchen reading the paper. He’d come home from Oswald’s after that annoying romance movie quite late, thinking he’d simply be able to slip straight into bed. Unfortunately he may not be sleeping tonight. He quickly pulled his posture up straighter waiting for Falcone to tell him what was wrong, because him in the apartment this late in the night could only mean something as very wrong.

“You been making friends with penguins Victor?” The man dropped the newspaper he’d been reading on to the table revealing an article with the tagline:

‘three teenagers assaulted; found in the back alley of general hospital in what looks like a gang related attack police are searching for any information on a suspect known as ‘penguin’’

Victor Zsasz remained silent.

Falcones face softened slightly “You know I don’t like to pry into your personal life kid but this is really starting to look like last the last time-”

“This is nothing like last time. They are still alive, unlike last time. This wasn’t revenge, it was prevention.” Victor snapped, his skin prickled from the strain of his tense arm muscles.

“What have I told you about looking at every angle: what if those kids weren’t thugs like us, what if they had families that would make something come of the investigation. I wouldn’t be able to protect you from something like that.” As Falcone sighed the faint sent of cigar smoke became more intense, the unpleasant sensation of his nose burning drove victor to speak out of turn.

“I wouldn’t ask you to, I was careful, I made sure they wouldn’t rat me out even if the could remember me. No one saw, I cleaned everything up just like you taught me I even swapped out the plates on my truck. There is zero physical evidence linking me to any of it, and I have an alibi.” He had mentioned to Oswald earlier on that he’d be using him and his family as alibi’s and Oswald agreed to get Gertrude and his little nigbor on board begrudgingly.

“Not careful enough, when I have to make sure these documents disappear.” From his pocket he placed on the table a photo that looked to be pulled straight out of a police evidence file, the photo was of a bloody footprint in the shape of his boot sole (his limited addition docks) there could only be a few hundred people in the entire state that owned a pair. A icy chill ran down Victors spine as he recalled slamming his foot into mayo boys back as one final send off in the alley, he hadn’t thought the blood was wet enough to stick to his shoes at that point.

“How did you-”

“Peter Gordon is a good man, he knows I’d do the same if his son was caught up in anything.” Falcone said giving him a meaningful look: what it meant was anyone’s guess but it was clearly supposed to mean something.

“I’m so sorry sir I will accept any punishment you deem fit.” Victor was solemnly bowing at the waist now like a samurai ready to commit seppuku at the older man’s command.

“At least last time the guy was a made man, these were just some snot nosed brats.” Falcone had a new cigar out now lighting it up as if to stress his words, pausing to take a puff.

“You’re lucky, Butch called, before you arrived. Thanking me personally on his and fish monies behalf, for the taking out the punks who attacked him right on fishes turf.” He paused again to puff out another cloud of burning smoke, moving to stand so he was in front of Victor. The smell stung almost as much as the revelation that he had Butch Fucking Gulzein to thank for anything.

“Don’t count on to many more lucky brakes though, son.” In one motion Falcone reached into his front pocket picking out his knife and inspecting it.

“You have great potential, I’d hate to see you ruin it.” Falcone was looking into his eyes now, Victor looked back for a moment before breaking eye contact to focus on a spot in the far corner of the room.

“I understand.”

“I’ll be taking this, you can keep one of your pistols but I’ll be taking your keys to.” The man held out his hand expectantly and Victor reluctantly handed his keys over as Falcone set about retrieving one of his girls.

“Chin up, I brought you the bus timetable.” The Dons serious face broke for a moment into a goofy grin as he tossed him the paper.

