Okay hear me out.. How would the Riddlers react to slowly realizing that they’re in love with someone?
a/n: asdghj these green beans will be in denial for A LONG TIME but there will be signs you can count on!
Riddlers Realizing They're in Love
Arkhamverse Riddler
Oh, please, like a genius like him has time for such…such matters.
But even a mastermind like Eddie knows the tell-tale signs and he greatly tries to ignore them.
Clammy hands, elevated heart rate, stammering and stuttering his words…like some kind of buffoon.
The small elation of hearing your name or hearing your voice, to have you next to him when he'd sneer and push everyone else away.
Edward shrugs it all off—this…this can't—isn't happening—
Every time you leave, he finds himself missing you more and more…that warm feeling of love rising and lingering longer than the last time he saw you…
It's getting more difficult to say in denial.
Dano/Reevesverse Riddler
Eddie contemplates the notion once he realizes he's been thinking about you…a lot more than he should be.
His mind should be focused on his reformation of Gotham—following Batman's lead for justice—
Yet his mind can't help but wonder about you: what you're up to, how you're feeling, are you safe…
Which is another sign that he's falling for you, he finds himself worried about you—almost an obsessive amount.
Did you make it home okay? Are your doors locked? Windows shut? Are you sure no one's followed you home? (well, besides himself anyway)
Once he's accepted the fact that what he feels…can only be described as love…
Eddie feels more invigorated than ever to go through with his plans…after all if anyone deserves a better Gotham…it's you.
Gotham Riddler
Definitely one of the few Riddlers that's well aware of when he's falling in love.
It makes him anxious as one might expect, but not for the same reasons as most…
For Eddie, when he realizes he's falling in love again, he's anxious that something will happen to you as a result of it…after all everyone he's previously been in love with is now dead.
Eddie will try and push the feelings down, but remain cordial, kind, and friendly—even if it kills him not to admire you.
Meanwhile, Ed, thinks…no he knows, you'll be different! You can handle him—both sides of him—you wouldn't run away.
It is Ed that eventually pursues you, behind Eddie's back.
Eddie can only hope that Ed is right and that you won't be afraid of him…or become a target…
BTAS Riddler
Edward is smitten almost immediately.
He tries to stay…calm and collected…not let this—sudden fondness get the better of him…but to no avail.
He can tell it's love when he thinks about you after finishing a new project.
Among it's completion, he wonders what you would think about his new puzzles or toys he designed…how you'd like his new riddles.
The signs of infatuation only get more obvious as he begins blushing and stuttering over his words around you. Especially after you praise him for his latest invention~
He finds himself almost wanting to impress you more than outwitting Batman…almost…
But he definitely begins seeking your approval more so than his investors~
Zero Year/Capullo Riddler
Edward scoffs at the idea…
Sure, it's a sweet idea…an ideal outcome for most to find love.
He figures it's just not in the cards for him—already deciding no one out there could ever meet up to his expectations.
If (and it's a big if) he does start falling in love, he will take notice—and urgently try to ignore it.
Ed will still be condescending, rude, and blunt towards you—but he actually feels dejected when you get frustrated with him and walk off.
He doesn't get as annoyed with you as others, finding the banter between you two amusing.
Edward wants to keep you around…he can't deny enjoying you presence, and surely this feeling will subside once you inevitably bore him…right?
Gotham City Sirens Riddler
Well, for starters, he must really think highly of you if he goes out of his way to set up dates with you—
Often times, Ed gets sidetracked with work to call back for a second date or found the first date to be underwhelming.
But he put forth the effort to be with you, unless it was an emergency or he was caught in a snag and he couldn't make it…but even when that happened, you always understood.
Which just made him appreciate you even more.
You knew to an extent who he was and what he does…and when you didn't pry when something occured…it made him want to tell you everything.
Something else that was unlike him, to feel this desire to be vulnerable with someone…especially after getting burned before by so called "friends".
Edward continues to make the effort to keep you around and slowly comes to terms that he may indeed be in love with you.
Telltale Riddler
Edward believes he's far too old and past his prime to pursue such endeavors.
It's not even so much that he thinks no one is good enough but that…he didn't want to put someone he cares about in harm's way…given his colorful and infamous past.
For Edward, there was no point to love…not anymore, but he knew himself well enough to know the signs.
The way his shoulders slump slightly, his voice isn't so heavy with intimidation or condescension, and the way his walls open up slightly.
Hearing your name…brings a small pleased smile on his face, as he quietly hopes to see you soon.
Edward has no contention admitting to himself he's in love…it's whether he'll ever tell you…is the true enigma.
Young Justice Riddler
Oh boy...oh God…oh geez…
It's…painfully obvious early on that he's head over heels for you.
Eddie can't stop thinking about you—what to say the next time he sees you, how to impress you, to get you to notice him…
You're a fairly big distraction much to the chagrin of Eddie's teammates.
He goes out of his way to try and spend as much time with you as he can…
Even while simultaneously being a nervous wreck about being near you for an extended period of time.
Unlike the previous Riddlers on this list, when he's in love—even if he desperately tries to hide it…he fails miserably at hiding it.
Edward Nygma x Reader (Gender-neutral, no pronouns)
Plot: Anonymous requested: I love your writing so Can I request Riddler x reader who loves and cares about both of his personalities
Warnings: Ed's concern that his other personality might harm his love-interest, initial toxic masculinity (dislike of insecurity & positive view of aggression) from the Riddler, which is obviously problematic (he then gets more protective instead of predatory). If you're reading this, you probably already know how much Gotham fans love Ed's quirky side, though 😊
/AO3
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When you first expressed romantic interest in Ed, he took it as a sign that his heartfelt, at times corny advances, had won you over. His other him had been wrong to insult the well-meant gifts and compliments he'd given you.
You must have simply forgotten or ignored the times his darker side had shown, all so that you could have the man who was still very much in charge, "and that better not change unless you're not interested in my partner after all. That's right, mine."
I wouldn't be so sure of that.
He had always thought of Ed as lesser. No, it must have been his own protective side and his dark allure that made you give sweet Eddie, who fumbled for words and encumbered you with weird and sometimes scary facts, another chance.
Even though the dorky scientist could never protect you like he could.
They'd tried to reason with each other: one thought the other should stay away so he didn't harm you, the other was convinced that only he could offer you protection from Gotham's dangers.
"Hey, uhm, Ed?" you ask your boyfriend one day.
"What is it, sweetheart?" He takes your hand in his.
"This might sound a bit weird... Listen, I noticed how you sometimes have these sudden changes in mood that disappear quickly—"
He gasps and you continue, now more certain than ever that you're onto something, "and sometimes yoy talk in hushed voices or yell at someone despite being alone. So..."
"Did I frighten you?"
"No! I mean, I was worried for you but..."
Tell the truth.
"No!"
"Hm?" You watch him expectantly.
"Nothing."
Come on, his alter ego tells him. Be a man and tell your partner the truth already. Or are you a liar as well as a coward?
"Neither."
"Honey?"
"Oh dear. I was talking with myself, wasn't I?"
You nod.
Well, it seems he needs to tell you after all. He takes a deep breath. "So, I have this other...personality..."
The seconds pass, Ed preparing himself to be rejected once again.
"So...does that mean I have two boyfriends?"
His eyes widen. "What?"
"I mean," what should you say, "or I've had two? This whole time?"
"No. N-not that he isn't attracted to you! Just...you always talked with me. The most he did was suggest some things."
"Like what?"
Oh, I don't know: good date idea, a little bit of courage, make sure you don't MESS UP EVERYTHING.
His voice gets higher, "Courage."
And so the competition between him and the Riddler begins: you like them both, yes, but surely one of them is better and should get to spend more time with you.
Still, Ed reluctantly agrees to let his other half catch up on dates with you...at least a few.
You're fascinated by him, this man you thought was just a mood Ed sometimes got, and your more insecure boyfriend grows a bit fearful at the idea that you might actually prefer his confident self.
