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[THE BATMAN 2022]
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'Your need for revenge will ultimately be your downfall, Valeska'
'You call it revenge. I like to call it... returning the favour, Batman'
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[Cover by @mayatelford]
[Edward Nashton x OFC]
Published; 21/03.2022
Completed;...
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[2012]
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The first year in Arkham had been the most challenging, having to adjust to a new environment always is.
Sleeping was the hardest thing to do, having spent eight years previously paired up with Edward, so it had been a difficult change to embrace but having her dearest friend visit at least twice a week helped immensely, hearing about his day, asking how his studies were going, if a girl or guy had caught his eye since the last time they had spoken.
His response was always the same, 'You know same old, same old, Rosey'.
She could see a change in Edward as the years went by in her confinement.
He had grown taller, his face maturing with his emerald eyes darkening as time went on, how his deminer changed from a reserved, frightened orphan boy to a fiercely intelligent man with a mission, but, she could also see the bruises, the way his eyes looked sunken and irritated.
She knew how he would take drops to ease the pain and her guilt would almost completely consume her knowing that it was her fault. She should have been there to stop him, to be his refuge instead of having to take drugs to escape the harshness of reality.
They never outright spoke about the orphanage during her time in Arkham, other than when it had mysteriously burnt down three years into her sentence. When Edward had told her what had happened she had an inkling that he may have done it but never said a word as all she cared about was that he got out alive and unscathed.
Same with the drops he would use, never fully saying her worries as she felt as if she had no right to judge how he coped with everything.
She couldn't judge, she had her way of punishing herself and had an unorthodox coping mechanism of sorts also.
Fighting.
She wouldn't outright start them as she wanted to be seen trying to get better and be allowed out on the notion of good behaviour and reclaimed sanity but that didn't mean that she wasn't slyabout getting what she wanted. Making digs and snarky comments to anger the inmates till they would snap and attack her.
Most of the time she would allow them to just keep hitting her, liking the pain but mostly thinking that she deserved it, allowing them to break the skin and make her bleed before seizing back control of the situation, leaving her attackers broken and bloody.
