Edward Nygma

Lucius looked at him for a moment. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Friends can tease each other, too, you know. I did not mean any harm.” He shrugged. “I suppose not,” he said. “But I wasn’t going to leave you here hurt and bleeding.” He looked over at him with a little smile. “I did,” he said. “I have them here too. Like many things, they are better seen with the lights on.” He frowned slightly as it was clear Edward was in pain, but there wasn’t much he could do about that right now. “Oh, I don’t think—!” But before he could finish, Edward was already crumpling. He knelt down to help him to his feet, putting an arm around his waist and hauling him up, perhaps less gently than he should. But his upper body strength had never been significant, even with Edward’s slim frame to contend with. “Or not,” he confirmed. “I think you should stay here tonight. You are in no condition to be going any further than the couch.” And even then it was clear that Lucius would have to help him, as he propelled him gently toward the piece of furniture in question. “Here, sit. I’ll get you a pillow and blankets,” he said. “And stay here. Don’t try to climb out the window while I’m gone. You’ll end up tangled in the fire escape.”

.

“...We’re friends?” Edward asked, brows knitting together. He wasn’t sure what he’d considered them to be before now. The two of them shared a connection but he hadn’t honestly thought Lucius would go as far as considering him his friend. “That’s a poor choice on your part, Foxy. No offence.” He replied, turning his gaze away from him for a moment. He tried to kill the best friend he’d ever had and he told Foxy that in his car. It wasn’t like Oswald didn’t deserve it. Or that he didn’t survive it but it was still something Ed found himself thinking about from time to time. Just how capable he was of ending the lives of people he loved. 

After ending up on the floor, he let out a frustrated sigh. Ready to just stay there for a while until he got his bearings back. The thought was quickly cut short by Foxy pulling him back up. A surprised gasp left Ed’s mouth the moment he’d done it and he found himself clinging to the other man for support. “Hey-!” He exclaimed before openly frowning at him. Listening to his words. “You’re really not taking no for an answer, are you?” He asked with a tiny smile etching onto his face. He stumbled for a moment before he started matching Lucius’s footsteps. Making their way over to the couch. He sat when told to, knowing better than to attempt to leave again so soon. “Do I look like an imbecile to you, Foxy? I’m a little too woozy right now for a grand escape. I’ll just- I’ll be gone by morning. I just need some time to rest first.” He said, glancing up at him before almost shyly shifting his gaze back down to his hands. “Thank you...” 

Name: Evan Mayo-Nygma

Gender: Cis Male

General Appearance: Evan has shaggy brown hair. He's very lanky and freakishly tall, towering over most people. Including both of his dads.

Personality: Evan is a himbo. He's kind but not the brightest. He's naive and does whatever he's told. Like Ed, he has OCD. Like Mitchell, he loves mustard.

Special Talents: He's a really passionate chef. Making all kinds of complex dishes somehow while having not a thought behind those eyes. (Bless him.)

Who they like better: Ed

Who they take after more: Neither because he's kinda a good lad

Name: Evangeline Fox

Gender: Cis Female

General Appearance: Evangeline has mid-toned skin, doe brown eyes and curly black hair. She has pronounced cheekbones and is speckled with beauty marks.

Personality: On the surface, she seems well put together. She's observant and carful with her words. She takes everything literally and struggles reading other people. Taking after Ed in that right. Unlike Ed, she's very good at masking it. She's deeply troubled but just hasn't snapped yet.

Special Talents: She's extremely intelligent like both of her fathers. She's also musically gifted; especially at the violin.

Who they like better: Lucius

Who they take after more: Ed, but she tries to be more like Lucius

Name: Eko Nygma

Gender: Agender

General Appearance: Eko has untamed dark wavy hair and fair skin. They have dark circles under their dark eyes and round, circular glasses that they always have to push up over a straight thin nose bridge. They have sharp bone structure.

Personality: Eko is very fearful and talkative. They alway have to be right and is endlessly fascinated with everything they see. They suffer from nightmares and insomnia. The lack of sleep makes them see things that they are not sure is there or not.

Special Talents: Eko is extremely intelligent like both of their fathers and shares a deep pride in it the way that Ed does. Especially great in the field of science and is facinated by how the body works. They enjoy dissecting things, especially small animals. Only for those animals to haunt their dreams later.