As a consequence, he starts presenting himself differently — fake it till you make it — which he's quite good at, getting more similar to the Riddler, which makes them disagree less. Surprisingly, he even gets a feeling of pride that doesn't quite seem to come from just himself.
The Riddler too sometimes says some typical Eddie stuff and though it starts out sounding mocking (he likes acting after all), he realizes that you like it and considers doing it unironically.
There's a new equilibrium in their life and with the growing certainty that neither will harm you, they can focus all the more on spending time with you.
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Author's note: This was requested in May 2024 (one year and one month before I publish this), which demonstrates how seriously you should take requests being closed cause it haunted me for more than a year 😵(I didn't even open requests during that time 😭)
In the future I may have to delete requests made at the wrong time as this also made various other fics harder to write
I also think that the Riddler would like a dumb reader that strokes his ego/praises him.
The Riddler + dumbification
Authors note: I love the way you think anon, I’ve been in such a riddler mood lately, I think it’s cause I’m replaying Arkham knight and I love hearing him degrade me
18+ nsfw, degradation, gn reader, facefucking
Sure, he loves to be intellectually challenged and stimulated. To be distracted from the endless dimwits of the Gotham City population, and perhaps on occasion you can provide that for him.
But he can't deny, dumbing you down does have its appeal. It strokes his ego to have a pretty thing like you looking up at him with nothing behind your eyes but sheer adoration. To know that he's the center of your whole world, your whole existence.
"I would explain what I was up to today, but i'd hate to fry that empty mind of yours." he explains, condescension dripping from his tone.
He has you on your knees, while he manspreads on the sofa so you can rest your cheek on his green pant leg. A gloved hand idly strokes your cheek, and he smirks at how you gaze up at him with wide eyes.
"You happy down there?" he asks, tapping your cheek when you just nod.
"Mhm, so good. Love being down here."
"And why is that darling?" he asks, adjusting himself as he prepares for your answer.
He hums as you praise him, and he basks in your pathetic whimpers of glorification. You tell him how handsome you think he is, but it isn't enough. Gripping your jaw tightly, he speaks.
"Yes yes, my aesthetic qualities are second to none. But do you really think that's all I want to hear?"
He can see the cogs attempting to turn in your brain, and he laughs coldly at you. But you quickly start to explain,
"You're the smartest man in Gotham."
At that utterance, his smirk widens. "Oh? Please, tell me more."
But you can't keep up with his request when he has his cock down your throat, moving you up and down by your hair. Your glassy eyes just make you more lovely to him, demonstrating just how much you're debasing yourself.
"That's it, not a thought in that head is there?" he groans out, the sloppy sounds of your saliva coating him being music to his ears. "Just concentrate on doing a good job, it's not like you have any other purpose."
You choke around him, not that it makes him slow down, before he cums down your throat with a loud moan, forcing you to swallow every bit of his load.
The look on your face when you pull off...if only Edward could take a picture, how submissive and empty headed you seem. Perhaps next time.
But he gets you on his lap, drawing an orgasm out of you from his skilled fingers before he gets hard again. This time, he bends you over and slides into you effortlessly, his cock filling you up completely.
“Fuck, go dumb for me.” He demands you, fucking you roughly as he uses you. Pulling your hair, he looks at you as your head tilts back. “Look at you, mind completely gone. But that’s okay, isn’t it doll? Yeah it is…I’ll do the thinking for us both, you just keep being dumb and pliable for me.”
There’s not much you can do apart from whine loudly, clenching around him as your eyes almost cross. He squishes your cheeks together as you do, and if you could see yourself your embarrassment would be overwhelming. But you can’t, you can’t see anything apart from him. Always him.
“Take it. Take what I give you.”
Clumsily pleasuring you at the same time, he draws another orgasm out of you, making you gasp and moan relentlessly as your body twitches. But Edward isn’t done yet, so he keeps pounding away into your tight hole, completely using you.
When he cums for a second time, he grunts and buries himself to the hilt inside you. He stays like that for a while, catching his breath and swimming in the sensation of your submission and debauchery. Pulling out, he presses two fingers inside of you to keep his seed from spilling out.
“Keep it inside. It’s a gift from a superior intellect, you’d do well to be grateful.”
At you dazed nod, he grins and pats your cheek with his other hand. Rendering you stupid was always his favourite.
Summary: Your Edwards best friend and even though you don't get along with Kristen, you still call Ed out for how hes behaving with her. After Kristen overhears you confronting Ed to defend her something new blooms....
Tw:(Kristen x reader x Ed; tragic yuri?; Kristen i would've treated you right 😭; kristen dies; Ed/Riddler is kinda yandere for reader. Slight enemies to friends to lovers with Kristen and reader.)
This is a long one so get confortable
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You and Edward had been friends for years now. You met him while working as an intelligence analyst and you clicked almost instantly.
He loved riddles, almost in an obsessive manner and you were always happy to answer them, and he was always happy to hear you talking about the gossip around you that you always seem to know.
Your friendship was loyal and firm . But there was one problem... Ed was 'protective' of his only friend. He demanded a lot of attention from you, it wasn't strange that if Edward entered a room you would go immediately to him and him to you.
Other friends you had at the precinct, such as Jim Gordon or Essen, often highlighted how weird it felt for them how much time you spent together but you didn't really pay much attention and they let you be since you were happy.
Although you both loved your jobs, Edward had a few problems with the coworkers. He wasn't the most liked guy in the office, often seen as a weirdo or just bothersome. It wasn't strange for him to get laughed at by the police officers working there.
He mostly stayed quiet, though you could see the rage and contempt in his eyes. When he lacked the confidence to talk, you did it for him. You've always been outspoken, unafraid… You've had some conflicts with officer flash and later with officer Dougherty. Another thing those men had in common, apart from hating your guts, was that they both dated Kristen Kringle…
Your opinions on her were at first neutral but ever since you saw how she turned a blind eye to what her circle of friends would do to Edward you started to really dislike her. Not only that but you also didn't like how she let her friends humiliated whenever he expressed feelings for her. And being honest, a little part of you was bitter about it. You certainly had feelings for Ed but he didn't seem to notice even after everything you did for him…
You helped him with his bullies in every way possible, even making you an accomplice to his crime… After a pretty nasty fight you had with Officer Dougherty, you ended up in the med bay, those were the natural consequences of fighting someone twice your height… That day Edwards' gaze seemed different. He was the first to go visit you. He looked guilty that your friendship with him had dragged you to being injured. You tried cheering him up saying you had worse but the look he gave you before he went out was something you couldn't really place… A mixture of angry and determined.
That same night, when you were already half asleep you heard some incessant knocking on your door. Living in Gotham you knew better than to go unarmed so you took the small gun you had and hid it in your sleeve. Thankfully it was Edward, or at least a very afraid and stressed version of himself.
That night he confessed to me that he had just killed Tom Dougherty. My reaction was different from what he had expected, I stayed silent, looking him dead in the eye and after he took me by the shoulder and I heard my name from his lips in a shaky voice, I finally reacted.
My work was based in collecting and analyzing criminal patterns, I knew what to do and what to avoid. As if I just had an epiphany, I started asking him about where the body was, if he had the weapon with him…
That night, the both of us drove outside Gotham to a forest and buried Tom's body deep in the ground in a very humid area. We returned to Gotham at dawn. Ed didn't talk, I didn't talk.
He felt relieved, relieved he had someone to turn to, relieved you were able to solve this, relieved you still stuck around him even after what he did. Even though you never mentioned it again, acting as if it didn't happen, he would've given everything to know what went through your mind those hours you were both in the forest and you turned his sloppy crime into an unprovable murder.
After the murder of Tom Dougherty Ed and I made a false letter signing it as if Tom had written it in which he wrote that he had fled from the city. Kristen, his girlfriend at the time, was understandably upset. On the contrary, Ed seemed happy with how everything turned out and started a more direct approach to Kristen.
