"And why, pray tell, do they mock you?" Oswald asked, able to think of a few reasons why. Jonathan was gangly, strange and was making way too much eye contact.
"Can't th-think of a r-reason why, sir." Jonathan smiled in a way that let Oswald know he was hardly broken up over it. There was more resignation than upset.
"Well, bullies are bullies and brutes are brutes. They might be unpleasant but they get the job done." Oswald didn't see the point of defending or admonishing his bouncers. They did their job, didn't they? "It's not very often that you call your peers 'intelligent', Edward. Such flattery. I'm intrigued."
Jon did find the wording interesting but he just let it all flow over him as he stood there, hands on his pockets, observing. And yes, perhaps making a tad too much eye-contact.
"That is true. However, that is hardly a failing of mine, they simply never give me reason to consider them anything much above bottom feeder level." He was certain that Oswald of all people would be able to relate to that. "Now, Jonathan Crane here only has the years keeping him from a doctorate or two and is already a brilliant man no one wise would underestimate. Of course, fools can't get over minor challenges and-- deviations."
As Oswald was obviously aware. Edward put his hands down on the desk to lean back, looking at Jonathan with a smile before turning his head to look at Oswald again. "My gift to you. A meeting with the sharpest new mind in Gotham - myself obviously excluded - before anyone else has caught on to what a diamond is hidden in the rough. Have I ever misled you?"
Oswald stared at Edward and seemed to consider it for a moment before he just had to ask. "Are you two fucking?" Well, Edward was being very flattering and for all he knew, he was just in love. Puppy love could make teenagers quite stupid.
"No." Jon wasn't lying, they hadn't. Just a blowjob. That was all. And he liked the idea of more but he was more than content with his fantasies. "I work for F-Falcone though."
"I did too. That's not a big deal, it's pretty easy to walk away when you know how." Oswald looked at Edward and then back to Jonathan. "Well, what makes you so sharp?"
Jonathan hadn't expected to be quizzed like this today so he had no obvious answer. He just thought of what his father would have said if he was standing here. "I'm not afraid of anything and I know my place in the world." He felt that was a smart thing to know. "Also I can make better meth than Falcone's supplier and I can make it faster and better quality. When it's more addictive, you can charge more. I don't understand why you'd cut with cheap sh-shit."
"He's a brilliant chemist with a working knowledge of the most twisted kind of psychology and an utter lack of morals, how is that not a perfect package?" Edward felt it was certainly worth a lot. "He has a complete set-up in his apartment. An apartment he lives in alone." No parents, no pesky attachments to work around. Oswald of all people should be aware of the advantage that offered.
"Personally, I believe he'd truly flourish in a less narrow-minded work relationship than his current one." Edward smiled and looked at Jonathan, then joked, not entirely wanting to ignore Oswald's suspicious questioning. "Then he can maybe afford to buy me enough drinks for a fuck. I've got standards, you know?"
"You live alone? As in, you have an apartment and no parents."
"I left them in a hole in Georgia, sir. I got an apartment and my own chemistry set up." Jonathan admitted as he realised that Edward was bartering for him to have a better position. Fascinating. "My f-father was a researcher. Psychology. I think his research has some very useful applications within the criminal community."
"What? Giving them therapy?" Oswald snorted in dismissal, never one to see the bigger picture when he was in a combative mood.
"No, getting them out of jail. It's a loop hole, isn't it? Make them temporarily, undeniably insane. They spend a couple of months in Arkham then go back into Gotham. Better than five to ten in Blackgate." Jon knew he could pull that off, he thought it would be a handy system but he didn't expect anyone to believe him until they saw it.
Oswald frowned and then looked at Edward. "His stutter went."
"Oh yes. It does that when he's confident." Real turn-on, he could also add to this, but he wasn't quite sure whether Oswald would appreciate that. "Just think, Mr Cobblepot."
He also had to keep himself from calling him Oswald or, worse, Penguin, all for Jonathan's sake. And the sake of his scheme succeeding, Edward wouldn't deny entirely that it was part of his goal here. "You, like any forward thinking man of intelligence, make calculated investments. I'd know, wouldn't I?"
