#kara don't look at me but also I stole the line you wrote in one of our replies. it was needed i swear

[selkymaiden]

Inspired by some sass. 🤺

'Look at him, that little bastard.' Runs through her mind as she watches Oswald Cobblepot limp through her lobby. Her own steps are slowed as she walks the length of her office - it's huge, the full length of the ceiling of The Temple. One side is a complete window, tinted so only those inside can look out onto the whole first floor of the club.

This afternoon she's taking him in for a meeting at her place. Some of her staff are in early already, getting ready for their shift for the night, she can see some of the girls hanging around watching The Penguin and some of his crew. That's another thing, Sophie isn't sure if she's annoyed he brought the amount of muscle he did just to show off, or if he actually thinks she's a threat. Most likely just posturing. Either way, she's made sure the only one coming up on the elevator is the man himself. The rest of his 'minions' he's referred them to, can stay downstairs.

'You fuckin' ruined everything' and, 'You son of a bitch you took my privacy.' Fuels the fire in her heart before she snuffs it out. It's no good being angry right off the bat before he's even made it into her office to defend himself. Not that he can.

So when the knock on her office door does come, she's cool and civilized as she takes a seat on the couch opposite the window. Deciding not to sit at her desk, as it's hidden behind monitors and tech. No. The woman would rather stare at the man that's a cause of a lot of her problems now.

Said man however cannot be quite the same as her though, because even though when he shuffles in and his features show something genial. It's surface level at best. There's even a moment when they both lock eyes, something comical about it as they figure out how the mood is to be set.

"You're mad." Without preamble Oswald states it. He's the first to talk.

The perception of him actually astounds her and something of a hint of a smile forms on Sophie's face, he however decidedly looks cautious. But more than that displeased. Displeased he has to be here, displeased he was asked or more like made to come here- as if everything should be on his time and at his place.

"So is that why I'm here? You're mad. Something you did not want to elaborate on when you called to set up a meeting with me." As he stands nearer to her now, his once genial demeanor is slipping away as when faced with his problem. Her. He cannot help but show his true colors.

"Your friend Batman paid me a visit." Is all she says in reply. It's enough of an answer to get him to sit down in the chair opposite of her with a heavy thud. And upon that, his features twisted into several different things, almost as if he's going through the 5 stages of grief. Yet Sophie is sure something reflects in his eyes an almost pleasure of her being 'visited', or as they both see it: annoyed by Batman.

Sounding upbeat but sarcastic, a tight smile shows on Oswald's features. "Did he have anything good to say?"

"It was a warning. But I'm not too worried, he and Black Mask have danced around enough I know what I can and cannot do."

"So then why did you ask me here if you know what you're doing?"

The testy and impatient tone Oswald gives Sophie gets under her skin. Enough for her to sit up and lean forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she stares at her bird problem.

"Unlike you, I've never had a problem with the Batman, now suddenly he's visiting me. In fact, a lot of people have been visiting me or requesting me, or talking about me. It's a little bit of pressure I don't care for. Especially when I have Roman-"

Oswald waves his hand between them, interrupting her and letting out a sigh.

"I'll be honest with you, Sophie. This sounds like a you problem and not a me problem."

"Oswald, I will make this an us problem if you really want to go there."

The silence that follows after is palpable. But not in a deadly sort of way, more for her she has her arms crossed, stubborn, and set on being an annoyance. For him, he's automatically trying to think of the different ways she could fuck this up for him.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it? He comes for me also." Oswald finally responds, looking at a loss with his mouth turned down into a frown.

"You want to be the boss right? One of the things a boss has to do is listen to the complaints of his employees."

"You're not my employee."

"Oh? You don't want to be allies a-"

"I do. But you're a partner, an equal."

That takes her back. The whole exchange was something she wasn't expecting so Sophie goes quiet. She knows, at least she thinks she knows he's not being honest with his words. Oswald Cobblepot wants to be The King of Gotham like he was those many years ago, and when he was at the top it was just him. No one else. So why would it change now? 'It wouldn't.' Sophie thinks to herself. So he's just using... Who knows, maybe trying to use her vanity, her ego, or something he thinks just calling her an equal will get her to give in to him more.

It just makes her more suspicious.

"That's interesting. Because I'm a nobody you want to be partners with?"

"You're not a nobody. Not anymore. Medusa, Gorgon, whatever you want to be called. You've got a place now-"

"Which is your fault."

"I- Excuse you?"

"I was doing fine just minding my business in Black Mask's territory, paying him his stupid little tax, doing odd 'jobs' for him and that was fine."

At her accusing words, Oswald narrows his eyes but looks unbothered otherwise.

"Minding your business? You hated it, you've hated being under him from what I've known of you, for a while now. You don't like what he does or how he runs business so that's why you've been so willing to help me out. Which... I do appreciate."

"Yeah! But I didn't want to be dragged into anything!"

"Newsflash! You're a criminal, you do criminal activities, you're going to be cornered sooner or later by a bigger fish so I suggest to get with the program and be that bigger fish!"

They're both silent again. Sophie for her part won't look at him and instead stares out past his left ear to the window. Oswald openly stares at her features and takes her in; something like not guilt, perhaps more sympathy enters his manner. Something he has not shown her until now.

"I'm sorry you've been thrown-"

"You're not sorry."

"I'm sorry, Sophie."

His words are grounded out of him, and the finality of them makes her stop and she can feel her heartbeat. 'I think he's actually being honest.' She tells herself as his mismatched eyes bore into her.

Blunt and to the point, Sophie replies with: "I think you actually meant that."

It perplexes him but also does make him waver, his mouth even trembles before it's set in a thin line. "Maybe."