Victor groaned, buses were not his forte.

~~~

Victors morning routine was completely thrown out of whack. First he woke up late, he’d almost had no sleep the previous night, unable to stop mulling over his conversation with the Don. Then he’d had to rush to get dressed so he could catch his bus skipping breakfast, to top it all off he’d caught the wrong one and had to spend the next two hours getting back to school on multiple different horrible, piss smelling, buses.

Needless to say he wasn’t feeling quite himself when he got into class, he was twitching and scratching at his skin to the point even he noticed it. He decided today was a low energy day, sitting at the back till lunchtime and tuning out of the stress of reality to listen to some bowie, taking the time to really clear his head.

He was so close to calm, until lunch came around, he arrived at his and Oswald’s table to find Jim Fucking Gordon siting with his friend.

“Get the fuck out of my seat Jim, I can’t be assed with you today.” Victor spoke even more monotone than usual, though the more abnormal thing was he wasn’t smiling, he could feel his mouth settling into a grim line as he eyed Jim dangerously.

“Just, think about it.” Jim said to Oswald as he picked up his lunch bag stalking out through the main doors to the canteen.

“What was that all about?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Oswald said waving the question away with a flick of his wrist before continuing “Hey, Victor guess what.” Shoving victors lunch over to him, and as he did it was like the sun was finally peaking through the clouds on this shit show hailstorm of a day for Victor.

He tucked into his lunch like he’d never eaten anything in his life, and for the way that he felt Victor couldn’t be sure he ever had. He completely missed Oswald’s question so when he looked up to find his friend glaring at him, the punk simply assumed he’d been put off by his terrible manners.

“Are you gonna ask what, or what.” Oswald repeated after it became clear his friend had no intention of saying anything.

“Er- what?”

“I asked Ed out and he said yes; we’re going to the pier this Saturday!” Penguin beamed doing a happy little wiggles in his chair as he spoke. He actually looked like a penguin for a moment, out dancing on the ice chest puffed out and wings flapping cutely at his sides.

Victor genuinely smiled.

“So when’s the wedding?” Oswald gave him an exasperated look, as Victor continued chuckling “I’m serious! I gotta make sure to get some shittier clothes, I don’t want to be out dressing your groom.”

Victor expected Oswald to fume as he always did at his teasing but it seemed the little penguin was in a far better mood than he was expecting. He actually started chucking with him saying “Asshole” softly through the giggles almost like a term of endearment.

“So why were you so late today?” Os asked asked after they’d eaten a bit more of there lunch’s.

Victor then spent the rest of the period regaling Oswald about his bus troubles which the penguin found highly amusing until he asked the question.

“While I appreciate you sharing the one thing you seem to not excel at, why couldn’t you take your truck did it brake down?”

Victor shifted wondering how much he should really say about last night, he didn’t really want to explain everything right then as it was a low energy day so he simply decided on the response “My old man didn’t take to kindly to me hospitalising a group of kids even if they were assholes.”

Victor laughed at this not noticing Oswald hadn’t joined him till he looked up from his food to meet the other boys wide eyed shock.

“What?”

“Ah, I know this sounds odd but I didn’t think you had parents.”

“Ha really? Well I guess your sort of right, the old man isn’t my dad, not genetic-wise but he took me in years ago when I was going through a bad time and he’s been there for me ever since. He’s been more of a dad to me than any sperm donor could hope to be.” He didn’t really know why he was still talking, he’d never told even Falcone how he really felt about what the man had done for him, Falcone was the same way with him, they didn’t talk about those things but he was now apparently. It was likely due to the stress of the day making him less in control of his shit.

“That sounds nice, I’ve never actually met my dad, don’t even know who or where he is, mother refuses to speak about it.”

Victor was trying to think of something funny to get out of the oddly vulnerable path the conversation had taken when os continued.

