Bad Day

Chapter 3

Oswald was exhausted. The night had went better than expected however it had taken it's toll on him. He was currently reclined in his seat at the centre of the Iceberg Lounge watching his staff clear out the last of the club's stragglers. The increase wait staff handled the attendance numbers beautifully however due to the abundance of alcohol circling throughout the club, and lack of bartenders to monitor, there was an increase in drunken antics. Oswald had to call for security more than he would have liked. While the ice wall had Gotham in awe it also resulted in endless questions, which Oswald as host had to spend his night answering. After the turmoil of the last two days the persona of host had drained him and didn't help that his mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Ed and that kiss. Oswald would have preferred to spend his night hiding in his office, but The Penguin was as much of an attraction of the Iceberg Lounge as the exclusivity and the ice features. Many in Gotham fought for entry to the Iceberg Lounge just to able to say they had brushed shoulders with the infamous Penguin. Even now, as he watched the club close up, he could not stop the thoughts running through his mind "What was Ed playing at? Was he just trying to up the anti? He isn't actually attracted to me?" Oswald hated that he let Ed tie him up in knots and it's in moments like this, when he is reeling from one of The Riddler's mind games, Oswald wonders why he ever thought it a good idea to unfreeze Ed.

After the club was emptied Oswald headed to his office to enter the nights accounts when he noticed his office door ajar "I swear to god if Nygma is in there again I'm just going to shoot him". Oswald stomps into his office, preparing to have Ed ejected forcibly, but comes to a sudden stop. Victor Zsasz is currently lounging in Oswald's office chair, feet on the desk, reading the note left by Jay. Oswald snaps. He grabs the first thing within arms reach, a vase, and hurls it at Zsasz. The vase smashes against the wall near his head but Zsasz doesn't even flinch "Geez, Boss! What's crawled up your ass tonight?" Zsasz looks mildly annoyed that a vase had just barely missed his head but otherwise unconcerned. "Excuse me!" Oswald practically screeched. Oswald had had enough. He stalked over to his office desk, and leaned over into Zsasz's personal space . "Is this not my office? Do I not own this club? Do you not work for me?" Oswald was snarling at Zsasz, venom dripping from every word. Zsasz cocked his head in confusion at Oswald's outburst "Just figured you'd wanna talk." Zsasz rose from Oswald's chair and strode around to Oswald "Nygma's games aren't good for business" Zsasz held out Jay's note to Oswald. Oswald took the note from Zsasz "What are you talking about" Zsasz eyes flicked to the note in Oswald's hand "Riddles are not really my thing, but it does spell his name" Oswald quickly pulled note from the envelope and reread it.

__________________________________

Recently I have come to realise that this

isn't who I want to be. If I was to continue

down this path it would only end with me

despising myself. I am ashamed that I acted

like I did, but it was familiar work. I cannot

ever return to the lounge. If you have any

respect for me you will let me go. I'm sorry.

-Jay

___________________________________

Oswald couldn't believe he didn't see it before. There was no other way the note could have got into his office. His security would have caught Jay if he had tried to break into the office, he was a bartender not a thief. Not to mention the first letter on each line spelt out Riddler. Ed was playing some kind of game, with him once again at the centre of it. Oswald had thought he had learned his lesson from the last time "I guess I will have to teach him again". Oswald crushed the note in his hand and smiled up at Zsasz "Thank you Victor. I will attend to this immediately" Zsasz's raised eyebrow was the only sign he noticed the change in Oswald "Sure thing Boss. Want me to call the girls?" Oswald was already halfway out of the room "No, no. It's fine Victor. I plan to handle this personally" Zsasz smirked and called out to The Penguin's retreating figure "Oh... it's like that is it. Well don't forget to lock the door this time" Oswald slammed the door at the comment, Zsasz's laughter following him. The Penguin had always afforded Zsasz more informality than others members of his organisation, and he had no issue taking advantage of it and pushing the boundaries.