But Tom's death didn't change Kristen's opinion on Ed. I always saw how Kristen would hang out with people that hurt and mocked Ed daily and her ignorance on the matter enabled the very environment that crushed him daily.
But I also saw the way Ed watched her. The way he’d construct elaborate, creepy “gifts” or memorize her work schedule. He was orbiting her like a lost, clumsy moon, and his trajectory was veering into disaster.
Kristen was obviously uncomfortable with Nygma's advances and truth be told, he wasn't being exactly normal about it. I noticed how he was acting and I didn't like it one bit.
Even though I’ve never liked Kringles, I also couldn't stand watching Ed behaving like a creep around her and I could empathize with her to a certain level, she was uncomfortable and what Ed was doing was grazing workplace harassment so I decided to confront him, because even though he's my friend his behaviour was totally unacceptable and since no one else would, it should be me who opened his eyes to his behaviour.
I found him in the lab, talking to himself in murmurs. “Hey Edward, whats up” He turned to look at me a bit alarmed while his mumbling stopped. When he realized it was me he relaxed on his chair and sulked, as if he was preparing himself to tell me something bad.
“She said she has a boyfriend,” He said, his voice tight. “But her stated weekend plans show inconsistencies. It’s a deflection pattern. I just need to demonstrate more clearly—” He started ranting.
“Edward, stop” My voice became stern. He looked at me, surprised I used that firm tone on him, the raw confused look in his eyes was almost unbearable to me, but he had to listen.
I looked at him in the eye so he knew i was serious and after taking a deep breath i told him “You need to leave her alone, she's not one of your riddles to be solved, she's a person and your behaviour- the gifts, the staring, the showing up places you know she’ll be—it’s not romantic. It’s frightening. It’s disrespectful of her space, of her right to just exist without being your… your object of study.” The air between us turned tense with the truth
His gaze shifted as if I had personally hit him, he wasn't angry he was completely struck by my words “I would never hurt her, you know that” That was the only answer he could give me.
“I know you wouldn’t." I approached him and held his shoulder" I know that. But she doesn’t. All she sees is a coworker who makes her uncomfortable. And if you actually love her, you will listen to me. Stop. Give her space. Respect her ‘no,’ even when it’s not a direct word. Treat her with the same professional courtesy you’d give everyone else in here" My words were sincere and my tone was softer, I was trying to show him my advice came from a good place.
His gaze fell down and I could see his eyes watering a little, as if he was devastated by my real thoughts on him “You think I'm creepy?” He asked silently, still not looking at me.
I carefully raised his face with my hands making him look at me “I think Im your best friend, and if i dont tell you the truth you wont listen. I think you fixate but this isn't the way, this will only get you fired or at the very least rejected and even if you don't realise, this is hurting her to” He was now looking at me, unable to take his eyes away “You’re making her workplace somewhere to be wary about."
Both of us just stood there, his face seemed iluminated by a crude realisation
The fight drained out of him. He gave a slow, shaky nod. “You’re right… you’re usually right. About procedural things and about people.” I smiled at him again “Just reflect on it, okay?” Edward nodded, not looking at me, reflecting on his actions.
I left him there, hoping the seeds of reflection would take root. As I stepped out, I almost collided with someone standing frozen by the door.
Kristen Kringle.
She was holding an envelope, her eyes wide, as if something had surprised her. I acknowledged her with a nod and kept on my way. I could still feel her gaze on the back of my head as I walked down the corridor.
What Y/N didn't know was that Kristen had heard everything, she had heard her defending her, the last person who Kristen could imagine would defend her was the first one to do it.
She followed Y/N's body as she turned to enter the main lobby of the GCPD, her eyes shining with something new, respect? Surprise? relieve? Even Kristen didn't know how to interpret the feeling.
The door of the lab opened again revealing a still very shocked Nyma “Mrs Kringle?” He asked when she wouldn't acknowledge him since she was still looking at the door Y/N exited by.
Kristen immediately regained her senses and quickly gave Edward the envelope claiming it was the results of a substance test. After that she rushed to get to where she thought Y/N would be, the GCPD cafeteria.
The cafeteria was a small place, it had a few tables and few windows but since most officers preferred the street trucks, there was always free places.
Kristen found Y/N eating alone; the few times they had run into each other at the cafeteria, she was either with Edward or with a female officer that she often hung out with. Kristen took a deep breath, trying to give herself courage and go talk to Y/N.
The redhead knew Y/N didn't exactly like her and the feeling was mutual but she needed to go talk to her, to understand how someone she didn't even get along with could be the only one considering her feelings unlike every other person around her.
She finally approached her and Y/N raised her gaze, surprised to see Kringle infront of her, she could only gulp the food the was eating and greet her “Hi…” “Hi” Kristen answered her almost immediately. “Can i sit down?” Y/N nodded, curious what could lead kristen to want to sit down with her.
“I heard what you said to him” Kristen said quickly, her gaze searching for my face. “You… you said that to him. Even though he’s your friend.”
“I said that to him because he’s my friend,” I corrected quietly, finally understanding her behaviour.
“I just… Well I would've never thought that you…” Kringle was trying to find the words to express herself “I could never… I just laugh, or change the subject. I’m too much of a coward to tell him to stop. I always thought that you didn’t care how he acted with anyone else.” She finally managed to say, her voice low and light.
The admission hung in the air. She’d seen me as selfish, a fellow traveler in the ecosystem of GCPD, I couldn't really blame her for it
“I care, I know we dont like each other but I dont want to see you suffering from workplace harrasment, not if i can prevent it ” I said simply.
“Thank you” Kristen said while taking my hand, genuine gratitude in her voice. She stood up and walked away, her posture a little straighter, as if a burden had been lifted. I watched her go until she disappeared from my sight.
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The days after the interaction between Kristen and Y/N had been peaceful and quiet. Edward listened to Y/N advice and stopped being so insistent.
But there was a change in Kristen, the change was subtle but still noticeable enough.
Three days after the confrontation outside the lab, she was at my desk first thing in the morning bringing with her a fresh cup of coffee that she placed precisely next to my elbow.
She seemed happier that morning, in a good mood. She gave me a bunch of documents I had requested a few days ago “The report on the Wayne case from a few days ago” She said happily and I couldn't help but make a comment of her positive attitude.
I looked up, surprised, smiling…usually, I had to hunt her down for paperwork. “Thank you, Kristen. That’s… very proactive of you.” She offered a small, tentative smile. “It’s the least I can do.”
The following days became very similar to our last interaction, even making small talk between each other from time to time and staying a little bit too long talking about office gossip when we ran into each other in the bathroom. We were actually getting along
The other day, when I was on my way to my solitary lunch on the food truck across the street I would find her falling into step beside me. “Mind if I join you? The bullpen is particularly loud today.” And that's how we started to eat lunch together, at first it was just one day a week but one became two and so on.
Even Edward had started to notice that some days I wouldn't go to the lab to eat lunch with him but instead he would find me with Kristen, maybe laughing at something she heard from a coworker.
Her presence was… calm. She didn’t fill the silence with frantic intellectual energy like Ed. She just existed in it.
Then, one Wednesday, she placed a small, wax-paper wrapped bundle on my desk. “What 's this?” I asked with genuine curiosity, the smell was fantastic but I was still surprised she brought me something.
“Lemon bar,” she said, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I baked last night. You always seem to be running on caffeine and sheer will-power. Thought you could use some sugar.”
I remembered how I mentioned a few days ago how much I liked desserts and how we talked on and on about a bakery down the street where I always got my breakfast. The feeling that someone had paid attention to that, not only the fact that she actually listened to me but the fact that she had thought about me enough to bring me a nice feeling… nice? no, it felt great.
I unwrapped it. It was perfect, dusted with powdered sugar, not too dry and not too overly sweet. I took a bite, and the tangy-sweet burst was a shock of pure pleasure. A small, involuntary sound escaped me. “Oh my god. This is incredible.” Kristen’s blush deepened, but her smile was radiant. “You like it?” “I love it!” I said, and I meant it. It was the first genuinely nice thing anyone had done for me in a while.
