cold eyes|nygmobblepot

Prologue

32 days.

That's long it had been since Edward was first frozen.

Oswald was hoping to feel different about him by now. To not be sad. To not be regretful. But 32 days later of his mistakes staring at him fearfully hadn't changed anything.

He was hoping to be proud, victorious. He'd outsmarted the Riddler. Took almost everything back that he'd stolen from Oswald. He should be happy, back to being someone in Gotham, having a successful business with Ivy, having Ivy in the first place, with his arch-nemesis at his disposal at all times.

Yet he still wasn't. Edward was yet to let go of Oswald's heart. And without that Oswald couldn't ever be happy. After all, it was all his fault.

One day, Oswald hoped, he'd look at his frozen enemy and not feel anything but pride. Until then Oswald would waste away in front of him and dream of what life might be like if he'd never called a hit on that stupid librarian. Being friends with Edward was enough to fantasize over now, considering what they'd lost, to make him happy. But it would never happen.

"You have to stop doing this." Ivy said bluntly, sweeping the club's floor uncaringly.

Oswald snapped back to reality." Doing what?" He hissed, knowing what she meant. Knowing it was a long time coming. Knowing he made the wrong decision that day outside the warehouse.

"Pining over him," Ivy began, pointing to the icy prison that now held Oswald's adversary, "you have to let him go. Kill him, let him free, do something. You're tearing yourself apart."

"I'm keeping him here so that I'll know not to fall in love again. Ever. He taught me love was a weakness, and he was right. I'm keeping him here as a lesson for myself. So eventually, one day, I'm going to see him here and not be sad, or regretful, or caring at all, frankly. I'm just going to be victorious." Oswald mused. Maybe if he said it enough times he might start to believe it.

Ivy sighed, rolling her eyes. "You keep him here because you had to do something with him, and you couldn't kill him because you love him, so instead you keep him here so he can be unmoving, and unthinking, and held captive but still alive because you still love him."

Oswald was pained at how right she was. "I'm keeping him here because I wanted to make myself stronger, not to do him a favor."

"If I can't have you as a lover, I'll take you as a trophy!" Ivy imitated Oswald's voice the best she possibly could, laughing towards the end.

Oswald blushed furiously, turning around to face her. Ivy frowned. "It's true. I'm not apologizing." Oswald bit his lip. Ivy narrowed her eyes. "You love him. You cannot deny it, Oswald. You. Love. Him. You stare at him constantly, you drink constantly and when you're drunk he's all you talk about, you talk to him when you think you're alone, you're always sad. You miss him, and you love him."

"You... know I talk to him?" Oswald whispered, gazing longingly towards his frozen adversary.

Ivy chuckled nervously. "You're practically my adoptive brother, I know everything." She paused, seemingly unsure of what she was about to say. "Also when I pulled you out of the river and took you back you talked about him in your sleep."

"Fine. So I love him. But I'm not unfreezing him. I deserve it. I deserve to stare at my mistakes in the face in my own club." Oswald huffed, as though he didn't believe it.

Ivy walked up to him and looked him in the eye. "Do what you want to, but I think you should let him go. Or just stop doing this. Let him go. Deep down you know you want to." And then she walked away, eyes narrowed as she headed towards the door.

"Ivy!" Oswald shouted towards her as she stopped in her tracks and turned. He paused, closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Get Victor and Brigit."

Ivy smiled.

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I know this is super short but the actual chapters will be much longer, don't worry. This is just setting up the plot and it's not that important, first chapter should be up very soon. Since it's the weekend I'll try to finish the next part by tomorrow if I don't get bored writing, and if not write anytime I can during the week.