Who they like better: Crane

Who they take after more: Ed

Lucius just looked at him steadily. “Perhaps it normally wouldn’t have been,” he said. “But oddly enough, once you chose to break into my home, I do feel somewhat involved in the matter.” A faint smile touched his lips as Edward huffed at him. “I did,” he clarified gently. “I was just teasing you.” He made a soft little humming noise as Edward agreed to let him help. Lucius pressed his lips together as he noticed Ed was in pain, but there was little he could do about that for lack of a proper medical facility. Which his kitchen certainly was not, as well-stocked as it was with elegant victuals. “Thank you,” he said, with a little smile. “They’re silk.” He continued to stitch up Edward’s wound, talking as he did so. “I picked them up in Paris. Have I ever told you that I’ve been there? I went for a work trip when I was employed by Wayne Enterprises.” He smiled faintly. “That seems like a very long time ago,” he said. “Another life, almost. Thomas and I went together.” Even all these years later, a little frisson of grief rippled through his chest as he thought of Thomas Wayne. “He bought a set for himself and one for Bruce. They marched.” He snipped the thread and tied it off, finding a gauze bandage and wrapping it around Ed’s arm, sealing it gently. “There we go. We’re finished.”

“Well... I don’t appreciate being teased. Lots of people tease me, but I didn’t expect you to.” Listening to Foxy’s words as he spoke to him. He tried to swallow back all the pain and wooziness that came from his wound. Focussing instead on the conversation. “You didn’t need to.” He finally replied, “You kept mementos in your last apartment.” He didn’t want Foxy thinking he didn’t know something, even if he was just telling him about it for the first time now. “Thomas?” Lucius hardly ever mentioned him but he knew from general snooping that the two of them were pretty close once upon a time. Was he offering a show of emotional vulnerability as a way to even their playing field and make Ed feel better about being forced to be vulnerable himself? Interesting. His thought was interrupted by the needle piercing him once again. “Ow-” He winced. Averting his gaze from Lucius’s steady stitch work. Bringing a hand up to his mouth and lightly biting it to try and ignore the pain a little better. It wasn’t long before his friend wrapped up his wound and with that, Ed decided to thank him and get out of there as quickly as he could. “Great! Well, this has been lovely but I should go.” He said, turning in his seat and standing up. Though perhaps a little too fast. All at once the world spun and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor trying to push himself back up slowly. “Or... not?” 

Bruce couldn’t believe his luck not only was he stuck within this small elevator but he was stuck with none other than Edward Nygma, aka The Riddler. Of course given his normal entire this time around a lesser bright green he figured this wasn’t the other’s master plan to get him alone after all these years. Since his slight turn to darkness, he never traveled anywhere without means of protection but of course, the other didn’t need to know that as he looked at the buttons pressing them once more. “Oh? I’m sorry I suppose I was assuming you’d use this opportunity to attempt to once again prove your intelligence to me Mr. Nygma” He replied back with that fake smile never leaving his face. “But you’d like to owe your rescue once again to me then I’ll gladly handle this no utility belt required.”

Edward let out a sharp gasp when Bruce finally spoke. “How dare you. I don’t have to prove anything to you.” He snapped, crossing his arms. “We both know I’m the smartest man here. This has nothing to do with that. If this puzzle were about brains we would be out by now. Or at the very least, I would be. The glaring issue here is my lack of strength. Neither of us could pry the doors open because this building installed interlock devices.” He glared at the other man when he mentioned rescuing him. It was true that occasionally Batman had to help him out a dangerous situation or two but he didn’t appreciate the comment. “I’d like to see you get out of this one with no utility belt.” He scoffed. 

Of all the people in all the world to be trapped in an elevator with. It just had to be him. He could still recall the nights he would spend obsessing. Trying to find the perfect riddle to stump the bat. Or the perfect trap to hold him in. It was awkward the moment he stepped on the elevator with him. Alone with him. Years of history between them made the air feel thick with tension. Could he feel it too? Was he the only one who felt the tight grip of anxiety crushing his chest? Making it ever so hard to breathe... The power went out as the two of them were headed up. Forcing the elevator to a stop and leaving them in the dark... but he bet Bruce preferred it that way. Edward leaned against the wall. “Aren’t you going to get us out of this mess? Heaven knows you can. ...Or do you need the utility belt for that?” 

A faint smile touched Lucius’s lips as Ed spoke. “I usually do,” he said dryly. He raised an eyebrow as Ed spoke, glancing over at him. “And what were you doing close by?” he said, gesturing with his free hand at the cut on Ed’s arm. “I assume you weren’t in a book club or handing out meals at a soup kitchen.” He smiled again as Ed pouted. Despite the gravitas of the situation, he couldn’t help himself. It had always given him a sort of grim amusement to answer Ed’s riddles in a way that was technically correct, but not the answer that Ed had in mind. He’d known that Ed meant a needle, of course, but he loved making Ed just a little cross. “Yes, I think you do, too,” he said mildly. “I’ll take care of it.” He looked up at him as Ed whined about the disinfectant wipe stinging. “I would assume an infection would sting worse,” he said. He snapped on a pair of rubber gloves from the first aid kit, before picking up the needle and threading it. “Of course,” he said, keeping his voice steady as he began the stitches. “I more or less performed brain surgery on you. One would think that would create some sort of bond.”

