We Were Born Sick • Gotham Fanfiction •

XLV: Glass Reindeer

"We die a little every day and by degrees we're reborn into  different men, older men in the same clothes, with the same scars." ―  Mark Lawrence, King of Thorns

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Oswald  had just finished playing a song on the piano currently set up on the  stage in his club. Hearing someone clapping, he scrambled up off the  piano bench to see who was there, he was sure the club had been empty  just moments prior.

A smile spread over his lips when he saw it  was Bird standing next to one of the front row tables. Her clapping  slowed and she smiled back as she commented, "That was beautiful."

"Thank  you." He replied, hobbling down the stairs and walking closer to her  when he saw how much snow was in her hair and on her clothes he  questioned, "You walked here?"

"From nearly across town." She  admitted with a nod before saying, "I come bearing gifts though." She  laid her hand on the box on the table next to her and his eyes lit up as  he questioned, "Is that what I think it is?"

"The single most  expensive bottle of alcohol I have ever purchased in my entire life,  yes." Bird said, watching as he opened the box and marveled at the  green, decorative bottle.

"Oh yes..." He breathed still inspecting  it, before glancing to her and saying, "Expensive and well worth it. Our  chance to rule this city is growing ever closer."

"Your chance to rule the city." She corrected, avoiding his eyes as she spoke.

Turning  to entirely face her, he cleared his throat and tried to seem unfazed  by her words, but his own voice came out shaky at best when he  stammered, "You've made your decision then?"

"I want something  different than all of this." She admitted with sadness in her eyes,  "Oswald think about it, I've been running around the darkest parts of  Gotham plotting and scheming since I was sixteen... most days I feel like  I'm closer to fifty years old instead of in my twenties. I'm tired and I  just want a chance to build something for myself."

"But look at  all you've accomplished-" Oswald started to argue, but Bird cut him off  as she clarified, "Something outside of organized crime."

Seeing  the look on his face she pleaded, "Don't look at me like that. We have a  deal, I'll help you climb to the top and then I get to decide what I  want."

"You've still got plenty of time to make up your mind." He  dismissed what she'd said about already choosing her path with a wave of  his hand.

"I already-"

Turning his attention back to the  bottle in the box, he cut her off and changed the subject, "I was  considering hiring Connor to make the move on Maroni. It won't be long  until Tommy Bones is released from Blackgate and as I've told you  –Maroni's crew always celebrates at Lidia's. That will be our perfect  opportunity to, as they say, get the ball rolling."

"I thought Lidia wasn't interested in selling the bar?" Bird reminded him.

"Yes,  well, I've arranged for another meeting with her next week..." Oswald's  voice trailed off at the sound of the door opening and a couple sets of  footsteps entering.

Seeing Detective Bullock and Detective Gordon  enter the room with them, Oswald stood with a smile as he greeted,  "Gentleman, so nice to see you. What can I do for you?"

"Oh, hello  Jim." Bird called out from where she was sitting, giving him a tight  smile and asking, "Come to endanger the life of someone else I care  about?"

"What happened with Xi Lu was not my fault." He defended  looking at her before letting out a sigh and adding, "Though I am sorry  that Harvey Dent got dragged into it."