𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕔. 🌩

@leethompkiins​

“Nine letters. Across.” Ed finally spoke up. Poking his head up to look from his crossword to her. A small smiled stretched across his face. “It’s a lonely animal.” He said before holding up and straightening the newspaper so Lee could see where he it was and the letters he had already figured out from the other clues he got. He wasn’t asking for her help, in fact he had already deciphered that it was ostracized. He just wanted to see if she could get it. He couldn’t help but want to test that beautiful mind of hers. “What is it, Lee?”

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Lee turned her head when she heard Ed’s question, a warm mug of coffee in her hand. Leaning in, she inspected the newspaper, resting her free hand on his shoulder and squeezing. Just a small sign of affection. Noting the letters he’d already figured out, she went through a couple of choices in her mind, before saying, “ostracized.” There was a hint of a smirk on her face -- he was testing her. He liked it when she proved her intelligence to him. “What do I get for being right?” she asked, putting her coffee down on the table and draping herself across his lap. 

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS STARTERS // @brokenmirrcr

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS STARTERS // @babsxkean

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS STARTERS // @punchyline

“But I would.” He tried to tell her, as if that helped at all. He just wanted her to understand that she was safe with him. “Lee…” He murmured, thinking about telling her about that day he tightened the rope around his neck. Thinking only of protecting her from himself as he took each fateful step down the staircase. The crazy thing was that he’d do it again. For her. He’d do anything. He leaned in as they’re foreheads touched for a peck on the lips but she pulled back right as he was going to. “Well I-” He whispered, desperate to explain it to her. He couldn’t see another reason as to why the Riddler would want to off her. He was a form of protection. Something he created a long time ago in order to keep himself safe. He felt himself swallow at her words, his eyes only widening from the threat that was her turning away from their marriage. “No…” He whispered, “That’s not what I-” He reached up and rubbed at his eyes under his glasses. “Okay, okay.” He whispered. Finally taking his hands from his face. “I’ll think about it then.” He lied. Already knowing his answer. He’d just have to fight off his other side harder and pretend like everything was okay. 

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Lee could see that her response had upset Edward. She didn’t want to hurt him or make his problem with Riddler worse, but she had to be honest with him. There had been too much deceit in the past, and now she wanted a relationship and marriage built on love, honesty, and trust. He would understand that, he had to. She reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it gently to provide some reassurance and comfort. “I’m not doing this to be cruel, Ed. I just want you to be sure about our relationship before we tie ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives. Could you really live with being married to someone who frightens you? That isn’t right or fair.” Lee loved him with everything she had, but sometimes love wasn’t enough. It couldn’t erase the past or the terrible things she’d put him through. Apologies couldn’t fix emotional scars, nor could promises. “I love you, Edward Nygma. That’s something I’ve never been more sure of in my life. I can stand here and promise you and Riddler that I’ll never hurt you, but there’s always going to be a nagging doubt in the back of your mind, and that’s the truth. We can’t hide from the truth.” Sighing, she took a step back. “We’ll work through this. Together. If any couple can survive this, it’s us.”

@leethompkiins​ – “I’m starting to regret having taught you about gluhwein”

Although even as Peter spoke, he privately doubted that he really had taught Lee anything. She was one of the smartest people he knew after all. He leaned down and sniffed at the gluhwein in the punch bowl, wrinkling his nose. He wasn’t much of a drinker. “What spices are in this again?”

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Lee smiled at Peter, picking up her glass and sipping the wine. “I actually had this when I was younger at a Christmas party. I just didn’t realise it was a thing,” she said, looking down at the dark red liquid in the punch bowl. It reminded her of blood, but she wasn’t going to say that to the younger man. “Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and some others. I think you can taste the cinnamon the most.” She’d have to save some of the mulled wine for Ed. She had a feeling he’d enjoy it. “You are old enough to drink, aren’t you?” 

“Lee.” He uttered when she said that he knew what to do to end it. Falling silent for a moment as she continued. He ached to take her hands in his. To be closer to her but he was a ticking time bomb. One wrong move and he might do something. “I’d rather die than hurt you.” He said, a hand reaching up to lightly touch his neck. A gesture that although it was so small, held a great deal of meaning. He never really talked to her about the time that he wore that noose around his neck for her. She could of course, take this gesture in the other way he meant it. A crude reference to the death of his first love. He’d taken her life the same way he had threatened to take his own. Stealing away her breath as though he had any right to. He dropped his hand as she stroked his cheek and despite himself, he leaned into her touch. “I love you.” He said before leaning in and placing her forehead against his own. “But I’ve been fighting this everyday of my life. I’ve been fighting myself. You can’t say that like he isn’t me too. You make great points… I know you’d never hurt me. Yet I- Lee, why is this side of me worried if I’m not at least a little bit scared of you.” 

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Lee watched Ed’s hand move to his neck, unsure what he meant by it. “I don’t want you to die for me. You died because of me once, and that was enough.” She still felt guilt over what she did, despite knowing that he’d killed her, too. It didn’t make things right. Not in the slightest. You weren’t supposed to hurt the people you loved. Love was a special and sacred bond -- you were supposed to protect that person. “I love you too, Ed.” When he pressed his forehead against hers, she let out a soft sigh, listening to his words. “You’re scared of me?” she asked, pulling back in surprise. Throughout being infected, she’d tried her hardest to be her old self around Ed. She’d remained soft and loving, attentive and kind. “But everything I do is to protect you. To protect what we have and what we’ve built together. If you’re scared of me, then what are we doing, Ed? We’re engaged to be married. That means something more than just a piece of paper to me. Once that ring is on my finger, I don’t ever plan to take it off. So I need you to think today while I’m at work. Really think about whether what you’ve said holds any truth or not. Because if it does, I believe we’ll need to have a more serious conversation.”

Lois wrinkled her nose as the woman spoke. “Yeah, I bet you’re exhausted,” she said sympathetically. She gave a light laugh. “It’s okay. Usually I just do it myself but my fiancee insisted. Not that he’s the boss of me or anything, but he gave me the puppy dog eyes and I felt bad. Which is funny because he’s, like, 6′3″ and built like a Buick.” She watched with slight interest as the doctor tended to her wounds. “I was interviewing one of my CIs and he got spooked cause he thought he head a gunshot. It was a goddamn car backfiring, but you know, I can’t really blame him. Anyway he flipped and knocked me down in his haste to run away, I cut my arm on the curb.”

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“Exhausted, but glad I can help. There aren’t many doctors left in this city. Especially ones who will treat both fellowship and defiance.” Lee quirked an eyebrow when the stranger described her fiancee. “Oh, my fiancee is 6ft, but built like... Slenderman.” A chuckle followed her words, and she tossed the wipe into a waste bin beside her. “He’s surprisingly strong, though. And he makes up for his lack of brawn with intelligence,” she smiled. Lee enjoyed talking about Ed, it eased her tension. It was a pity she didn’t feel the same way about his alter ego who was rearing his ugly head again. “Ouch. An interview? Sounds like you have quite the interesting job.”