He might not have realised at the very beginning when Oswald had first offered him some money to buy candy in exchange for staying at a certain place and then telling him what he'd seen, but he had realised in the time since. Oswald knew what pieces to pick. "A drug dealing chemist who'll be set to become a psychiatrist mere years from now. I'd wager it'd pay off."
Turning his head, he looked at Jonathan. "It's all about knowing Gotham's future. No one knows it as well as Oswald Cobblepot."
"That's all well and good but it would all fall apart if people realise the psychiatrist was a hobby drug dealer, don't you think? There are records, ways to be traced. People who are careless show their hands early in." And Oswald wasn't sure how much this boy could reign himself in and keep on the down low until then.
"I was a queer in the south, sir. I know about discretion." Jonathan informed him bluntly without a hint of shame or concern. Well, a queer could peg a queer. And Oswald was fucking flaming.
And even bolding admitting to his queerness seemed to throw Oswald. "Well... okay. Very good then." Oswald threw his arm out casually. "I'm nothing if not fair. I'm always willing to give chances."
"It's Gotham. The closest bakery to my house is also a rave party. There's something to be said about the virtue of a double identity." Edward had certainly been working on his own for years already, scheming what name to change his to the second he'd be able to get away with it. "Anyway, Mr Cobblepot, we thank you for your consideration. For tonight, can Jonathan head on over into the club and see how successfully he can deal?"
Mission more than accomplished. Edward was rather filled with glee after that, righteously smug - if he dare say so. "I feel like dancing. I can't wait for you to have a club of your own, then I'll want to sing as well." He just felt he would vibe with that décor better.
"Alright, go ahead. Have fun and be responsible. We'll be in touch, I'm sure. Have a nice evening, boys." Oswald had to think this over and likely talk to Edward without the strange presence of Jon but for now, he was relatively content.
Jonathan nodded and he had to admit, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to be feeling but he followed Edward out of the room and into the hallway. The club was loud in the distance and his heart was racing. He felt sick and excited in equal measures. "I'm intelligent, huh? Heh. You're sweet on me." Well, it was pretty funny.
"Don't flatter yourself, you smelly barn boy. I just didn't want to show up to Oswald empty-handed, I had to make you sound a lot more desirable than you are." Edward stopped in the hallway so he could turn to face Jonathan, reaching up to attempt to fix his hair. Nothing much to be done, he really had to bring some product with him for that. Perhaps next time.
"I will admit that you have potential. I'd not have even attempted to talk up anyone as dull as most creatures you and I have to contend with all day." He put his hands on Jonathan's shoulders and smiled. "For now, your most attractive feature still remains your eyes. What can I say? I love seeing myself in them."
Loved that Jonathan was always observing, loved that Jonathan loved watching him. "I'm sweet on myself. Only natural."
"But of course. Now, you said you wanted to dance, didn't you? There's your dance floor, son. Hop to it." Jonathan didn't think they had gone through this whole elaborate ruse for nothing. Edward was going to dance and Jonathan intended to get some drinks and trying to deal some of the stash he had from Falcone. He doubted he would be caught here, it seemed unlikely police would be sneaking around.
"Just try not to dance with anyone with off vibes. You ain't that stupid, eh?" He didn't want Edward getting pulled off by some dangerous fucker. What was Jon going to do? Sutter them to death in defence.
"I don't know, Jonny. That depends. Are you going to dance with me?" Jonathan raised his eyebrows in askance. He didn't think there were many people around with more off vibes than Jonathan. Smelling of bleach and drugs, dressed like a hobo with dark circles under his eyes, dealing drugs and watching him. He laughed and then just blew him a kiss, clearly not bothered by those off vibes. "See you later, honey. Don't forget to think about me while you're hard at work. We're such a fifties couple."
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icebergloungers2024-05-02 05:52 pm
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"Can't th-think of a r-reason why, sir." Jonathan smiled in a way that let Oswald know he was hardly broken up over it. There was more resignation than upset.
"Well, bullies are bullies and brutes are brutes. They might be unpleasant but they get the job done." Oswald didn't see the point of defending or admonishing his bouncers. They did their job, didn't they? "It's not very often that you call your peers 'intelligent', Edward. Such flattery. I'm intrigued."
