𝐎𝐱𝐲𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐧 (Ed/Riddler x Reader)

a nightly call

(A/N this chapter is going to be a back and forth conversation, i wanted this to be a filler chapter to help the two grow a little more together but also as a filler chapter as it gets towards the end of the book)

after the opening, you hadnt seen ed or heard from him for the next two or three days. you had hoped you would see him, but you were still anxious about seeing him, and you didn't know if you wanted to call him. 

you didn't want to fall too fast again and then get hurt, and be alone even. but you wanted, no, needed to hear his voice. 

the clock was ticking, it was an ominous but lonely tick. you tossed and turned in your bed, unable to grow comfortable in the outdated, stiff bed that you've come to learn to love within falcones home. but you would've loved it more if there was warmth within your body next to him.

you couldn't do it anymore

you grabbed your phone and the piece of crumpled paper and dialed the phone. 

ring 

ring....

ring.... come on ed ..

"hello?" 

you felt a rush of relief over your body when you heard the man speak, he really would answer whenever you would call. 

"hey," you breathed softly

"oh my love, cant sleep?" 

"well you know me," you laughed, "I've never been able to sleep at nights"

he left out a throaty chuckle and you smiled, you rolled onto your back and stared at the ceiling as you listened to him breathe softly through the phone. 

"well that was always me too. i liked to work." 

"yeah me too," your voice grew softer, "I miss working with you, at the GCPD" 

"sometimes I miss it too, I loved my job but I don't know if it was truly right for me." 

"was a life of crime worth it?" 

"it wasn't worth losing you, nor was it worth getting you in trouble." 

"ed you know I forgive you, right?" 

"I don't know if I do or not" 

"well I do, at least I think I do." 

"well even if you are as unsure as you are now, please know how sorry I am." 

"thank you." 

the two of you sat in silence for a bit, just listening to each other breathe softly. 

even if you weren't with him, you loved just being there with him somehow. 

"do you want to come to my place? or me come to yours?" 

"no, I don't know if I can handle that right now." you sighed, "I want to be there, but I think this is for the best." 

"you're right," he sounded a little hurt but you didn't want to rush it. you couldn't. "if i came to the club every night, would that be too much?" 

"i would love you at the club ed," you paused, "maybe you and i can own it together one day, when everything goes back to normal" 

"what would victor think?" 

"victor just wants me safe. i think at least, i don't know. one second he's a big brother and then the next he's just as cold hearted as he always is." 

"why did you hide your identity from the world?" 

"do you think i would get in anywhere if my name was zsasz? my entire life its been a struggle, as much as i want to love my brother because we're not too far off from each other, its always been a curse." 

"i understand that, and what about your illness? did that ever play a role?" 

"what do you mean?"

"your other you" his voice grew a little soft

"i didn't know i had that, it came late i guess. even if i had symptoms before i never addressed them properly" you closed your eyes and nuzzled deeper back under the blankets, "what about you?" 

"i felt like there might've been something wrong, but i never addressed it, like you" 

"how do you live with it?" 

"how do you live with it?"

"i don't, i just try to shove it down and not let it come out but i cant help it sometimes." 

"he's grown too powerful for me to control, but i try my best, especially around you" 

"I appreciate that" 

you yawned and rolled onto your side, he was silent for a bit 

"good night eddy" you cooed before falling into your dark slumber