“I get what you mean about genetics not really meaning much though because Ivey is my sister. Not on paper or in blood but in the way I know how to braid her hair the way she likes, I know she hates meat of every kind apart from chicken dinosaurs because ‘dinosaurs don’t exist anymore so it’s fine to eat them’ and I know every single Thursday without fail she needs help with her spellings because no matter how many times she practises herself they never stick in her head till I’ve read them out in my silliest voice.” Oswald smiled past him no doubt recalling all the little moments that made the crazy red head his little real sister.

Not for the first time he found himself a little jealous of the girl. Oswald seemed to treat those he cares for as more valuable than anything else, hell, he’d hired victor just to spend more time with eddy and he’d probably throw himself into a fire to protect Ivey and his mother, Victor wondered if they knew how lucky they were. Obviously most people would say they would do anything for the people they care about but most people are liars, just one bad day away from murdering their friends and family for a chocolate bar. Not Oswald though, he was different. Victor was a little jealous of how much Oswald seemed to care so much about everyone else in his life but him. It stung a little some where inside.

Like a soothing balm Oswald’s gaze finally flickered back to him.

“Hey, I’m sorry about you getting in trouble over me, I seem to be really good at that.”

“Not as good as I am at finding my own trouble Ossy, no it’s not your fault really, don’t tell anyone but I’m a tiny bit impulsive at times.” That brought a smile back to the other boy’s face.

They probably would have just continued smiling at each other if the bell hadn’t rung.

Before leaving though Oswald hesitated a moment turning back to ask “Hey, you wouldn’t want to come over to mine tonight to, er, help me plan for Saturday?” Oswald squirmed slightly fiddling with his bag strap.

Victor smiled throwing an arm around his friends shoulders “Why wait, we could always bunk the rest of the day again?”

His friend groaned jabbing him with his elbow slightly but not pushing him away “God, we are never doing anything like that again Victor, no, you can wait until tonight.”

“What, you didn’t have fun last time?” Victor smiled, he didn’t even notice how he’d stopped reflexively scratching himself. The boys continued bickering lightly all the way down the hall.

Chapter Text

POV Oswald

“We’ve known each other a few months now, and so I think it’s time you know the, er- truth.” Oswald spoke softly his voice nearly being drowned out by the strong winds blowing through Gotham. The day was drawing to a close and there looked to be a storm on the horizon.

“I’ve had a crush on you since almost the moment we met- well no, not really since then, I found you a little annoying at first but then you stood up for me even if you weren’t really good at that either and it ended up causing more harm than good but I still appreciated the gesture, and I just, not that that’s the only thing I like about you though! I only mean to say that at first I didn’t see all the things we had in common until you- eh… god I need to try this again..”

“No, no, os - that was going great maybe try calling him some more names though, then it’ll be the perfect speech for getting eddy to never speak to you again.” Victor zsasz drawled out in that irritatingly deadpan tone of his.

“Shut it. I don’t want to hear a word from you that Ed wouldn’t say Victor - if this practice is going to have even a single chance at helping me with the real thing.” Oswald puffed out as he shuffled on in front of the punk he now called a friend. The walk to his flat from school wasn’t too far, he’d trod along this same path for years without complaint before Victor had started dropping him off. The chill and inconvenience of it all however had left Oswald stomping a little too aggressively for his still healing foot so much so that it was beginning to ache.

“Oh of course sorry buddy- ahem” Victor stopped abruptly compelling Oswald to turn around “Oh Oswald I just have the most amazing riddle for you!” The man spoke in a falsetto that objectively sounded nothing like Ed, that didn’t stop him from exaggeratedly fluttering his eye lashes and continuing.

“God don’t-”

“I grow in a bed, first white then red, and the plumper I get, the better you’ll like me. What am I?” Zsasz almost sang.

Oswald was in shock, his eyes wide and face frozen, before he could even begin to formulate a coherent thought Victor seemingly gooded on by his speechlessness continued.

“Oh dear, is that too difficult? How about another clue, you’ll want me cleaned before putting me in your mouth and eating my seed.” His smile somehow grew wider.

“S-stop it with your vulgar jokes you-” Oswald reached for a word to describe Victor but he couldn’t grasp at anything appropriate.