That was our true beginning, the exchange of baked goods became the norm for us, I even reciprocated by retaking my cooking skills. With every pastry our friendship deepened, then the lunches moved from the food cart to a quiet booth at a nearby diner. We started talking about things other than work—bad movies, good books, the utter impossibility of finding a decent apartment in Gotham.
One evening when we were walking back to her apartment she opened up to me “ You know, since Tom disappeared I’ve been… I wouldn't say happy but… less on edge you know” She continued a little shy, after all the nature of the conversation was something very serious “He was a charming man, he would call me beautiful and then get angry at me when others looked, he was… draining to be around” She let out a shaky breath. “It’s always been like that. The men in my life… they’ve either wanted to possess me or fix me. They never just… saw me. Not until you.”
I froze in my place, I understood why, now I understood why wouldn't she just leave someone like Tom even though he was clearly unpleasant to be around, and that was being nice. “Kristen…”
She signaled me that she wasnt done so i shut up “You saw what was happening with Ed. You saw how scared and uncomfortable I was. But you still stood up and said what needed to be said. For me, and you didn't even like me.” She finally met my eyes, hers glistening, she took my gloved hands in hers. “You saw the little thing, the bad thing everyone else was willing to ignore, and you called it out. No one has ever done that for me before. You made me feel… understood and I can never thank you enough for that” After that she gave me the warmest, most sincere hug I've received in my entire life.
Her arms held onto me for what seemed like forever until we both realized our faces were closer than intended, this time, I blushed slightly with her and we slowly turned apart. We were already at the entrance of her house so we had to let go of our still joint hands. Her left hand slowly slid from mine as she took the little steps before the door. I stood there, mesmerized by her and the only thing I could do was give her a little wave and an involuntary smile I didn't realise I was making. “I can't thank you enough either” I managed to murmur before going back to my own home.
After that night it was as if a bottom clicked, everyone could tell that something was different between me and Kristen, even Harvey had jokingly mentioned it to me when we met in the food truck. I found myself often inviting her over to my apartment for takeout and terrible reality TV, laughing until our sides hurt at the absurdity of it all. She invited me to dinner with her sister and her husband sometimes. We were building something even though we weren't really sure what that was
And Edward Nygma was watching it all unravel.
He saw the lemon bar on my desk. He saw us leaving together, laughing. He saw the way my eyes would light up when Kristen appeared in my doorway, a new Tupperware container in hand. The happiness on my face was a sun he couldn’t bear to look at directly.
He watched the linked arms when we ended our shifts together and how your visits to the lab became less frequent. You still talked but now when he asked you to spend time with him weekly as you were doing before you suddenly had plans:"Kristen and I are going to an archivist conference together" or "I invited Kristen to go on a road trip together". The rare times you managed to hang out together seemed like the roles had reversed, now you were the one that talked about Kristen and he had to bitterly listen.
He wasn't happy about it, you had been his only friend for years now and your attention was on him whenever you two were together but now your attention, your praise and your time went to someone else. He started making passive aggressive remarks
“Another movie with her?” He asked, clearly unhappy “Yeah, Kristen's been excited about this new romantic movie that's in theaters-” Edward interrupted you “You don't like romantic movies you said, and I quote, they're unrealistic and pretentious” I paused buttoning my coat “And i stand by that opinion, i just want to accompany her.. Is this because I couldn't go to your house last week? I told you, you can come to my house on Saturday, I'll make it up for you.” Thats the last thing i said as i leave the office-
He stood there, in the middle of the bustling precinct, looking utterly abandoned. The jealousy wasn’t the hot, possessive burn he once felt for Kristen. This was colder, more desolate. Kristen had the one thing he realized he desperately wanted: my undivided attention. My happiness,now directed at her. He’d had my defense, my loyalty, my blunt friendship, and he’d taken it as his due, a constant in the variable equation of his life. Now the constant was shifting.
He wanted me to glance at him with the delight with which I always received Kristen, he wanted my smile to get wider when he told a riddle the same way it did when Kristen tried to muffle a laugh.
He wanted to be the one you ditched others plans for. He was losing his only true friend, and she was being stolen not by a rival suitor, but by the very woman whose affection had once consumed him. Oh the irony.
Edward knew he had to shift tactics if he didn't want to lose you, Kristen and you were starting to figure things out and that was a race with time. He could see that whenever she went into your office she would stay there for a long time and if he ever entered, she was always touching your shoulder or touching your hand in any way, mostly playing with your rings or bracelets.
He needed to stop this before it was too late. That was what a voice deep within him told him every night he spent laying on his bed unable to sleep, and for the first time, the voice and him agreed on something.
It wasn't the first time Edward heard him, though admittedly he tried countless times to ignore it, now it seems to make sense what the voice inside him was saying “She has Y/Ns laughter now. She has her trust… She has what was ours before.” The voice in his mind edged him to act upon these thoughts, a cruel and cold voice that had always been there, buried deep down his conscience.
One day, Edward had enough. One night, when he knew Y/N would stay up late working in some files, he decided to take action.
He waited for Ms Kringle to end her shift and as it had been happening lately, he waited for her to bid you goodbye. Today Kristen was feeling brave and Ed saw how Kristen planted a kiss to Y/N's cheek, a kiss painfully close to the lips, a promise of something else. Through the crystal of Y/N's door he saw how she and Kristen laughed about the little red stain Kristen had left next to her lips and that sigh only straightened his resolve. Kristen needed to go.
He waited at the entrance of the GCPD and when Kristen approached, he started a conversation with her “Ms Kringle!” He called to her “Mr Nygma” she greeted politely, since Edward was y/ns friend she had decided to give Edward a second chance, her… ‘friend’ always insisted that he was interesting and a great company so she decided to trust her.
“I wanted to apologise for my past behaviour, I was out of place.. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable” Ed apologised to her with his head down, partly in shame and partly because he couldn't look her in the eyes knowing what he was planning to do. Kristen seemed surprised but her gaze softened, she appreciated the apology “Thank mr Nygma, it means a lot to me, Im sorry as well for never stopping Tom or Flash from insulting you”
Both of them started to walk back together, Ed offered to accompany her as an apology and on the way he suggested she could go to his apartment to really talk about everything. Kristen was sceptical at first but agreed, thinking nothing bad could come out of it.
When they arrived at Edward's apartment he offered her some tea which she accepted, their conversation was a little uncomfortable, both of them were stiff but since Edward apologised and he seemed to be making an effort to make her comfortable, she decided to keep talking with him.
The conversation went on and on until somehow they got into the subject of Tom Dougherty. She was confused how she wasn't really as sad as others thought about Tom's sudden disappearance and how Y/N had been a great support for her and she was glad she finally met someone she was comfortable with. When the conversation shifted to Y/N, Edward suddenly remembered why she was there.
Looking down at his glass, Ed suddenly mumbled “I'm glad he's not coming back“. Kristen's smile disappeared instantly, what seemed like a bonding moment between coworkers turned into something darker.
“What?...What do you mean?” Edward suddenly realised what he had just said and began to stumble with words trying to give a plausible explanation “No-thats not… I mean…” Kristen looked at him with a mix of uncertainty and suspicion.
Edward looked at her and took a deep breath, he figured that if it had to happen it was now or never, his inner voice was becoming louder even if he wanted to shut it down, and even if he wanted to shut it down he couldn't.
“I need to confess something…To provide closure. For you, and for me.” He paused, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses. “Officer Dougherty… he didn’t leave you. He didn’t run away. I-” he hesitated “ I killed him… now you don't have to worry about him ” The last sentence was said quietly, almost shamefully
Kristen's reaction was slow, at first she didn't believe him, deeming his statement as a bad joke that failed to deliver as it should have. After Edward approached his dresser and took out Tom's plaque she started to believe it, her face distorting into a disgusted expression.
