Define Close [Nygmobblepot]

Ch4: The Art of Seduction

Edward's POV

"I'm in."

"We know." Barbara tells me. "I talked to Oswald, he mentioned you."

"He did?" I ask, a bit surprised and kind of pleased. "What did he say?"

"You need to step up your game." She tells me and I frown.

"What do you mean?"

"Based on what Oswald told me, we have a problem." She says and I glance at the others but they don't seem as passionate about the whole in thing in the first place. "Look, Ed, if we wanted someone we trust working for Oswald, why couldn't we get everything we need from Butch? He works for him too."

"I know." I insist. "I thought you wanted me to get close to him so that's what I'm doing. I'm working on it. I'm his Chief of Staff now. I'm basically his right hand man."

"You're right, that probably means he trusts you. Maybe he made someone look you up and nothing suspicious came up because you're a nobody!" She goes on. "But like I said, you work for him. Who doesn't when he's running everything?!" She demands. "What it seems like is you're a lost puppy looking for an owner rather than manipulating him like you so greatly advertised."

I narrow my eyes at her. "That's exactly what I'm doing. If he thinks I'm a pathetic loser he won't see me as a threat."

"Great, he doesn't see you as a threat, now do something about it." She hisses as she steps closer to me. "Like I said, we wouldn't need you if anyone working for him could do the job. And like you said, you think you figured out his weakness. Time to use it against him."

"You want me to be personally close to him rather than just a trusted employee." I observe even though I knew this was the plan from the start.

She smiles. "Of course. It doesn't weaken if it's not personal, it doesn't hurt if it's not personal. It doesn't destroy if it's not personal." She says. "And most importantly, we don't reach our goal by working for him. We reach our goal once you not only use his weakness against him, but make him weak."

"And what is the goal again, exactly?" I ask her. "You getting your precious crown?"

"Among other things." She says smiling. "Including all that power. For all of us. Don't act like you're above that, you want it as much as we do."

"Maybe not as obsessively." I point out and she looks at me poisonously. "But how should I trust you'd give me any more power than Oswald would?"

She looks appalled. "Are you turning on us?"

"Of course not. Are you serious?" I hiss. "I'm not saying I'm actually going to work for Oswald, I'm just saying I know why you wouldn't want one person to be in charge of so much but how are you going to rule any better? You only care about yourself."

She doesn't look even a bit offended, she only seems done with me. "And what does that matter to you?" She demands. "I know for other people it won't get any better once we're in charge but for us it will and like you said, that's all that matters to me. If you were smart, that'd be all that mattered to you too. You can bet you'll have power once we take down Penguin. Especially since you play such an important role in his downfall." She smiles, putting her hand on my shoulder as she walks around me. "Now, just remember how important it is and what you're gonna do. No more following him around like a lost puppy." She stops at my side, keeping her arm around my shoulders. "You can be charming if you put your mind to it." She smiles at me before leaning closer to my ear. "Being such a master of manipulation, seducing one lovesick guy shouldn't be a problem, right?" I glare at her. "All you gotta do is stop being a little kid looking for his attention and instead be a man and sweep him off his feet." She grins victoriously before turning to the others. "He'll do great, right guys?"

"Well, I don't know about you but I don't find him that charming." Tabitha says with a poisonous smile. Good, the feeling is mutual, I think.

"Oh, Tabby, I don't think we're his type anyway." Barbara says smirking before winking at me.

"I should go." I just say and straighten my jacket, glancing at my watch.

"Make us proud!" Barbara calls after me cheerfully as I walk out the door.

AN: Sorry for the lack of Nygmobblepot, it's coming...