Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

Zsasz

   The GCPD is buzzing as usual upon my arrival, and I find that right by the door is Ed with a bouquet of colorful flowers and a small card.

He spots me and smiles, presenting the flowers and card, “A customary gesture of greeting to one who has returned from an absence. Welcome back, Natalie.”

Grinning, I open up the card, its lettering composed of pieces of paper cut out from magazines and newspapers.

“I serve many, confined by how healthy those I serve are. Yet after they’re successful they forget about me. It’s true, sometimes I hit them and they’re often bloody, but they don’t mind,” I read aloud, much to Ed’s satisfaction.

“Stumped?” he asks, bouncing up slightly as he holds both hands in front of him.

It’s a little obtuse at the end, but…

“A doctor?” I guess.

He nods, “Admittedly, I envisioned myself delivering this to you in the hospital where the rest of the recovering victims are. But you don’t need recovery time, do you Natalie? Up and working the very next day.”

I chuckle, looking over the flowers, “Any special meaning in these flowers, Ed?”

A guilty expression comes across his face, “Well...the florist wouldn’t accept my request for a personalized bouquet, apparently most flower stalls don’t carry gladiolus, jasmine, or stargazer. So it’s just a general bouquet. But, the yellow roses symbolize friendship! And, and the hydrangea stands for perseverance! So in a sense...it does match…”

“Friendship...great…” I look down, my voice trailing off.

His smile fades, “You’re not still upset abou-”

I run up and hug him, “Ed...I’m just happy to see you again.”

Looking up, Ed’s blank expression behind his horn-rimmed glasses reveals almost nothing, except maybe a hint of confusion. Dream Ed would’ve understood...but this isn’t dream Ed, is it? Despite everything that may seem wrong about it, I miss dream Ed. For someone who will never exist in real life, is it even possible to miss him? Or am I just wishing that the real Ed would be more like him?

Against my best judgement, I reach up, my lips just reaching the sharp angle of Ed’s cheekbone...and he pulls away. I shrink back down, my head facing the ground.

“I...I’m sorry; let’s find a vase for these flowers, shall we?”

Ed’s grin returning, he walks along with me as we walk through the precinct, “You know, most flowers won’t absorb water without soil, especially after their roots have been cut. They’re going to die anyway.”

I roll my eyes, leave it to Ed to kill the mood, “I know. It’s just that I don’t want petals all over my paperwork.”

We both laugh, although my laugh airs on the more embarrassed side than his. What was I thinking? Of course he wouldn’t let me kiss him. My own irrational hopes were all that drove me to that stupid decision.

I’ve filled a vase full of water and set the flowers inside when two large men enter the precinct. I turn around, and realize that one of them is Butch, and the other is another one of the bouncers at Fish Mooney’s. What do they want?

Butch’s eye immediately finds me, and snaps his finger in my direction. Oh crap.

Do I run? Do I fight? Should I even try to resist? These are dangerous men after all, men that wouldn’t be afraid of harming others to get to their goal. After all, it’s common knowledge that Falcone owns the police. Most of the officers wouldn’t dare step in to assist should I retaliate.