He absolutely was not jealous; while sitting across the room, completely neglected, as Oswald ran his thumb along the boy's cheeks.
"You've gotten so tall. My goodness, you have become so handsome," Oswald cooed lovingly. Fawning over the curly haired boy that was looming several inches over him.
Martin smiled down at Oswald, face bright with admiration. The two of them shared an adoring gaze. Martin signed back what Ed could understand to be something along the lines of, "Father, you are too kind. You look well. I am glad to be home." Amongst other things that Ed was not able to pick up.
When Oswald began to sign back, it became it little more difficult to spy on the two of them, from where he was sitting at the secretary across the room. Luckily Oswald was slow at signing, thus easier to interpret.
Ed had became so engrossed in spying on the conversation that he had forgotten the paperwork in front of him.
Martin caught noticed, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
Ed forced himself to flashed a smile.
Martin gave him a curt nod, quite the contrast to the venomous glare he had shot Ed the first time they had met. And every other time for the next two years. The ardent youthling had even pulled a gun on Ed more than once, a silent warning that he was not welcome here.
It was almost a miracle that Ed was finally accepted now, nearly three years later.
The sound of Oswald's voice jerked Ed back from his drifting thoughts.
"I know that you still have a lot of school work to complete, even during your break. You can go return to your studies and Ed and I will meet you for lunch later." Oswald squeezed Martin's shoulder affectionately.
The boy nodded and then retired upstairs.
Finally.
It shouldn't have been problematic. It wasn't. It was not at all upsetting that after nearly a month of separation from the man he loved, Ed was being upstaged by an eighteen year old.
There were a great many things that Oswald would do for Ed, but if there was one person that Oswald would do anything for, it was Martin.
People had often said that mothers grow to love their children even more than their husbands. And where Ed and Oswald were not bound the court of law ( which some green haired imbecile, that Oswald consociated with, often liked to bring up ), their lives were very intertwined. Which is why it was a little disconcerting for Ed that every time Martin was around he felt invisible.
Before Ed knew it Oswald was standing before him, hand atop his hip, gazing down at Ed with a reprimanding glare.
"Stop it," Oswald hissed lowly.
Ed swirled a pen between his fingers casually, trying his best to bear a mask of nonchalance.
"I don't know what you are referring to."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Oswald chided, like a mother scolding a child. "Stop pouting. You do this every time."
"Everytime you nag at me for sitting silently?"
Oswald rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Every time I spend time with Martin."
Ed bore his most convincing frown. "Now you're just being over-imaginative."
"If I was creative enough to imagine that my partner was intimidated by my teenage son, I would have made all types of breakthroughs already." Oswald threw his hands in the air dramatically.
"I am not intimidated." Ed stressed defensively.
"You shouldn't be, I don't love you any less than I love him." Oswald's hand were on his hips again. Though his brows were knit together, he seemed to be searching Ed's faced for some type of explanation.
"Well, gee, it sure feels like that when he is giving me the death glare or ignoring my existence," Ed hissed back, not bothering to hide his aggravation any longer.
Oswald frowned, pursing his lips for a moment. "I know that when Martin first met you he was less than thrilled. But he has come a long way and he's been trying very hard to be inclusive and accepting. So I think you're being a little over-dramatic."
Ed hated to admit that some of his feelings were almost like muscle memory now. When he and Oswald were beginning to rekindle their relationship, Martin had made it his goal to flaunt Oswald's love and affection for him. He took no mercy in throwing salt into all of Ed's wounds. Things had eased up since then but it was still difficult to get over.
"Over dramatic? Oswald! He threatened me multiple times."
Oswald sighed. "You have to try and see it from his perspective. Martin and I came into each other's lives when we were both having troubling times. In a way, we saved each other." He spoke more gently now. "I never thought that I would love someone as much as my mother. There was a time I thought that was going to be you." Oswald locked eyes with Ed.
Ed felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him. His eyes feel to his lap. All the words you wanted to say caught in his throat, so he just listened silently.
"Ed you tore me apart back then. I know I was also greatly at fault. I regret some of the things that I did. You know that." His voice wavered and he looked down at Ed, eyes heavy with remorse. "But Martin is the one that put me back together."
Ed felt the brush of Oswald's fingertips on his chin, lifting it up so their eyes can meet once again.
"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here with you now. If it wasn't for him I don't think I would be able to love you again, even more than I did the first time." Oswald peered down at him lovingly.
"But you have to remember, I am the center of his world. The only family he has. You know how angry you feel when you discover that someone has hurt me?" Oswald bit his lip, mulling something in his mind.
"Imagine how he feels. You can imagine what I was like when I had first met Martin." he murmured sorrowfully. "It is my fault he hated you for so long."
In hindsight, Ed could sympathize. To Martin, he was nothing more than a man who
had so viciously wounded his father. He was not to be trusted.
All the boy knew was Oswald; his voice, his touch, his love. If that was not unconditional love, what was? To trust the whispers of another's heart without a single question; Martin was truly loyal. It seemed like Oswald had gotten the love he always desired. Rewritten in a different script, but nonetheless genuine.
Oswald's feeling for Ed changed like the tide; from shallow bays to high waters. They had both fought the waves and swam to shore; finding themselves here, in a steady state of serenity. A deep and unyielding love that weathered through the pain.
And to love Oswald meant to accept and appreciate Martin. There was no way around it. Ed knew that the both of them could definitely benefit from him trying a little harder.
He gently took Oswald's hand in his. "It's not your fault." He gazed back into Oswald's eyes, soft and full of compassion. "I was broken. So were you. We are both human after all." He ran his thumbs over the backs of Oswald's hands. "And we have both chosen to put all of that behind us. As I can put behind me, my feud with Martin."
Oswald's lips curled into a grateful smile. He squeezed Ed's hands gently and moved to sit upon his lap, never taking his eyes from Ed's. Their lips met in a soft lingering kiss.
The parted gently. Ed's eyes fluttered open when his felt Oswald's thumb brush along his jaw. "Words cannot express how much I love you."
Ed felt his heart melt. "There are no words needed. I love you just the same."
He kissed the tip of Oswald's nose and held his hands gently, playing with his fingers. They both enjoyed a silent moment of each other's company, eyes whispering loving phrases to each other in soft glances.
Ed finally broke the silence. "How about we decide what we're going to have for lunch with your son. Our son. Or least...eventually?"
Oswald's smile rose to his eyes. "Eventually. Don't scare him. Baby steps."
Ed laughed lightly while bringing them both to their feet. "Where's the fun in that? What should I call him? Son? Sonny? Little one?"
He felt Oswald shove him playfully.
"Edward Nygma! Don't you dare!"