“It’s not a joke babe it’s a riddle, and I don’t know what you thought I was talking about Ossy the answer is a strawberry - obviously.” Victor poked him playfully and the jab woke Oswald from his momentary shocked stupor, and he began walking again right passed the other boy.

“You are impossible.” Oswald huffed as he passed Victor by. “Look I know this is all great fun for you Victor, but it’s my future.”

“I know that boss, but you are really overthinking it again, all the practice in the world won’t ever fully prepare you for the real thing just don’t stress about it too much and you’ll be good.”

The man spoke in such an airy tone and Oswald realised - he was always like this. Nothing ever bothered him - he’d smile and joke through every situation, he’d only ever seen him mad once- never sad or panicked. Not even when the police had came to school asking questions about the boys Victor had nearly killed. Not even when Edward had wondered aloud about the case at lunch, Victor had just smiled and said they probably got what was coming to them.

“How are you always so cool Victor?”

“Awww shucks boss I-”

“No I wasn’t complementing you, it’s insane how unfazed you are in every situation you always seem in control.” Oswald tried to cut right through the other boys dramatics.

Victory seemed to digest his genuine question for a moment.

“When you start to stress what do you do?” His voice was hollow once more.

Oswald pondered his approach- during times of stress he tended to plan solutions. He’d move through each problem in his head and think through every possible scenario. That way he would be prepared.

“Continue to stress - or, well, I think through the things that are worrying me, I guess.” It was hard to communicate a thought process.

“Well that’s your problem right there, you can’t think your way out of bad thoughts, you just make more bad thoughts.” Victor stated as if it was a revaluation.

Why had he thought Victor might actually be helpful for once? “Oh god - of course, simply not thinking must be so easy for you; you practice that all the time!”

“It’s not easy,” Victor chuckled, “it used to be a lot harder for me so I can sympathise with you.”

Oswald had a hard time believing Victor ever panicked half as much as him but he humoured the thought. “How did it get easier?”

“A bunch of reasons, something that may be helpful for you though is music.”

Music?

“I keep this bad girl with me everywhere I go.” At this he pulled a old looking cassette player from the inside pocket of his jacket.

The tape player was covered in stickers and tape; it looked as if it they where the only things holding it together (couldn’t he afford to buy himself a new one?). Oswald had nonetheless seen the device before, Victor usually used it in lessons. It was strange to think he may be listening to it to deal with typical teenage anxiety’s. Actually not strange, it was unbelievable. Victor worked for the mob, he had guns and knives on him everywhere he went he’d killed somebody!

Oswald scoffed “Your saying you cope by listening to shitty eighty’s music?”

“It’s not shitty first of all, and secondly no not entirely, but all the other shit I do is not so easily picked up.” At this a dangerous smile was flashed his way, defanged slightly by the cutesy wink victor flashed him in the next moment as he tucked the tape player into his pocket.

Oswald fished the thing out with a huff but before he could hand the device back Victor rushed past him. Saying over his shoulder. “Keep it, you can use it on your date.”

“I’m not going to be so ignorant as to tone Ed out during our date victor,” Oswald bit out as he matched the other man’s pace. “but- Thank you.” He mumbled placing the thing in his bag. Who knows maybe it would come in handy.

It began to rain.

“Ah, don’t mention it boss!”

***

Oswald was freaking out a bit. The noisy bus was not helping on that front fortunately (or unfortunately for Oswald’s pride) victor’s cassette tape player was actually the perfect remedy to the irritating noise, the pointed looks victor and Ivey kept shooting him were not so easy to fix however. The pair could not be subtle to save their lives, even in those ridiculous disguises. He’d clocked them immediately when they’d walked past him a few stops into his journey. Victor was as usual in his black combats but instead of his typical leather jacket he had on a pink sweatshirt, and under his hood he was wearing the most fake looking blond wig he’d ever seen. The black sunglasses where the only element of his outfit that actually seemed to be working to hide his very uncommon eyes. Always far to wide and far to black.