The world seemed to tilt for Kristen. She saw not the awkward colleague, but a psychopath wearing his face. She tried to speak, to scream, but no sound came, until she remembered Y/N, she should know, she must tell her so she can get as far from him as possible.
What Kristen couldn't imagine was that it was Y/N the main reason no one had dared to question the narrative that Tom Dougherty had vanished.
The red head quickly stood up and turned towards the door while calling him every name in the book, her eyes starting to form tears from the fear and shock.
Only one thing was crossing Ed's mind and it was the product of that little voice of his that everyday seemed bigger "She's a loose end, she will tell everyone, now that she knows about Tom she can drag you down, both you and Y/N. Keep her to yourself, her loyalty, her fascination, all ours only if she-”said the voice referring to Kringle”-gets simplify from the education”.
So, before Kristen had a chance to reach for the door, he quickly intercepted her and took her by the face and neck, at first trying to convince her not to say anything, that he didn't meant to make her feel unsafe and that he wasn't going to hurt her, the irony was that while trying to coax her into not giving him away, he was unknowingly choking the poor woman with his own hands.
Kristen's desperate fight attempts were useless, Edward was completely blind to her efforts to breathe due to the adrenaline and panic. In that moment he wasn't thinking about how he was killing an innocent woman or how her death would affect the woman he was trying to keep to himself.
He realised that Kristen's lips were bluer than usual when the other him stopped talking. He could feel the silence like a physical presence. He no longer felt the slight moisture from her ragged breathing, and his hand felt strangely numb. He looked at her again, this time taking away his hands and the moment the limp body of Kristen lost that support, she fell onto one side like a rag doll.
He stopped breathing for a moment before he launched himself to her now lifeless form. He touched every pulse point he could remember and tried to wake her up, still not accepting he had killed her.
What had he done? What had he done? The reality of everything hit him hard. He didn't realise how much of his desire to get rid of Kristen was from his inner self. He didn't want her dead, sure he wanted her away from Y/N but not dead, not like this.
The man looked at his shaky hands, at Kristen's purple and red neck, at her blue lips and her absent gaze, soulless. His inner self was silent and satisfied, leaving him to deal with the consequences of his jealousy.
And all he felt was a void, soon flooded by a tidal wave of sheer terror. He thought about Y/N, how would she react, surely she wouldn't be as accepting as she was with Dougherty… Still Ed couldn't bear the thought of you discovering this by yourself so he took a difficult decision.
He dialed Y/N's number and his voice was a hysterical whisper “Ed? what's going on, it's late-” She was cut off by her friend “Im so sorry! I- I- you need to come to my apartment. Now” he was sweating bullets, there was no backpedalling from this “Has something happened?” Her question was only met with more begs for her to be there quickly and so she did.
In ten minutes Y/N was knocking at his door and Edwards' heart skipped a beat. Y/N was expecting a breakdown over the typical personality crisis Ed had but the reality of what was in his apartment hit her like a bucket of ice cold water.
The moment she entered she saw from the corner of her eye the pale and motionless body of Kristen. A white-hot pain burst through her chest. Her mouth fell slightly open until her brain fully processed the image in front of her. Kristen's body was laying on the floor with a clearly strangulated neck and skin as pale as a ghost.
Ignoring Ed I rushed to kneel beside her body and my eyes started to fill with tears that didn't dare to be spilled ”Kris-Kristen!!” a high pitch cry left Y/N's throat, she took her friend by the cheeks, bringing her face over to hers to try and find a breath but she didn't hear anything. While she turned to look at Edward, she hugged Kristen's head and torso as closely as she could to her chest.
“Edward, what have you done?!” Edward didn't know what to answer her, her eyes, devastated and shaky, took his breath away. Someone as composed as Y/N, that was used to the most horrendous crimes that were committed in Gotham because of the nature of her job, looking so completely lost for… for her. Looking at him with such grief.
“It was an accident!” He rushed to explain “She knew! She knew about Dougherty, I told her, I-” He put his hand in his hair “I don't know what came over me I just- I told her- She was taking you away and he said-” His frantic eyes tried to meet hers and he noticed how Y/N was getting more agitated by the minute, he took her by the arms, trying to ground himself.
Y/N shoved him off, a surge of violent rage giving her strength. “You killed her!? You killed my Kristen!!” The scream tore from her throat in a violent wave. “ Why would you tell her anything?! Why would you do this to her?!”
The brown headed man was unable to look her in the eyes, his gaze landing on whatever was around him until he could calm himself. The only thing he heard was his other self “It’s the only way to keep her safe with us, to keep her close to us. We both love her, don’t we? This is how we prove it.” He took deep breaths as he had done so many times before and before he could realise, the other him took over.
His face hardened,and the lost Edward Nygma was replaced by someone colder, more calculating. “We have to be logical, Y/N. We have to think. She’s dead. I did it. But you…” He stepped closer, raised her chin with his hand, his eyes locking onto hers. “You helped me with Tom. You told me how to hide the body and the evidence, you reviewed the case files when he disappeared and steered the detectives away from me. If this comes out… they’ll look at this again, they’ll find the inconsistencies. They’ll find you.” His face ended up very close to hers, a way to highlight the threat.
The air left Y/N's lungs. The tragedy of Kristen’s death was now encased in the ice of his undeniable logic. Her actions, her attempts to protect her friend from a murder had come to bite her back.I deserved it,she thought, she had bound herself to this new, monstrous crime, and he was reminding her that now they were partners in this.
Y/N stared at Kristen’s still face, then at Ed’s desperate, possessive gaze. The grief was a howling animal inside of Y/N, but the survivor in her smothered it. They had to survive, together.
Y/N looked at the dead woman and hugged tightly against her chest, her hands not leaving her body even though the gears in her brain started to move once again. "She’s been stressed. Talking about Tom. Saying she couldn’t take Gotham anymore.” The woman said with a flat tone, the statement felt cold and distant in her lips
Ed nodded, a spark of relief in his eyes. “A letter. We can forge her handwriting. I have samples from work files. We say she ran off, that she heard from Tom and they’re eloping.” His companion nodded.
They worked for a few hours only to finish the letter and when it finally looked convincing enough for the analyst, Edward proposed that he should be the one hiding the body since Y/N looked clearly exhausted apart from disheveled. Y/N, feeling numb and with her headache palpitating, decided to lay down in Edwards bed, before she could make it to the bed, she looked one last time at Kritens body.
A shiny object caught her eye and Y/N crouched in front of her friend's corpse only to find a silver bracelet, one that was customized to have both their initials as trinkets. Kristen must have worn it as a quiet, personal token. The sheer ordinariness of it, the hint of a sweet, secret intimacy they never got to confess, finally broke Y/N. A sob ripped from her throat, harsh and ugly in the silent apartment.
Edward saw her take it for herself and slipped it in her wrist, the same wrist she hugged until she passed out in Edwards bed
Ed watched her, his expression unreadable. In that moment, he began to understand the depth of what he’d destroyed. They weren’t just covering up a murder; they were burying the purest parts of Y/N's heart, the one that belonged to Kristen, all because of his desire to have it all for himself.
He spent the rest of the night preparing the field for Edward to find Kristen's body before someone else did. When he finally went to his bed, where Y/N laid, he took his time to really look at her before he gave control to Ed.
Her eyes were slightly red from crying and between her brows laid a deep frown product of the distress she just experienced. The other Ed was determined to not let anyone take away his only friend, he was determined to keep Y/N to himself even if that meant killing the woman she loved.
Riddler never admitted it out loud but he could see it through Ed's eyes. He had often mocked his nerdy version, insulting his ignorance of the intense gazes the two women shared, Ed always tried to convince himself it was only a close friendship but friends don't look at each other that way and deep down he knew.
