Nygmobblepot Shorts

When I'm Gone

[AN: this is an AU of me imagining if this is what happened in S3 instead of the tragedy that did tear Ed and Oswald apart... ;-; oh and spoilers if you haven't see up to episode 15(ish) of season three of Gotham!]

"Are you sure about this Ed?"

"We're free men, Mr Penguin, unburdened. We can do whatever we want."

He gulped, looking up into Ed's golden eyes hiding behind the thick frames, "You've had quite a bit to drink, haven't you?"

"I know what I'm doing, I never drink to excess," he stepped in closer, looming over Oswald.

Oswald usually hated it when people got too close like that, but it was different with Ed. Ed understood him, helped him, even wanted to be with him. He smiled, but only a little. He hadn't smiled in a long time.

Ed wrapped his arm around Oswald's waist, carefully leaning him back against the bed. Oswald knew he should push him away. He and Ed were friends, this would change everything. At the same time, he didn't want to. He and Ed both wanted this.

~~~

Oswald woke up, covered in sweat and feeling like he hadn't slept at all. He got out of the big bed, going to the window of his father's grand mansion. He hadn't dreamt about that day with Ed since he got out of Arkham. He wished his father was still alive, it had been so nice to have someone to talk to about all these dreams that haunted him. But now that he was mayor, he had Ed with him again. They were happy together, at least until Ed met Isabella.

Oswald couldn't believe how little it took to ruin his life in one week. He felt bad about what happened to Isabella, not because she was killed, but because Ed was so broken up over it. Oswald didn't understand, Ed knew her for one week. How could that be love?

The worst part was how Ed had already figured out that Isabella was murdered. It wouldn't be long until Ed knew Oswald was behind it. Oswald was there for Ed for years and he was pushed aside in a single day just because Ed met someone in a wine shop. He didn't want to share, he wouldn't. He just had to have Ed see how he was the one Ed was supposed to be with.

Oswald lumbered over to the closet, getting dressed in his suit, getting ready for the day and the rest of his mayoral duties. But instead of heading downstairs to join Ed for breakfast, he kept going to a special room that no one, not even Ed knew about. He tried to come here every day, especially when he was sad and needed someone to talk to. She always helped him forget about everything that was going wrong.

He walked into the room, sitting down at the kid table. She scampered up to him, holding up her newest toy. Her sweet, innocent smile always melted his heart. He smiled back as she showed it to him and told him to play with it. He felt bad about keeping her cooped up inside, but he knew the world he lived in was too dangerous for her.

~~~

"I know you killed her, Oswald."

"Wh-what?" Oswald's brow furrowed as he took a stumbling step back, eyes still looking up at Ed. He was surprised that Ed was confronting him about this in his mansion. He would've expected Ed to make a bigger show out of it.

"You killed Isabella," Ed took a step forward, looming over Oswald, knife in his hand, "No you had someone do it, you wouldn't do the dirty work yourself."

"I-I don't know what you mean, Ed," Oswald knew playing dumb wouldn't work with Ed, but he just needed a little time to tell Ed why he did it. Ed would have to understand, wouldn't he?

"Don't lie to me, Oswald," Ed grit his teeth, lifting up the knife, shaking it between their faces.

"What do you want me to say, Ed?" Oswald stood up a little straighter, but Ed still loomed inches above him, "I did you a favor, we both know that you would've killed her if you stayed with her."