upon the duo's escape, the riddle master glances up at the sky and notes the dark clouds. without missing a beat he pulls up the umbrella and opens it up as it begins to sprinkle. He slinks down just a bit, using the rim to obscure them from the public as they make their escape. a low whisper into the penguin's ear as he coos "take my hand" the goal was to look more like an old married couple hobbling home in the rain, which would hopefully make them as close to invisible as possible.
Always struggling to remain in-step with his much taller partner-in-crime, Oswald practically thrusts his body into his limp in a futile attempt to keep up with the Riddler. Mouth remains agape, gasping breaths of exhaustion from such a daring escape. Eyes barely have time to scan the area they’d stumbled into before Edward has already calculated his next move. Signature umbrella of the Penguin’s is stolen from him and this time without usual protest, as Oswald had known better by now to doubt the Riddler’s wit in an urgent time such as this. With Ed hunching down closer to the Penguin’s height, his mind races and remains lost in the excitement of pulling off such a bold stunt.
And then, before mind allows itself to process the rush of events the duo had faced, Ed’s gloved hand meets his own.
Suddenly, the racing clock and feverish exhilaration that Oswald can barely keep up with comes to a screeching halt. Racing clock slows to agonizing tick of the second hand and suddenly their continued escape feels as though hours have crawled by. Busy mind has met a full stop, yet feet still continue to move. King of Gotham’s signature hobble coming to a convenient--and certainly calculated--aid for the Riddler, who in turn must practically carry the love-sick Oswald out of the rain.
Fingers laced between the other, he can’t help but give Edward’s hand a squeeze. Dull green eyes remained glued down at the pavement, concrete spotted and not fully soaked from the drizzle they were attacked by. He would not address pinked cheeks or dazed mind, details of which he already knows the Riddler has become aware of. He would not consider the butterflies in his chest or ever-racing heartbeat because Gotham’s cruel streets; his blood soaked in its broken concrete--had only ever hammered one important lesson into Oswald. That lesson was to always keep moving. But God be damned if Penguin: Dapper Gangland Kingpin wasn’t desperately in love with this man.