Deep down he knew because that's the same way he looked at Y/N whenever she stood up for him, whenever she answered his riddles and even when she called out that some of them had ambiguous answers…
He caressed her face, then her lips, the same ones Kristen had almost kissed that same afternoon…
He laid down on the floor, next to his bed and fell asleep with Y/N's falling hand gracing his shoulder and clavicle. Whatever happened the next morning would be up to Edward to deal with, he only had to enjoy the show. The other ed finally let go of control knowing he had succeeded in keeping her with him, even if it was in crime.
The only thing Edward and his other self could agree on was the feeling they got after everything that occurred that night, the sense of victory after successfully getting rid of both Dougherty and Kristen.
But most importantly, the only person who ever truly saw him, now lying in his bed, shrouded in his scent, sharing his space, dependent on his secrecy for her freedom and vice versa.
She was devastated, yes, but she was here, with him. All her attention, her sharp mind, her loyalty...it was all funneled back to him now, bound by blood and shared guilt, and now they were bound by that. “Until jail do us part” What a romantic but perturbed last though Ed had before drifting off
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The first time I watched gotham I wanted Edward so badly, the second time I fell for Kristen, now I want them both.
I really put a lot of effort into this one and into characterizing correctly all of the characters so please tell me if you'd like more of gotham.
Damn now that I think about it I spent a lot of time with this one.
I saw the post about Gotham X readers and I was wondering if you could write a Dom!riddler x fem!sub!reader smut where he doesn’t let reader finish until she gets his riddles right and it leads to her being overstimulated?
Thanks in advance!
‘THE HILLS,
-GOTHAM!EDWARD NYGMA X READER-
⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 ; Since killing oswald, ed’s at a breaking point and needs to get his mojo back.
⋆ tags/warnings. GOTHAM!riddler x female reader. smut!! pure porn, no plot. sub/dom dynamics. orgasm denial. degradation, dumbification of reader. Eddie needs to let some frustrations out. First time writing penetrative sex so hopefully it’s good! Also, thank you anon, i love this idea.
♫ “When I'm fucked up, that's the real me” The Hills by The Weeknd
Oh, he's been an absolute wreck. Ever since the falling out with Oswald, hyped on those god forsaken pills. You catch him mumbling to himself often, yelling and screaming at his reflection at night. You can hardly sleep.
He's absolutely fucked up. You can tell. You've known him forever, and you know the signs. The sweat on his brow, disheveled hair, loose tie. His hands rub together insistently, babbling on to you. He needs a nemesis, a stress reliever. He tells you about the hallucination of Oswald- he needs a replacement. Something to fuel him, make him the Riddler he knows he is.
So, you offered your...technique. It was simple- just distract him for a moment from his desperate scheming. He looked at you like you were absolutely crazy at first.
"...You want to what?" He growled out, slowly, legs sprawled across an arm chair, rubbing his temple. He looked like a mess. A hot mess.
After elaborating, he still looked at you incredulously. His mind was racing with thoughts, about how this could fix him. Before you knew it, he was gradually standing up, wrapping a hand around your throat and gently kissing you.
The soft and gentle kisses turned more and more raw. His hands gripped tight around your throat, sure to leave a mark, and he groaned as he held your leg up. You messily and hastily kissed your way to the bedroom; which is where you are now.
His suit jacket thrown on the floor, your blouse unbuttoned. You lay bare beneath him, gasping for air between hot open-mouthed kisses he lays everywhere.
"Ed-" You struggle out, feeling his fingers plunge inside you. It's a bit painful, and he only mumbles incoherently, he's in a hurry.
"SHUT up." He growls out against you, "I'm thinking."
His fingers rapidly work on you, prepping you as fast as possible. You whimper and he doesn't seem to pay any attention. When the sounds of your wet slick finally fill the room in messy, sopping noises- he looks up at you with his glasses on his face.
He raises himself up from your thighs, staring at you with a vague look of intrigue. It's a small gesture to ask if you're ready.
When you nod, he buries himself in to the crook of you're neck.
"...Wonderful." He whispers.
He finally breaks out in a shit-eating grin, giggling maniacally at your pleading writhing form.
Removing his fingers, his grin stands still, and suddenly rams his cock inside your slit.
You both let out an embarrassingly loud noise at this, his low groan filling the room as he grimaces in pleasure. You feel your eyes roll back as he rams himself into you, filling you up to the hilt. His hand grasps your neck once more, slightly choking you.
He mumbles theatrically in your ear, and you realize just why he wanted to do this.
"I can fill a room with just one heart. Others can have me, but I can't be shared," He begins, thrusting into you. He struggles to speak himself as he feels you clench around his member. "What am I?"
You want to scream at him, damn riddles. You swallow when he drags his cock along your cunt and chokes you a bit more, as to prompt an answer.
"L-love?" You stumble out, only to yelp when his face contorts into rage. His movements stop and you whine.
"What...? No." He snarls at you, and looks down on you- like your the stupidest, weakest, most pathetic thing he's ever seen. "No!?...The- the answer is loneliness?!"
He rolls his eyes, jaw clenched. He continues his degradation with another harsh squeeze to your throat and an agonizingly slow thrust.
"How do you not know that?" He taunts you, anger on his face. But you can see it in the glint of his eyes. He's enjoying this.
He huffs as his thrusts gradually slow down.
"Second." He mutters, feigning exasperation- as if dealing with you, fucking you- is the most tiresome thing in the world. As if he's so above you in every way.
"I can be a member of a group, but never blend in. What am I?" You feel your orgasm building up beside yourself- the way he's choking you out and has you going dumb around his cock.
When you feel the knot building up inside you, you don't answer- and he stops in his tracks.
"I give up!" You whine, incoherently, trying to bounce for any friction, but he has you pinned in place. Tall frame hanging over you. "I give up," You plead- and something in him snaps.
His hand shoves your neck even further in the mattress, and a loud slap rings out. You feel the burning on your cheek and look up at him stunned. It doesn't hurt too badly, and all you can do is struggle to regain your breath. You let out a deep inhale and feel his dick slip back and forth between your pussy lips.
He looks at you, a bit pitifully, and a bit disappointed- wrathful. His teeth are bared and he looks desperate.
"Answer me." He growls out in your ear, and you rack your brain for an answer.
His cock is teetering inside you, teasing you- fucking you at whichever pace he decides. It's leisurely and steady, and you swear you can feel him stretching you out beyond you thought was possible. You need more.
"An individual." You finally settle on, having vaguely read it in a riddle book when you were younger. Your words come out in a whine; and look to him for approval.
He seems a bit upset that you've answered correctly, stopping the fun. But in a huff, he praises you.
"...Good." He hisses, and decides to finally give you what you want. He gradually speeds up and your orgasm builds repeatedly, and you feel fulfilled.
Until...he stops, one last time.
You grab him by his hair, frustrated beyond belief, before he whispers.
"Call me the Riddler." Is all he says, and you look him in the eye. He's lost in pleasure too, and you can tell he's fighting for control as well. It's strangely vulnerable, and comes off as more of a plead. Desperate for release himself; as if he isn't the architect for his own frustration.
"Please," You decide to let him win, "Riddler, please...!" You breathe shakily, whining the words.
And with that, he finally lets himself go.
His hips slam into you relentlessly- chasing his own climax. It's hard and rough and fast, and his fingertips dig into your neck. He's baring his teeth again and grunting, pushing you both into the mattress. He captures your lips and tongue in a kiss when he finally spasms inside of you, both of you reaching your peak. The aftershocks hit you hard, and he buckles overtop of you, cock still twitching inside.
He collapses into your shoulder, and he's mumbling and muttering and ranting unintelligible "thank you's" and apologies for hitting you.
Funny enough, it's the most relaxed you've seen him in weeks.
Prompt: Ed offers to help you with time management when you tell him you’re stressed at work. Your conversation is interrupted by an attack on the GCPD by the Maniax.
Warnings: Mentions of murder, cannibalism, r*pists, abuse, and general graphic violence. Gotham typical violence. Mental health struggles. Sensory issues and meltdowns common with autism. Panic. Near death experiences. Claustrophobia. References to being buried alive. Nightmares.
