Thanatophobia | VICTOR ZSASZ [DISCONTINUED]

thirty five | new day rising

While she anxiously checked her phone to see if any of her allies that she made in the past had gotten any information about why she lost control of herself and couldn't remember leaving the alleyway, Annabelle eyed the people inside of the room as a reporter on the television said, "It's Election Day in Gotham, with former mayor Aubrey James and former criminal kingpin Oswald Cobblepot running toe to toe..."

While she went between anxiously checking her phone and eyeing her surroundings, she didn't pay much attention to Butch, who was handing a manila envelope to a man as he said, "Why don't you take care of it." When the man took the envelope, he said, "Appreciate it. Thank you."

As a matter of fact, she was so overwhelmed with trying to find the source and eyeing her surroundings that she wasn't aware that Edward Nygma was in the room and out of Arkham Asylum until Oswald said to him, "I must say, you are looking quite the dapper fellow."

While Edward turned to face him with a closed smile, Oswald said with a chuckle, "I had to guess on the jacket size. I hope it fits."

With a grin on his face, Edward replied, "Perfectly. I cannot thank you enough."

Oswald said to him, "It's just a suit."

Edward shook his head as he said, "No. No, if it weren't for you, I would still be falling asleep to the screams of the insane."

Oswald replied, "It becomes almost a white noise after a while, doesn't it?"

Edward nodded his head as he said, "It does. I do believe, Oswald, Arkham has made us both stronger."

As he took a step closer to Edward, Oswald replied, "I couldn't agree more." Then he stepped around Edward and grabbed a cloth before he ripped it off of a frame as he said, "Which is why I had our release certificates framed. A reminder of past struggles and new beginnings."

After gaping at the sight of the framed certificates, Edward turned to look at Oswald as he said, "If I didn't know better, I'd accuse you of being a sentimentalist."

Oswald chuckled as he said to Edward, "Guilty."

The two started to laugh, only to stop when Butch approached them and asked Oswald, "You all set, boss? Busy day today."

Edward asked Butch, "Who were those people you were speaking with?"

With slightly widened eyes, Butch replied, "Don't worry about it."

Oswald said to Butch, "Come now, Butch. Play nice. We're all on the same team here. Right? My team."

While Oswald limped away from them, Butch replied, "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say." When he was sure that Oswald couldn't hear him, he said to Edward, "You keep your nose out of my business."

Edward said to him, "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say."

While Butch walked away from him, Edward looked over at Annabelle and saw that she was on the verge of snapping at just about anyone.