Ivey was even worse if it weren’t for the oversized black leather jacket (victors by the look of it) and matching black sunglasses he wouldn’t think she was trying to hide at all.

The pair had trotted by him hand in hand like they actually expected him not to see them and now they were perched on the seats just behind and to the left of his own. They were loudly whispering to each other which was odd because Oswald distinctly remembered telling Ivey never to talk to Zsasz again. It didn’t really matter though, for some reason he felt he had a better understanding of victor now. The man wouldn’t hurt Ivey, the worse that would come of this would be the two joining forces to tease him about Edward.

He elected to ignore them focusing on the music. If they wanted to follow him on his date like a pair of stalkers then fine!

The bus stoped right next to the boardwalk of the pier and he spotted Ed almost immediately as he stared walking down towards it. The man couldn’t be more obvious with his green question marked umbrella. Oswald smiled pulling out his headphones but holding the tape player in his pocket as he joined his date.

POV Victor

It was a terrible day to be at the fair. The rain had really picked up as the day went on so by the late afternoon it was nearly torrential. People were taking cover in restaurants and under awnings and buying overpriced ponchos to continue enjoying the rides.

And one asshole in particular was hiding behind a bush quickly soaking his jeans to the knees as a redhead with binoculars assessed their surroundings.

“Jaws to Flytrap - Jaws to Flytrap, do you read me, over.” The man spoke with a hand over his mouth mimicking the sound of a walkie talkie.

“Flytrap here Jaws I hear you!” The girl whisper shouted which was actually quite effective since the rain drowned out most sounds.

Victor grinned as he continued. Well, if they wear gonna be spy’s may as well go all the way. “Didn’t catch that Flytrap, over.”

“Didn’t catch it? I’m standing right-” The girl looked down catching his expression before gasping. “Oh! I mean I’m here Jaws, over!”

Victor gave her a thumbs up and she went back to scoping out their targets.

“That’s better, do you have eyes on the dork and penguin, over.”

“The dork? I thought we agreed he was glasses?” Ivey looked back down confused before adding “Oh erm, over.”

Victor sighed, “Yeah your right, this is getting a bit confusing, we should drop it.” Moving to stand and dust off his soaked through pants. Man he was an idiot around this kid.

“Ppfff you just wanna call him dork more!” She giggled like she was teasing him with common knowledge.

“I don’t know what your talking about kid.” He played along as he lifted the girl up onto his shoulders. She squealed as she promptly got soaked too. ‘Serves her right.’ Victor thought all while carrying the kid under one of those game huts.

They then promptly lost an hour playing games by the end of which Victor Zsasz had become the proud owner of three goldfish, several bags of candy, and a giant stuffed penguin. Ivey and her little uncoordinated hands were to shitty to win anything so Zsasz very graciously shared some of his candy with her. He even fucked up a rigged rifle game to get the kid a plant prize which she said she’d cherish forever.

“You better I’ll be checking on her every time I come over!” He warned patting on the colourful verse as he passed it to the kid.

The girl nodded seriously securing it in one hand as she munched up another two mouthfuls of soggy cotton candy with the other.

“They look like they’re having a nice time.” She said with a full mouth of sugar. Pointing over at a couple of dorks chatting in the line for the ferries wheel.

Penguin was smiling and leaning closer to Eddy who was stiffly holding his umbrella between them. Though even the nerd seemed to be enjoying whatever they were taking about. Victor felt weirdly homophobic watching them chat and joke so easily. Oswald seemed so happy, where was all this happiness when they had been going through the date earlier in the day. Victor had spent ages thinking of a good riddle something that would make Oswald laugh but all he’d got was a glare. Eddys riddles weren’t half as entertaining as his and yet here was Oswald’s eating them all up for what? Cos he was gay for him.

Victor stopped brooding as Ivey poked him in the side. He looked down at the kid who was looking up at him with a slightly tilted head.

“I’m sorry.” She said out of nowhere.

“Huh? What are you sorry for?” He shook his head a little trying to remember what she’d last said.

“I don’t know, it looked like I made you angry somehow, I didn’t mean it.” Iveys voice was a bit watery now. Shit.

“H-hey no I’m not angry- not at you.”