A/N: I’m rewatching Gotham and I didn’t realize the missed potential for hurt/comfort the first time I watched this show 7 years ago. My work load has been really heavy lately, but this show broke me out of my writers block and I made time for the writing bug. This takes place in the middle of Ed’s Riddler arc. He hasn’t fully become the Riddler yet, but he has already made his first kill. The reader has qualities of an autistic person, but is not explicitly said to be autistic. I accidentally code a lot of my characters to be autistic because I am, but this was more intentional to reflect Ed’s autistic coding. Feel free to read into it or not! You don’t have to be autistic to read and hopefully enjoy this! Crossposted on my AO3 adriansglasses.
“I’ve been so stressed lately.” You sigh. “It’s like I can’t get anything done that I actually need to get done.” You stand in the hallway of the precinct talking to your friend Ed. You were stressing about this case and Jim Gordon was making you go through hundreds of old files for him. You were never part of the real action, but the horrifying crime scene photos and evidence you had to pull through everyday was taking a toll on you. Gordon’s time crunches never helped either. You understood that lives were often on the line, but that didn’t make it any easier.
“What can some people never get enough of and others say is too much? What has the ability to fly when having fun or is stuck completely frozen when you need it to move?” He smiles. You stare at him blankly. You had not been getting enough sleep. You loved hearing his riddles, but you were never the best at giving him the answers. It was so hard for your mind to keep track of it all. “Do you give up?” He asks.
“My brain just isn’t braining right now.” You laugh. “What’s the answer?”
“Time.” He beams, happy with himself. “You should try to implement a better time management plan. You look tired all the time. It’s like you’re not even sleeping.”
“Thanks, Ed.” You give a dry laugh.
“You know what I mean.” You nod in an agreement with him. “You might be the only person who usually knows what I mean.” He says, fiddling with his fingers and the buttons on his coat.
He was right. Nobody quite seemed to get him, but nobody quite seemed to get you either. You had always felt this odd draw to him that you could never quite explain. Truthfully you think you have feelings for him, but you always bury them. He saw you as a friend and he really needed a friend. Besides he had been pinning over Kristen since before you even got to the precinct. You had mixed feelings towards her. On one hand you felt bad for her. She was always getting mixed up with shitty boyfriends who treated her poorly, but on the other hand she had a mean streak. You never liked how she treated Ed. It was like he wasn’t a person with feelings to her and that made you so angry.
“You’re right. I haven’t been sleeping.” You tell him.
“Why is that?” He asks.
“We live in Gotham. With the terrifying shit we see everyday, I don’t know how anyone sleeps.”
“Are you having nightmares again?” He asks, his face painted with concern.
“It’s fine. It’s just work stress. It’s just this case. I’m fine.” You smile. It wasn’t a real smile. Your smiles always came so naturally around Ed that he knew something was off. He was about to press when you heard gunshots coming from down the hall. Your body immediately froze like a dear in headlights in the middle of the hallway.
You’ve had violent people in the precinct before and it always made you nervous, but this was different. The Maniax were on the loose and you knew they were too unhinged to care about survivors or bargains. With Jerome Valeska at the helm, along side cannibals, rapists, and murderers you were terrified. They’d escaped from Arkham days ago and already managed to murder dozens of people. This was far too close to the action for you, as you heard Jerome’s laugh bellowing down the hall from the bullpen; a laugh you remembered from one of your early cases at the precinct. You had felt bad for him and tried to help him when his mother died. You will never forget the laugh he let out when Jim realized he wasn’t as innocent as you’d thought. It ran a chill through your spine.
Everything started moving too fast when you realized you were being pulled down the hall quickly. Once you realized you were holding hands, you tightly grasped Ed’s hand, not wanting to be separated from him. He brings you further down the hall into the ME’s lab.
“W-where are we going?” You stutter. It’s like your mouth can’t keep up with your racing mind.
“Do you trust me?” He looks at you trying to stay calm.
“Ed, what are you doing?” You’re panicking. He can tell. It’s not hard to tell, as your hands fidget and your breathing is heavy. You’re trying to stay calm.
“(Y/N), I need you to trust me.” He places his hands on your shoulders in an effort to ground you with the pressure. You close your eyes and nod, hesitantly. You do trust him.
Ed runs to the cold lockers and opens one, checking to see if it’s empty. He finds a dead body inside. You cringe. Seeing bodies is rare for you and you’re still getting used to it.
“Oh dear… okay… second times the charm…” He mumbles to himself trying to find an empty locker. “Bingo!” He smiles, finding an empty one. The wheels start to turn in your head.
“No! I’m not getting in there!” Your panic increases. Ed shushes you.
“This is our best chance. I promise I’ll let you out as soon as I can.”
“We won’t be together?” Your eyes start to burn. You try to keep back tears. You’re shaking.
“We won’t both fit in the same one. I’m gonna go in the one above you-“
“No no please I- I don’t wanna be by myself! Please don’t leave me!” You cut him off and beg him. Ed awkwardly rubs his thumbs across your shoulders where he places his hands again, still trying to ground you. It’s awkward, but it’s still somewhat calming.
“I’m not leaving you. I would never leave you. I’ll be right next to you the whole time. I promise. I need you to trust me.” You’re not sure if it’s because it’s life or death, or if it’s because it’s Ed, but you reluctantly let him help your shaking body into the mortuary cabinet. When it comes time to let go of his hand and close the cabinet, you don’t want to. Despite quickly running out of time, he knows he needs to be patient. He knows how hard this is for you. He’s always known you’re a bit claustrophobic. He had no idea one of your worst fears was being buried alive. Being stuck in a cold locker wasn’t too far from either of those things. He can hear footsteps far down the hall. The Maniax were never subtle. He kisses the hand he’s holding quickly before closing your locker and climbing into his own. You were surprised by the kiss, but you couldn’t think about that right now and what it could have meant. Your mind couldn’t keep up. He had to leave his own locker unlocked, unable to properly close it from the inside, but he locked yours to make it look more convincing.
When Ed heard you cry, he began to whisper, hoping he could be loud enough for you to hear, but quiet enough for the Maniax to not notice. “It’s okay, (Y/N). I’m still here.” It was enough to quiet your sobs. Tears silently streamed down your cheeks. Ed’s voice had a certain gentleness to it when he spoke to you. He was being especially gentle now. You had seen him angry, upset, anxious, energetic, but his calm voice was reserved for you. Even in this moment when he was admittedly not very calm, he was trying his best to mask his own fears to keep you safe.
You always reserved parts of yourself for each other; parts of yourselves that the other person enabled you to be. You were never as bold as you wanted to be, but when people were rude to Ed you stuck up for him. He brought out a more confident version of you. For Ed, he knew you struggled with staying calm when you were stressed, upset, anxious or scared, even when you were happy. All of your emotions were so big and you rarely knew how to contain them. He tried to stay calm because he knew you saw him as a calming person in your life. He liked being your hero when everyone else only saw him as a weak, odd, nuisance. He also liked that he could read you and that you were honest with him. He trusted you and it helped keep the voice in his head at bay. He didn’t have to question himself with you. He didn’t have to take advice from the voice in his head.
You tried to keep your meltdown as quiet as possible when you heard footsteps approach. They were heavy, not ones you recognized. You knew it had to be one of the Maniax, probably the cannibal. You tried to make your breath as quiet as possible. After what you assume was a poor sweep of the room, the man leaves.
After what seems like hours of being trapped in a corpse you finally hear sirens and then chatter. You hear Ed climb out of the locker above you. He opens your locker and you let out an audible sob.
“I think they’ve gone.” He says, pulling out the drawer to let your body get some much needed air. You start gasping and sobbing, shaking on the drawer of the mortuary cabinet. Your body jolts up. You just want to get away from the locker.
“You’re okay! You’re okay!” Ed catches your body, as your start to fall from the drawer to the floor. You sit on the floor and cling to him, sobbing. At first awkward, he runs his hand along your back, trying to sooth you with the repetitive motion.
