Black, White, & Red.

Chapter 1 - Riddled Proposal

Oswald stretched his entire body after waking up from his after-work nap. The apartment was quiet. 'Ed must not be home yet,' he thought. He walked toward the kitchen in a t-shirt and boxers. His long robe open on him. The ties lightly dragging on the hardwood floor.

He looked in the fridge for a snack. He couldn't find anything that sounded particularly satisfying at the moment. He turned around and saw a note on the counter.

A tested formula of love

Inevitable part of love stories

The romantic dim light and good food are its friends

It never goes out of trend.

- Nygma

"It's a candle light dinner," Oswald said as he smiled to himself. The smile kept spreading and spreading across his face. He started to blush a little. He was used to Ed doing romantic things with him, but it still managed to surprise him every time.

He ran to the closet to pick out a spiffy suit for their date. He found one in a bag hanging up. It had a tag on it that read:

For you, my little penguin.
-Nygma

He started to blush again. He took the bag off to see what was on the hanger. It was the deepest purple he had ever seen. It was so dark it was almost black. He marveled at it for almost a minute before trying it on.

He started checking himself out in the mirror. 'I look hot. Drop dead gorgeous,' he thought. He made the final adjustments to his tie (so dark to match this new suit) and walked out to call his loving boyfriend.

When he walked out, Ed was already waiting for him. He must have just walked through the door. 'Wow... He looks beautiful' Ed thought when he first saw his little penguin. A smile spread across his face. "Are you ready?" he asked. Oswald nodded.

~~~

"Thank you," they both said as they got their plates. Edward looked at his partner and just smiled at him while Ossie started digging into his pasta with shrimp. He couldn't help but noticed how well he did on picking out the right suit. Not that he didn't get help.

"Why are you taking me, huh? You know Gordon is so much more of a sap than I am." Harvey complained. Ed knew he didn't mind going with him and that Harvey was just giving him a hard time. "That one. Can I go home now?" he said.

Ed sighed. "What's wrong?" Os asked him. Ed's eyebrows furrowed. He was slightly confused until he came all the way back. "Oh, nothing. Just remembering something. That's all. How's your dinner?" he replied.

Ossie smiled and said, "Good. You haven't even touched your raviolis,"... Ed smiled back at him and poked his fork into one before taking his first bite.

They ate in silence. Smiling at each other the entire time. People around them might have thought it was awkward, but in reality they enjoy the silence. They're comfortable just being in each other's presence.

After a while, Oswald asked, "Is there a reason for all this, or is it another random act of romanticism?"

Ed looked a little caught off guard for a second before he smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I have one more note for you." He handed his little penguin the last note.

Testimony of love

Signifier of commitment

All it needs is

A bottle of wine

And a band that shines

-Nygma

Oswald looked back up from the note and Edward was holding a silver men's wedding band with a little line of emeralds all the way around.

"I am something quite. I can be happiness, sadness or fear. I can show or just be gone, but I'll come back not before long," Nygma recited. "It caused the destruction of Troy, the worst of tragedies, and numerous maladies, yet it is chased, desired and fought for. What is it?"

Oswald was speechless. So speechless, in fact, that it started to make Ed more nervous than he already was. He looked back at the note, then back at Ed. "Proposal, feelings, and love..." Os said in a haze. Ed kept looking at him hopeful. Ossie snapped out of it. Shook his head a little and said, "...AND YES! Geez, I'm sorry Ed. Yes!" He laughed a little at himself and he smiled bigger than he'd ever smiled before.

Ed finally remembered to breathe. He was so relieved. He didn't think he would say no, but Ossie obviously wasn't expecting it, which is what he was aiming for. That's why he didn't ask James Gordon. He knew Os was still friends with him after college.

~~~

Back at their apartment, they were talking and laughing the night away. Kissing every once in a while just because. Oswald kept staring at his ring. Ed just smiled and smiled at him while he did. He knew he did good. He just wanted to make his little penguin happy, and that he did.

They laid down together to go to bed. Oswald laid on top of his new fiancé. His arm was wrapped around him and his head was on his chest. He laid there with his eyes closed listening to Ed's heartbeat.

They were both beginning to fade for the night. Ed said, "What is worth a billion dollars but comes to you for free?"

"I love you too," Oswald replied before they both fell asleep.