"𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬"

𝟒𝟎. "𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡"

One of the guards was leading Jerome and me to Oswald's cell. I wasn't worried anymore that he would hurt him since he quietly stayed in his cell while I helped Penguin take care of the huge gash he had on his right cheek. That thought made me look up at the ginger. He was telling the guard a story of how he killed a different guard, and for whatever reason, the man was smiling.

"So I strangled him with his Bowring." He finished the anecdote and giggled just as the guard opened the door for us.

As soon as Penguin realised it was Jerome at his doorstep, he jumped up from his seat, ran up to the window and put up his hands, prepared to defend himself. Jerome's smile fell. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. He leaned down to my ear.

"Didn't you tell him I don't want to kill him anymore?" He whispered.

"Yes, and you're a bloody copper-bottomed chap." I whispered back. He giggled softly and pecked my cheek.

"Does copper-bottomed somehow mean sensible?" He asked. Oswald kept frozen with fear.

"Yes." I muttered.

"And my ass is orange. God, you're good at those." He chuckled and straightened himself up. I bit back a laugh.

"All right, relax, Buddy." He put up his hand at the shaking Cobblepot and walked inside the room. I quickly followed.

"You gave me what I needed. The laugh of the century." He winked at Oswald, clicked his tongue and fell back on his bed. Penguin stared at the guard with wide eyes.

"He's really not going to hurt you, Ozzy." I sighed and sat down next to the ginger.

"I'm not?" Jerome groaned with feigned disappointment, crossed his legs and tapped my shoulder with his shoe.

"You're not." I hissed and slapped his thigh. He giggled, folded his arms under his head and closed his eyes.

"Tell me something." Cobblepot spoke up and turned his gaze away from the compliant guard.

"You appear to have everyone here under your thumb. The guards, the inmates-"

"What can I say? We're very charismatic people." Jerome grinned. Oswald exhaled with frustration.

"You could escape anytime. Why stay?" He asked us. Jerome's eyebrows creased.

"Hm." He hummed and opened his eyes.

"Why indeed?" He mused. Penguin stared at him for a few seconds, and then a slight grin grew on his face.

"You're planning something." He deduced. I chuckled softly and nodded.

"Righty-o, old boy. Something, mm, sssspectacular..." Jerome made a dramatic hand gesture at the ceiling.

"See, we're in this funny farm 'cause we need to find the crème de la crazy." He grinned at Cobblepot, sat up and yanked me into him. I giggled with surprise and gripped his shirt.

"Which is why we need you." He told Oswald and planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

Cobblepot gawked at the ginger for a few seconds and then just burst out laughing. Jerome immediately joined him. I chuckled nervously and kissed his jaw to relax him before he even got a chance to get mad or annoyed. Penguin smiled anxiously and folded his arms on his chest.

"Ahh. You get it." Jerome rasped with a grin. Then he looked into nothingness and dropped the smile.

"But, when we're done, the world out there? That'll be the asylum." He rasped darkly and unconsciously tightened his hold on me. I swiftly pecked his cheek.