Unmasked [Riddler x Batman]

(4) decisions

Bruce woke up to Edward staring at his face. He was content and smiling. Eddy gave a little wave to Bruce, and he just stared back.

"Sleep good?"

Bruce hummed, he did sleep good, he did enjoy the touch, the cuddling. Even with a crazy criminal. He's that touch starved. He thought he was crazy.

"I guess so."

Edward was beaming. "I'm glad!"

Bruce groaned. "Soooo.. Mr. Wayne.. What's your choice? Stay with me and spare gotham, or save yourself and open the gates of hell on gotham?"

"Well... When you put it that way.."

Bruce held his breath, did he want to say it? No. But he needed to. He could bare gotham over his selfishness. He can sacrifice himself.

What's the worst that, can happen?

.
.
.

Right?

.
.
.

"I'll stay..."

Eddy's face lit up, "REALLY?!". Bruce nodded unsure if he made the right choice.

"You'll leave gotham alone?"

"You have my word."

"But I don't. I don't trust you."

"You will eventually."

Bruce turned to face the wall again, but not before Edward grabbed his chin and pecked his forehead. He was giggling like a little girl waving to her first crush.

Bruce yanked his head out of his grasp. 

__

Bruce stared holes into the dull grey concrete walls. His thoughts on full speed. He was blushing, and he didn't know why. He didn't like it.

Eddy was just staring at Bruce from his desk while he seared holes into the wall. He was so madly obsessed, so unhealthily hyper fixated on him.

His heart soared when Bruce said he'd stay. He was so excited, he even wrote it in his journal. Only plans or special things get written in there.

Or riddles. Those too.

He doodled on his page while thinking of what to write. Little bat symbols and question marks were his go to's.

When Edward looked up, he was met with Bruce's eyes staring daggers into his forehead. "Can you unchain my ankle? It's really fucking annoying."

Eddy nodded fiercely. He walked over to bruce with the key and unchained his ankle.

Bruce's ankle was bruised and cut from the sharp, uneven cuff. He winced in pain, it throbbing.

"What the hell, why did you put it so tight?!"

"I didn't know it was that tight."

Edward put his hands up in defense. Bruce could barely put any weight on it, let alone walk around.

Bruce's ankle was bruised and cut from the sharp, uneven cuff. He winced in pain as he tried to walk, falling back onto the bed.

"What the hell, why did you put it so tight?!"

"I didn't know it was that tight."

Edward put his hands up in defense. Bruce could barely put any weight on it, let alone walk around.

"You asshole!! You knew this was going to happen!"

"Mayyybe?"

"You sadist."

Edward shrugged the comment off and sat next to bruce who was laying on his back.

"You're cute when you're in pain."

"You're disgusting."

Edward gasped, acting as offended as possible. "Me?! Neverrrrr." Bruce gave a forced chuckle to his over exaggeration.

Edward laid his head on Bruce's huffing chest. He could hear, no, feel his heat beet pounding through his chest. Bruce tensed up. "You know, I wasn't always looking for the truth. I used to be full of lies myself."

"Oh really?" Bruce said through his teeth.

"Yes."

Eddy grabbed Bruce's hand and placed it on his own chest. Bruce could feel oh I'm calm breathing, his heart thumping lightly.

They both relaxed as they started to tell each other their back stories. One consisting of a poor boy who witnessed his parents kill each other, he was distraught, confused, and traumatized. Another consisted of his parents being murdered, him never getting the proper needed affection a child needs, and having to live up to his parents high, high legacy. They both had it rough, just in different ways.

Equals..

By the time Bruce finished telling his story, eddy was passed out on top of him. Instead of moving the guy, Bruce just stayed put. He liked the touch, it felt comforting.

He had a new found pity for Edward, even though he was a murderer...

(700 words)