“It’s none of your concern, Foxy.” Edward replied. The less Lucius was involved, the better. He was well aware that his status as a criminal complicated things. Especially because of Lucius’s close connections with the police. As much as he liked the man, he couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t relay any information he gave him to Jim. Who was annoyingly relentless. “A hurricane.” He scoffed again, “I can’t believe you of all people didn’t get it.” Not catching on that Fox was just doing it to bother him. Ed placed an elbow on the table and his head in his good hand. He still felt woozy. Like he might slump over at any given moment. “...Okay.” He finally whispered. Giving into the help after all the time he spent attempting to fight it. He was in no condition to do it himself and it wasn’t like Lucius was wrong. He preformed brain surgery on him. “Ugh, don’t remind me.” Edward mumbled. Leaning into his hand and closing his eyes for a moment before the sharp pain of the needle forced him awake again. Jolting once again that night. Turning his head so he could watch what he was doing. His breaths becoming strained with pain. Anyone would think he’d be used to this kind of thing by now. Yet, there he was. Trying to stop himself from grabbing his old friend’s wrist to force him to stop. Wanting. No, needing to focus on something else. He started to take the other man in. “That’s a nice colour on you.” He got out about his pyjamas. 

Raising an eyebrow, Lucius just looked at him for a moment. “Perhaps if you turned on the light,” he said dryly. “Although I understand that when one breaks into another’s home, it’s typical behavior to sneak around in the dark.” He looked at the other man, a soft sigh falling from his lips. “You are absolutely not fine,” he said. “How long have you been like this?” As he watched Ed stumble, Lucius made his way over to Ed and took his arm, more or less forcing Ed into a chair. Not that it was difficult given the state that Ed was currently in – although it wasn’t as though Ed was a physical juggernaut to begin with. He sighed softly. “A hurricane,” he said, heading into the bathroom just down the hall, returning with the first aid kit. He sat down in the chair next to Ed and pushed his sleeve up with deft fingers, grabbing a disinfectant wipe from the kit and pressing it against the cut. “Yes, well, when an old friend breaks into my apartment in the middle of the night, bleeding profusely, I suppose I become rather curious.”

He opened his mouth to tell Lucius that he was trying to be sneaky. When the man said that himself. “You got there.” He muttered to himself, pushing up his glasses with the only hand he could use at that moment. The other arm hurt far too hard to move around. Lucius asked him how long he’d been like this and Edward was quiet. Taking a moment to look at the other’s oven and the time on that. “Eleven minutes. I was close by.” He replied. Foxy made his way towards him and Ed took a step back from him out stubborn pride. Only he was starting to feel woozy now. Probably from the blood loss and Foxy was quick to his aid. Pulling him along and forcing him into the chair. His thoughts went to the time Lucius had pushed him against those lockers. He was stronger than he let on. His admiration of Lucius’s strength didn’t last too long as the man answered his riddle. Wrong and yet... still right. Ed’s nose crinkled in frustration. “No.” He said with a huff, “It’s a needle! I think I need stitching.” He finally admitted as Lucius grabbed the first aid kit and brought it back to him. “Ow, ow-” He complained in a whisper when he pressed the disinfectant wipe against his cut. Gritting his teeth from the pain. “We’re... old friends?” He asked, surprised that Lucius still thought of him like that. In such a positive light. 

It was a shock to see Jonathan Crane as he exited the building he’d just seen Barbara Kean at. Immediately, the gears in his head began to turn. What an interesting new mystery he could unravel. How wonderfully intriguing! A giddy feeling started to overtake him and a bright, wide white smile crept it’s way onto his face. “Jonathan. What may I ask, are you doing here?”  

Lucius winced when he saw Ed smack his head against the cabinet, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown of concern. “Are you hurt?” he said, noticing the crimson coins of beading blood on the floor, spreading stains on Ed’s clothes. “What happened?” He took a few steps closer, into the kitchen proper, though he kept the kitchen table in between himself and Edward. A frown touched his lips as Ed spoke, and he glanced at him for a moment. “Edward, if you sit down, I can help you,” he said patiently. “But I need you to calm down and tell me what you mean. What are you looking for?” He realized belatedly that he should probably call the police, or at least Jim Gordon – but as soon as that thought occurred to him, he knew he wouldn’t do any such thing. “I’m not going back to bed. What happened to you?” He paused, looking over at him. “Where have you been?”