Jon did find the wording interesting but he just let it all flow over him as he stood there, hands on his pockets, observing. And yes, perhaps making a tad too much eye-contact.
no subject
As Oswald was obviously aware. Edward put his hands down on the desk to lean back, looking at Jonathan with a smile before turning his head to look at Oswald again. "My gift to you. A meeting with the sharpest new mind in Gotham - myself obviously excluded - before anyone else has caught on to what a diamond is hidden in the rough. Have I ever misled you?"
no subject
"No." Jon wasn't lying, they hadn't. Just a blowjob. That was all. And he liked the idea of more but he was more than content with his fantasies. "I work for F-Falcone though."
"I did too. That's not a big deal, it's pretty easy to walk away when you know how." Oswald looked at Edward and then back to Jonathan. "Well, what makes you so sharp?"
Jonathan hadn't expected to be quizzed like this today so he had no obvious answer. He just thought of what his father would have said if he was standing here. "I'm not afraid of anything and I know my place in the world." He felt that was a smart thing to know. "Also I can make better meth than Falcone's supplier and I can make it faster and better quality. When it's more addictive, you can charge more. I don't understand why you'd cut with cheap sh-shit."
no subject
"Personally, I believe he'd truly flourish in a less narrow-minded work relationship than his current one." Edward smiled and looked at Jonathan, then joked, not entirely wanting to ignore Oswald's suspicious questioning. "Then he can maybe afford to buy me enough drinks for a fuck. I've got standards, you know?"
no subject
"I left them in a hole in Georgia, sir. I got an apartment and my own chemistry set up." Jonathan admitted as he realised that Edward was bartering for him to have a better position. Fascinating. "My f-father was a researcher. Psychology. I think his research has some very useful applications within the criminal community."
"What? Giving them therapy?" Oswald snorted in dismissal, never one to see the bigger picture when he was in a combative mood.
"No, getting them out of jail. It's a loop hole, isn't it? Make them temporarily, undeniably insane. They spend a couple of months in Arkham then go back into Gotham. Better than five to ten in Blackgate." Jon knew he could pull that off, he thought it would be a handy system but he didn't expect anyone to believe him until they saw it.
Oswald frowned and then looked at Edward. "His stutter went."
no subject
He also had to keep himself from calling him Oswald or, worse, Penguin, all for Jonathan's sake. And the sake of his scheme succeeding, Edward wouldn't deny entirely that it was part of his goal here. "You, like any forward thinking man of intelligence, make calculated investments. I'd know, wouldn't I?"
He might not have realised at the very beginning when Oswald had first offered him some money to buy candy in exchange for staying at a certain place and then telling him what he'd seen, but he had realised in the time since. Oswald knew what pieces to pick. "A drug dealing chemist who'll be set to become a psychiatrist mere years from now. I'd wager it'd pay off."
Turning his head, he looked at Jonathan. "It's all about knowing Gotham's future. No one knows it as well as Oswald Cobblepot."
no subject
"I was a queer in the south, sir. I know about discretion." Jonathan informed him bluntly without a hint of shame or concern. Well, a queer could peg a queer. And Oswald was fucking flaming.
And even bolding admitting to his queerness seemed to throw Oswald. "Well... okay. Very good then." Oswald threw his arm out casually. "I'm nothing if not fair. I'm always willing to give chances."
no subject
Mission more than accomplished. Edward was rather filled with glee after that, righteously smug - if he dare say so. "I feel like dancing. I can't wait for you to have a club of your own, then I'll want to sing as well." He just felt he would vibe with that décor better.
no subject
Jonathan nodded and he had to admit, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to be feeling but he followed Edward out of the room and into the hallway. The club was loud in the distance and his heart was racing. He felt sick and excited in equal measures. "I'm intelligent, huh? Heh. You're sweet on me." Well, it was pretty funny.
Edward had a crush. How embarrassing.
no subject
"I will admit that you have potential. I'd not have even attempted to talk up anyone as dull as most creatures you and I have to contend with all day." He put his hands on Jonathan's shoulders and smiled. "For now, your most attractive feature still remains your eyes. What can I say? I love seeing myself in them."
Loved that Jonathan was always observing, loved that Jonathan loved watching him. "I'm sweet on myself. Only natural."
no subject
"Just try not to dance with anyone with off vibes. You ain't that stupid, eh?" He didn't want Edward getting pulled off by some dangerous fucker. What was Jon going to do? Sutter them to death in defence.
no subject