Outside Our Remit (A The Batman, 2022 Riddler x You Story)

Chapter 2: Plan In Action

Overheating in his navy jacket, Eddie shuffled up to the apartment door and smoothed down the clean shirt he had put on. It had a tiny floral pattern on it in a shade of blush blue. He had bought it on a whim, something to wear if he ever had reason to go out somewhere other than work. He felt silly about it then, and sillier now wearing it when he considered how clashing it was to his usual plain and sensible style. It was almost comical, worrying as the thought flashed through his mind. Trying to soothe his nerves, he took a deep breath and tapped his knuckles, lightly, against the door three times.

"Eddie? Come on in!" He stepped through the door, loudly announcing himself. "I'm just changing into a different outfit, the first one was...I don't know, but I think this is better!" He stiffened in the room, a cold sweat threatening to form, immediately aware that the only thing he could think was that she was there, undressed and vulnerable, and the only thing separating them was a door. In an attempt to silence the deafening lust thudding in his ears, he took a glance around the living space. It was messy in here too. Gosh, if they ever moved in together he'd never know where his mess ended and hers began. He blushed at the thought.

"You can leave your jacket here, I don't think you'll need it." He turned to face her. She had on a simple black dress, shimmery fabric that picked up the light and floated around her as she moved through the space towards him, the gentle drafts sending the subtle smell of her perfume around him. It was intoxicating. "You can come back here afterwards, no? Or do you have other plans?"

He just stared, thrown off and terrified by the change in the script he'd created for the evening. This went against all protocol for first dates, at least everything he'd learned online in the few hours he'd had to do research. Usually, you went back to someone's apartment after the date if it had gone well. For coffee, or...other things. And he was pre-emptively invited? How was she so sure it would go well? He was petrified, and now the pressure not to disappoint her was even tougher on him.

"I thought...we could come back here to debrief? Or at least plan the next steps...If you don't want to though..."

"No, that's fine!" He was shrugging his jacket off, clumsily, but trying to play it off cool. "Very warm, sorry. He held it tight in his hands, unsure of where to put it, knuckles tight as he clenched the collar.

"Just throw it on the couch, as you can probably tell, I'm not any tidier here than I am at work."

"Oh...I hadn't noticed." He tried not to look at her, trying to hide the lie. He folded his jacket and placed it, neatly, on the arm of her sofa.

"I like your shirt, Eddie. It suits you."

Heat flushed up from his neck to his cheeks. All he could offer was an awkward smile.

"I like your...you look nice." She was smiling back at him, both of them, in casual clothes, standing in her apartment and ready to go on their first date. He couldn't remember ever being this happy. His work brought him the means to achieve his 'side projects', which were so important to him. They gave him satisfaction, but happiness wasn't something he gleaned from them. He found joy in them, but it was fleeting. But everything about her, everything she said to him, every brief and accidental touch, it lingered around him and stayed with him.

"Ok, you good to go?"

He followed her, trying not to seem too eager, and they exited the apartment.

You walked close enough to Eddie that it didn't seem awkward, but not so close that he might get uncomfortable. You were only a five minute walk from the Iceberg Lounge, but you were glad Eddie had met you at your apartment to walk with you. It was a shitty neighbourhood, and you tried your hardest to avoid being outside this late. But with Eddie beside you, stiff and silent as he was, you felt so safe. His presence was comforting, and you let yourself have a few seconds of imagining his embrace, warm and safe and soft, before snapping yourself out of it.