“Well, now my head hurts.” He said with an edge to his tone. Deciding to blame the man who’s home he’d just broken into unannounced. This was supposed to be a quick in and out thing. He could going to tend to his own wounds quietly and then clean up after himself as if he was never there. Instead, he could hear the worry in the other man’s tone. “I’m... fine.” He forced himself to say. A quick, strained lie. He was never too good at lying. He could still recall the feeling of his father’s harsh words. Cheater. Liar. Physically, Edward shook his head. Trying to force the thought from himself. Like it had never made itself comfortable in his mind to begin with. Reaching back into the cabinet, he straightened everything that was in there and lifted what he’d accidentally knocked over. At Lucius’s question, Ed paused. “What has an eye but can not see?” He replied. “You know, I’m normally the one who asks all the questions, Foxy.” He reminded him. Getting back up, he felt himself stumble. Having to quickly grab something and steady himself. “Where’s the first aid kit? You used to keep it under the sink...” 

Lucius felt the cold breeze first, the air stealing along the hall like a ghost to caress his skin. His eyes fluttered open and he sat up, frowning, instinct tugging at the corners of his mind like a rider trying to will an inert horse forward. Something was wrong – and then he heard the sounds of someone rummaging through his kitchen, a low voice muttering to itself, sounding like a radio on low volume. The problem with that being that Lucius knew he hadn’t left the radio on. He slid out of bed, feet landing lightly on the floor, and crept to the door of his room, listening. When the sound didn’t abate, he inched into the hallway, pressing up against the wall so as not to step on a creaky floorboard. He made it to the living room, which opened onto the kitchen. And so it was from across the room that he saw him, silhouetted by the moon, the lithe build undeniable even in the dark. “Edward?” he said. He made his way across the living room, stopping in the kitchen doorway. “What are you doing here?”

Hearing Lucius’s voice break the silence, Edward felt himself jolt suddenly. Smacking his head against the cabinet. “Ow!” He let out. His voice sharp and irritated before raising his good arm and rubbing his head. He really didn’t want to involve the other man directly. Breaking into his apartment and stealing some medical supplies was on thing... but admitting defeat to him was another thing entirely. “I’m just... looking for something.” He went with before looking up at the shape of him against the light of the moon. It was too dark to see much detail. Which, now that he was thinking about it... was probably a good thing. He didn’t have to look weak in front of Lucius if he couldn’t see it. “You used to... you kept it under the sink in Gotham. Have you moved it?” He asked, as if Lucius knew what he meant at all. Turning his head and squinting at the cabinet again. “Never mind. I’ll find it myself. Just go back to bed.” He said, swiping with one hand as if to shoo away the man who lived here.

There weren’t a lot of people Edward could trust with something like this. The list was so short in fact, that Lucius was the first to spring to mind. Someone who was supposed to be an enemy. Someone who’d opposed him long before even Batman had the pleasure to play his games. Clumsily, Edward pushed the window open and climbed into the man’s apartment from the fire escape. Leaving it open for the chilly wind to force it’s way in just as he had. Stumbling as he walked in around the dark living room. He’d been in Lucius’s apartment before but that had been back in Gotham. Things were different in New York. He didn’t know the layout. He didn’t know where he could have been keeping what he needed right now. So, he tried the kitchen. Moving along to the cabinet under the sink and shifting a few things with one hand. Knocking over some cleaner by mistake. The solution pouring onto the ground while droplets of his blood dripped into it. “Ah, come on, Foxy... where do you keep it?” He grumbled to himself. Unaware of the sounds of footsteps in the hall. Likely Lucius himself, investigating the sound.

“Barbara?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice when he spotted his old friend. Waltzing into the building as if she owned the place. (Last he checked, no one owned this particular building). Making it a wonderful new spot for a hideout. Ed liked to change hideouts every six months. And not only that, he’d have a few of them at one time. He liked the security of it. He’d been checking this old place out when the woman interrupted. Curiosity began to get the better of him before he could control himself. “What are you doing here?” 

“If I may offer you some advice. You shouldn’t stand so close to the edge.” Edward stated as he made his way towards him. He always had a strange relationship with Theo. He’d known the kid since they were both in the orphanage together. Although he doubted very much that Theodore would recall it. He was very young when they first met and not everyone had Ed’s perfect memory. “Unless of course... it’s your intention to fall 14 stories. Then by all means.” He said before dramatically gesturing to the rooftop’s edge. “Just know you’d be missing out on dinner. I planned on inviting you tonight and I make a fabulous chicken parmesan.”