Ed felt sick to his stomach. He regretted to ever agreeing to this, not that he had much choice.
The Joker had called for a meeting of all his allies to capitalize on the Bat's recent unexplained absence, and one does not refuse The Crown Prince of Crime unless your looking to end up dead. Though to be honest Ed couldn't care less about organising some grand scheme, if there's no one to try and stop him what's the point of mayhem.
Of course as the Joker and The Penguin are long time friends and allies the meeting just had to be at the Iceberg Lounge. It also helped that there would be no interruptions, not even the Bat or Gordon are game enough to accost Oswald in his place of business without an appointment, and no one present would get violent for fear of Oswald's response should they damage his precious club.
Ed reflects on his predicament as he scowls and sips at his martini. He is at a meeting in has no interest in, surrounded by Gotham's Rogues, the majority who cannot stand him, just waiting for the first joke about his previous occupation as the club's centerpiece. He is surprised the lot had lasted this long without comment, it's been a running joke and Ivy particularly loved to bring it up. Despite his abhorrence of the situation it was not the reason for his unease and stomach turning revulsion. Ed revulsion actually stemmed from his front row seats to Oswald's budding new romance.
It was well known Oswald had a penchant for attractive young men, his club was littered with them and he is never seen without a date on his arm, sometimes multiple. However if recent rumors are to be believed The Penguin is settling down and putting aside his philandering ways. The handsome brunette sitting at Oswald side, making moon eyes, would confirm that rumor. The Penguin was never one to bring his bimbos to the business table but this one seems to have weaseled his way into more than Oswald's pants.
After the latest giggle from the moron draped all over Oswald, Ed was seriously contemplating walking out. The Joker had been monuloging for the last hour and Ed has barely retained anything he has said, though to be honest he wasn't really listening. If the Joker had a job for him he can come see him alone. This whole meeting was unnecessary and just an excuse for The Joker to have an audience.
Ed took another mouthful of his drink, this had to be at least his fourth drink of the night, and wondered at Oswald's reasoning "What does he see in the idiot". Ed examined the boy. He was tall and lean with brown eyes and brown hair. Ed saw nothing exceptional in his demeanor or observed any cunning or intellect in his gaze. He looked like the run of the mill bimbo that would be seen hanging off Oswald's arm. What made him special. Ed observed that the boy looked somewhat like he did when he and Oswald first met. Ed wanted to believe that Oswald choose him for the similarities between them, but then again he may just has a type.
As middle age crept up on Ed he couldn't help but look back on how he and Oswald ended with regret. The man had mentored him, pulled him from the living hell that was Arkham, and was the only person to truly understand him. Ed doesn't respect many people, they are too singular, small and insignificant creatures unable to grasp the larger picture, but Oswald he respects and considers an equal. No one else has ever measured up. Ed has never had a relationship that could equal what he had with Oswald and could honestly say he loved him.
Though when thinking of the past Ed regrets Isabellah more than anything. He didn't understand what he would be throwing away when he allowed his insecurity and fears to take control and entered into a relationship with her. He was never going to have normal. Normal would never be enough to sustain him and he would have only ended up hurting her. What they had was superficial and driven by his misguided need to be normal and guilt associated with Kristen's death.
While he mourned Isabellah, though on reflection he felt little grief over her death and most was due to the loss of his second chance at normality, it was Oswald's betrayal that hurt him most. He could not accept that Oswald could, let alone did, love him. He thought it another ploy of Oswald to manipulate him. His faith in Oswald had been shaken, Ed believed him to be the same as everyone else who treated him as a tool to be used. After the confrontation at the Siren's his pride prevented him from accepting it. This only got worse after Oswald returned and Ed had made his debut as the Riddler. After everything they had done to each other neither could see a way to reconcile, their pride and pain would always flare up and get in the way. As a result they have existed as uneasy allies, that barely tolerated each other, for the last 10 years.
Ed hated the bitterness that enveloped him when thinking about Oswald. Oswald seemed to have gotten everything he wanted, love, respect and power, while Ed had ended up alone and slowly growing bored of the games which had given his life meaning.
Ed was finishing off his drink when he noticed a glass of champagne was being placed in front of him. Ed was confused, he was sure he hadn't ordered one. It was then he notice it the whole table had been graced with a glass. Ed figured he better tune in because it appeared the Joker deemed this, whatever this was, a call for celebration. The Joker held his glass of champagne in the air for a toast "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please raise your glasses to that most rare and tragic of life's mistakes! Love! Penguin, my friend, congratulations on your future nuptials." The table held their glasses up in salute and Ed swallowed his in one gulp. Ed had had enough. Ed grabbed his cane and exited the club to the squeals of an excited Ivy. Ed suspected no one even noticed with the happy couple gushing all over each other.