“I felt like I was dead- like- like I was gonna get buried alive-“ You gasp for air, sobbing between your words. Ed shushes you.
“We’re okay. They’re gone.” He promises.
You hear fast approaching footsteps. Your brain is moving too fast to decide if the footsteps are familiar or not. You just bury yourself further into Ed’s chest.
“Detective Gordon is here.” He informs you and you relax only slightly.
“Nygma, are they okay?” Jim asks.
“No mortal wounds, they’re just a bit shaken up.” He lets him know.
“You two should probably still get checked out. I need to finish scanning the building for everyone else. So far we’ve got 9 cops dead in the bullpen and… and the commissioner is dead.” He says. It’s almost like you hear Jim, but you don’t. Your mind can’t keep up with anything that’s happening.
After a while you find yourself sitting, waiting for Lee to check you out. Ed had been pulled away for a few minutes to do his job. He didn’t want to leave you, but you assured him you were fine. You didn’t feel fine, but you knew they needed him. As long as you could see him on the other side of the bullpen, you were reluctant, but okay with him stepping away. He left his jacket draped around your shoulders. It helped to be surround by his smell and warmth.
When it was time to go home, Ed guided you to his car. You hadn’t spoken much, but at least you’d finally stopped crying. The car ride was quiet. The only thing that filled the air was Ed’s occasional hum with the radio. Neither of you quite knew what to say. It was a bit ironic considering usually nobody could ever get you two to shut up. You didn’t speak up until he turned onto your street.
“I don’t want to go home.” You said quietly, feeling the panic rise again at the thought of being alone at home again.
“That’s understandable. Would you like to stay at my place?” He asks. You nod, silently. He flicks his turn signal and starts the drive to his place.
“Welcome to Château Nygma.” He smiles, turning on the light. You still have his jacket wrapped around your shoulders. Despite the terror you’ve been through today, his smile is refreshing. You don’t question how he can stay so seemingly sane in times like these, but you’re just glad somebody is. You need that. Maybe you should have questioned it, but you didn’t. He has a nice apartment. It’s not too big. Why would it be for a man who lived by himself? It’s just the right size with cool windows and a comfortable setup.
“Do you want something to eat? I’m a good cook.” He smiles. You don’t know how he can continue to smile, but you’re glad. It starts to make you feel safer. It’s nice to be in a locked apartment with just you and Ed. It’s nice to be in a quiet, secluded place, but not feel alone. It’s far better than sitting on your bed, scared of any serial killers that could be hiding underneath the frame and jumping at any people you hear in the stairwell of your apartment, with an open case file sitting next to you, worried the killers you’re reading about could be onto you any second. Today was a very close call. Too close.
“If you’re not sure, that’s okay too.” He continues, noticing you’re deep in thought.
“Oh…uh yeah… I’m not sure what I want… It’s like my body needs things, but I’m just a little bit too overwhelmed to figure it out.” You look down, shyly.
“Do you want to just sit? I can put on some music?” He questions referencing the record player with his hands.
“That sounds okay. I think I can do that.” You nod. He puts on some quiet music, not too loud to overstimulate you and you make your way to the couch. He brings you a glass of water.
“I can imagine it might be hard for you to have an appetite given your increased levels of adrenaline today, but you should at least drink this.” You take the water from him and begin to sip it. You didn’t realize how nice cold water could feel. You drink it quickly, before setting the glass down.
“Thank you.”
Ed sits down and you gravitate towards him.
“How do you do it?” You ask.
“How do I do what?” He looks for clarification.
“Your job. There’s so much death everywhere.”
“I don’t know. I just sort of do. Honestly I think it’s fascinating…” He pauses, looking away from you. “Sorry. That probably sounds weird.”
“It does, but that’s okay. I like the fact that you’re different and you’re honest. It’s comforting. You’re a better man than all of those crooked cops walking around beating up women and mobsters alike.”
“You think so?” He asks.
“Yeah, I do.” You smile. This time it’s a real smile. Ed smiles too. It’s nice to know after everything he’s done for you to make you comfortable, you can say something to make him feel better.
“I’m sorry all of this has been so awful for you.” He says.
“I know we’re doing good and it’s important to do good in a world of so much bad, but sometimes I just wish nobody had to do it. I can’t even fathom what would make somebody what kill another person. Maybe out of necessity, but it scares me that people actually enjoy it.”
“Yeah.” Ed shifts uncomfortably. You think he must agree with you and that’s why he’s unconformable. You don’t know that he killed Officer Doherty for abusing Kristen just over a month ago.
The two of you talk for quite some time until you end up falling asleep next to him on the couch. He doesn’t mind when you fall into his lap. He lets you sleep, smiling down at you. He didn’t dare move. He didn’t want to wake you. He was afraid of breathing too deeply and shifting too much underneath you. He eventually falls asleep sitting up with you still in his lap.
Everything is peaceful until you shoot up screaming, in a cold sweat. You’ve had another nightmare. This time is different. You’re disoriented. You don’t know where you are. You feel hands touching you.
“(Y/N), it’s me! It’s Ed! You had another nightmare.” You look at his face to see him distraught, unsure of what to do. Your tossing and turning had woken him up. He was awake only seconds before you.
Your eyes begin to well with tears. “I just want it to stop. When will all of this stop?” You cry.
“When will what stop?” He asks.
“Everything! I just want to stop feeling like this. I want to stop being afraid. I should be used to the job by now.”
“Maybe you just need more time to get used to it! I know we talked about time management earlier. I can help you with your schedule.” He offers.
“I don’t want to manage my time. I just want it to freeze. I just wish time would freeze so I could just breathe and catch up!”
Ed looks at you defeated. He doesn’t know what to say. He likes riddles because riddles always have answers. He doesn’t know what to do when there’s a problem with no solution.
“I’m sorry.” He settles with saying. “Would a hug help?” He’s just grasping at anything he’s seen people do when trying to comfort other people with problems and no solutions.
“Yes.” You say quietly, burying your head in his chest. Despite being the one to offer the hug, he’s a little awkward at first. He eventually settles in.
“Is this helping?” He asks.
“Yes.” You tell him. Of course, Ed being who he is, even now he’s still looking for a solution. He doesn’t realize he may be the solution, or at least someone to help make the problem smaller. “You always help.” You add.
“I’m sure most of our coworkers would disagree.” He laughs.
“I never thanked you for earlier today.” You say quietly.
“It was nothing.” He smiles.
“No, Ed. Keeping me safe in a life or death situation isn’t nothing.”
“I’m sure anyone would have done it.” He argues.
“No, they wouldn’t have.” You tell him.
“I’ll always protect you.” He pulls you closer, shifting awkwardly underneath you. “You know… my apartment is always open if you want to sleep with me- I- I mean sleep with me in attendance- I- I mean sleep with each other- I- I mean near each other- you know! In case you have nightmares!”
“I might just have to take you up on that. This is the first night I’ve felt okay enough to be able to maybe go back to sleep afterwards.” You smile, trying not to laugh. You don’t want him to think you’re making fun of him. Truthfully you think he’s sweet and funny.
“You should go back to sleep and since I didn’t get to make you dinner I’ll be making you the best breakfast of your life tomorrow.” He beams.
“You better.” You snuggle into him. Ed is too awkward to suggest you go lay in his bed tonight and you’re too tired to care. You spend the rest of the night on the couch together. You can save the bed for tomorrow night. You know when you wake up in the morning you’ll be coming back. It was the most sleep you’ve gotten in weeks.
Ed wakes up before you and sneaks off the couch to start breakfast. He truthfully was a very good cook. His own sensory issues with food made him very particular about how it’s prepared. You wake up to the smell of something good in the oven. Ed is nowhere to be seen, but you hear him in the bathroom. He’s talking. You knew he often talked to himself, but he sounded like he was talking to someone else. Maybe he was on the phone. You were sure you were hearing one half of a conversation.
“I told you we could trust them. They like me for me. They think I’m a good man.”
