Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

The Meddling Bird

    The end of a black umbrella slams onto the concrete, standing between the Talon and I.

"Stand aside in the presence of your superior," Oswald demands.

"Do not interfere, newcomer. You know the Court wants them gone," the Talon rebukes, pointing a blade at me.

"The Court wants the other one gone. This one is of no consequence to them," Oswald argues.

The Talon hesitates, tilting his head as he stares at me. He puts his blades away, before running off into the night.

I stand, before beginning to rush out of the alleyway, when Oswald stops me.

"Wait, wait! And where are you going?" he asks teasingly, chuckling as he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Barbara, he's gonna kill...Barbara..."

Oswald blows a raspberry, "Oh, let him," he pulls me closer to him, "I believe you have someone to thank."

I sigh, stopping my resistance, before whipping around and kissing him on the lips. He closes his eyes as I wrap my arms around him. I lean into him, letting my body press against his.

When I let go, Oswald's lips spread into an almost goofy smile.

"There, I thanked you. Now I need to find Barbara," I insist.

Releasing myself from him, I run off to regroup with Barbara. I race back to the street where I saw her fall. Parked off to the side, a car has been smashed, its roof caved in and windows shattered, with a bloodied Barbara lying on top of it.

"Barbara!" I cry, running to help her.

Clearing away the glass and debris, I hoist Barbara off of the car. She's unconscious, blood staining her costume. I slip her mask back on as Oswald limps towards us.

"She needs medical attention," I inform him, picking her up and carrying her bridal style.

"We need not be concerned with her," Oswald retorts, "she brought this upon herself, trying to uncover the secrets of the Court of Owls."

"Oswald, I am just as much involved in this as she is," I remind him, and instantly his cold expression starts to shift, "so are you going to help me or not?"

    With Barbara and I sitting in the back of Oswald's car, Gabe pulls up to a seemingly abandoned warehouse.

"With Gabriel and I present, I doubt the Talons will be bold enough to attack," Oswald assumes, as he unbuckles his seatbelt.

Gabe opens the backseat door and lifts a still fully costumed Barbara out of the car. Now in civilian clothing, I exit out the opposite side, only to be stopped in my tracks.

"Op, now, now. Barbara will be well-cared for," he tells me, as he gestures for me to get back into the car.

Glancing over his shoulder, I spot Gabe carrying Barbara to the entrance of the warehouse, where an armed guard opens the door for him. Gabe whispers into the man's ear, and the guard nods, before letting both him and Barbara in, before closing the door once more.

"Where is Gabe taking her?" I ask.

"Bradford Thorne, aka the Crime Doctor. Yes, he's actually a doctor, and he'll take care of any ailment, and keep quiet about it, for a certain price," Oswald explains, looking idly out the window.

After tapping his fingers on the top of the car several times, Oswald turns to me, cupping my cheek with his hand, "But let's not worry about her right now, we have...much more, important matters to attend to..."

Wrapping one arm around me, Oswald opens up the back car door and pushes me in. I fall onto the worn cloth seats, and I continue glancing over Oswald's shoulder at the warehouse Barbara had disappeared into even as he closes the door.

Oswald forces both hands down onto my shoulders, pinning me to the car seat. I immediately begin to resist, yanking my elbow to grab onto his opposite arm.

"Relax!" Oswald demands, our eyes locked in an intense, unspoken battle.

"I just need to know that Barbara will be okay," I tell him, letting go of him.

He rolls his eyes, "Barbara, Barbara, Barbara. You're so worried about Barbara. But what about me, hmm? Poor Barbara, she might not even be alive right now if I hadn't stepped in. I...I risked my neck to help your friend. That Talon could have cut me down like so much meat, all for some bitch I don't give a damn about. So where's your concern for me? Where's my thanks?"

Oswald runs his hand down my arm, watching his fingers trail off of my shoulder, "Don't you see? I do care about you. You're just too blind to see all I do for you."

My eyes become narrow slits as I stare at him in disbelief. He really does believe what he's saying, doesn't he?

To cover my disgust, my lips twist into a smile, and I force my pupils to soften as I run a hand through his hair.

"Oh Oswald, you're right. I've been ungrateful for all that you do for me. I should...show my appreciation," I coax him, leaning my head against his arm.

Oswald stands to attention as my hand begins to trail down his chest, running against the fabric of his coat and white button-down. However, just as my fingers graze his belt, Oswald stops me, grabbing my wrist, and holding it up. He smiles, and pulls me closer.

"Oh, you will. But you will show your appreciation on my terms," he chuckles, as he lowers my wrist onto the car seat.

Keeping my arm pinned down, Oswald wrestles his body on top of mine, and starts planting little kisses along my neck. His breathing becomes heavy, as his grip on me tightens.

"Tell me you love me," he groans, as he moves to kiss me on the cheek.

My eyes fixated on the ceiling, I run a hand through Oswald's hair, "I love you."