cold eyes|nygmobblepot

Chapter Three|Inconclusive

Edward was fast asleep when Jim came back, curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. He woke up from the sound of the door opening, sleepily forcing himself over the edge of the couch to face him.

"Where did you go?" Edward mumbled, watching Jim angrily and erratically hang up his keys.

Jim sighed, throwing his jacket across the room and shoving himself down on the couch against Edward, causing Edward to sit up. "You're going to Penguin's for a while."

"Oswald?" Edward said excitedly before becoming confused. "I mean, he and I are best friends and all but... Specifics?"

Jim wasn't looking Edward in the eyes, which Edward was finding strange. He couldn't help but note Jim's hands shaking. Shaking hands are a sign of anxiety. Jim obviously hadn't just had a good interaction with whomever he'd talked to, Ed assumed that would be Oswald. "I'll try to find out what happened to you as well as balance my job, but I'm sorry, I just can't keep you here. He can, I hope you understand."

It's fine, I know you don't like me all that much anyway, not that that has to do with your decision, but it is noted, Edward thought. "I understand."

"You'll be staying with him indefinitely. I'll drive you there tonight."

Edward blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Tonight? Like, Tonight tonight?"

"He's.. Impatient. I don't know why. You can sleep in the car. Since you don't have anything with you, I assume there's no packing needed." Jim mumbled, eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry about this whole situation, Edward."

"It's okay." Ed lied, pulling himself up from the couch, yawning. "It's fine."
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"Oswald, what the hell!" Ivy screamed, stomping closer, pointing to the broken glass shards littering the lounge floor.

Oswald didn't respond, slowly pulling tiny pieces of the glass out of his bloodied hand.

Ivy stepped past the glass toward him, breathing heavily. "What the hell were you thinking?? Can I not leave you alone and expect you to be fine?!"

Blood stained glass dropped to the floor, forcing a sharp gasp from Oswald as he pulled it out. "That I'm going to be lying and deceiving my love-turned murderer for an indefinite amount of time while he's suffering memory loss that could come back anytime, and the alcohol didn't sink in fast enough so I hurt myself. That's what I was thinking."

Ivy grabbed him by the wrist, pulling the remaining glass out of his hand, blood getting on hers. "I never intended for this to happen when I said you should unfreeze him, and please, please, don't ever do this again."

Oswald didn't look at her, hair hiding his face. "I don't blame you. None of this is your fault, it's his."

"So you broke glass all over yourself?" Ivy hissed, hands balled into fists.

"Yes! I'm sorry, okay?! Pardon me if I'm horrified of him coming back-!"

"It's not that! It's the self-harm! I don't want anything happening to you, okay?!" She screeched, letting Oswald go. "Be afraid of him when he's trying to kill you. Not now, please."