“What are you angry about then?” She said accusingly as if she wanted him to prove it really wasn’t her he was mad at.

“Well, I guess I’m annoyed with Os, or myself. I don’t know.” He grasped for something tangible but the feelings were mixed up strangely.

“What do you mean.” She looked just as confused as he felt.

“Well. Just look at him. It’s pissing down and absolutely freezing and yet he seems like he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. He always looks at eddy like that. I guess I wish he’d stare at me like that - even once yanno?” Victor said though he hadn’t realised how needy the words sounded until he said them.

God he really needed to get a grip so what Oswald was having a good time on his date that was good. Hopefully he’d be less grumpy over all if he was getting some.

“I annoy Ossy all the time too.” Ivey spoke softly as she patted his arm. With her sticky fingers ew.

“I don’t think I-” he tried to cut off whatever this was but Ivey continued.

“But he still loves me. He loves you too. Your his best friend.” The words sounded obvious and true coming from the kid. He wanted to believe them.

“You think so?”

“I know so! I read his diary!”

Before Victor could properly interrogate that idea an irritatingly familiar sent reached his nose above the popcorn and fishy sent of the pier. Intensely strong deodorant burned his nose hairs as a voice called out from behind him.

“Ivey- Zsasz. I thought that was you two.”

“Jim.” Zsasz bit out through his clenched teeth as he turned to face Jim Gordon. He wasn’t alone though there was a blond bombshell on his arm. Victor smirked and winked at the two of them at the last moment. Adding in a more flirty tone “now really isn’t a good time for a quicky in the bathroom, I’m babysitting.” He gestured at the little girl at his side.

“Yeah I noticed. Ivey does Oswald know where you are? Your not here alone are you?”

Ivey pouted “I’m not alone Victor is with me!”

“Can’t argue with that one Jim.” Victor smiled as the girl tugged on his hoody, even though her hands were a mess, this little action made Gordon’s eyebrow twitch madly.

“How about you come with us Ivey Barbara and I were just about to grab some hot dogs.” The woman looked out out at the suggestion.

Ivey frowned and shook her head “I don’t eat meat it’s gross and mean!”

“Yeah Jim she doesn’t eat meat what is wrong with you?” Victor goaded as Jim got visibly more annoyed.

“Jim why don’t we just-” Barbara muttered as she tried to guide the man away.

Jim brushed her of barking under his breath. “No. I’m not leaving without her. I’m not leaving her in the care of a deranged murder.”

The rain was really coming down hard now, the air was thick with the metallic stench of ozone.

Victor groaned “God is that rumour still making the rounds get a different story.”

“It’s not a rumour asshole - Michael is dead. He died in hospital a few days ago after a failed surgery that you fucking made necessary!” Jim shouted. Pushing victor back.

On any other day at any other moment Victor would have easily recovered from the shove. Staying on his feet like a cat or avoiding it all together.

Right in this moment though Victor was too distracted by the suddenly overwhelming smell of blood, the metallic scent in the rain: that was what it was. Blood. He was covered in it. More so now on the floor. The drops of rain ricocheting across his skin made it itch it was unbearable.
Victor needed to leave.

“He had a little sister you know, only a little older than Ivey.” Jim spoke from somewhere above him. It reminded him.

“Go Ivey. Go to Oswald. I need the toilet.” He murmured as he pushed himself up trying to ignore everyone around him in his escape. Jim followed him though. He could smell the perfume and it was Jim’s but it was also Oswald’s and then it was hers. All he could smell was blood and her: Evie. He punched Jim and the man disappeared.

The world spun around him as he ran to the bathroom.

He felt around his pockets but it was gone he needed it and it was gone. His skin was screaming at him she was speaking again begging him to please just--

He burst in to the bathroom and ripped his hoody off and the wig and glasses flew away with it. He paced around once twice looking, trying to find anything. He caught his own eyes in the mirror on his third turn. They were animal. There wasn’t any recognition in them. He moved forward slowly at first then he began to run. He punched the mirror spraying shards of glass in every direction.

Zsasz drooped to the ground shaking. That was no good he needed a sharp edge and a steady hand. He picked up a shard as he peeled away his shirt glancing at his reflection in the mirror piece. At the three tally marks across his heart.