Pretty Little Puzzle Piece | Edward Nygma

Chapter Two - A Quaint Little Cafe

Chapter Two - A Quaint Little Cafe

By the time lunch rolled around, Esme - the ever efficient worker - had laterally organized almost half of the records annex.

Looking up, Esme smiled at Edward as he stepped in, who gave her a kind grin in return.

"Ready to go?" He questioned calmly, to which Esme looked around the room and the current disorganization of the files, before nodding back at Edward.

"Yes, Mister Nygma. Just let me grab my coat." She responded rather cheerily, much to her surprise, before she grabbed her coat off of the back of her desk chair and walked over to Edward.

"My lady." He gave her a soft smile, offering his arm to her, to which Esme giggled softly as she linked her arm with his, allowing him to lead her out of the records annex.

Walking through the halls and into the main room of the GCPD, the two got a few stares, including that of two detectives.

"Detectives Gordon, Bullock," Edward greeted them, using their names for Esme's benefit, as he knew she wouldn't know anyone by name yet, besides possibly the Captain.

"Ed." They both nodded, before exchanging looks as Ed walked away with the beautiful new Archivist on his arm and out of the building doors.

"...why was everyone looking at us?" Esme questioned as the two began their walk down the streets, led by Ed, as he was the one who knew where the cafe was.

"Well, I'm not that great with women, or people in general, and everyone knows that," Ed chuckled slightly awkwardly. "Also probably because the last Archivist who ran off with another officer was my girlfriend."

"Oh, Mister Nygma, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Esme apologized softly, looking over at Edward worriedly, hoping he wasn't mad at her for taking his last girlfriend's job.

"Don't worry about it. I've... made my amends with it. It's fine, honestly."

The pair was silent as they walked the rest of the way to the small cafe located a block or two from the precinct, entering and sitting down at what Ed deemed his table, a small two person one situated against the large windows looking out at the street.

Esme smiled gratefully at Ed as he pulled back her chair for her and pushed it in once she sat, before moving around to sit opposite her.

The two gratefully took the menus the waitress handed them, before both ordering a coffee with two sugars, causing them to smile sheepishly at each other as the waitress walked off.

They were rather quiet while Esme looked over her menu, as Edward had been here enough that he knew what he wanted.

"Are you two ready to order?" The waitress inquired, setting down their coffee before straightening up and readying her notepad.

"Oh, uh, y-yes," Esme nodded, as she felt the waitresses' eyes on her. "I'll have the grilled cheese with bacon and the tomato soup, please."

Edward blinked at her in slight surprise before turning to the waitress when she looked at him.

"The same, actually, thank you." He informed her, to which she nodded and smiled, turning and walking off. Esme giggled sheepishly, tucking a strand of long red hair behind her ear, while Edward watched her with a small smile.

"Our similarities seem to know no end." She teased gently, to which Edward chuckled in response, leaning forward on his elbows and looking at her with interest.

"So it would seem. So, Miss Collins, tell me about yourself."

"Oh, u-uh, what would you like to know?" Esme blushed softly, reaching up to adjust her glasses uncomfortably, honestly never really enjoying talking about herself.

"Well, what are your hobbies? What are you interested in?"

"Hm, well... I enjoy reading, I do a bit or writing and occasionally some art, uh, I also enjoy video games and puzzles." Esme spoke thoughtfully, not really used to listing her hobbies.

"Ooh, I love video games. What kind do you play?" Edward questioned, tilting his head slightly as he watched Esme with fascination.

"I play all different kinds, I like to have a options. I'm a, uh... bit of a collector." She admitted sheepishly, letting out a soft giggle as Edward's face lip up.

"I'd love to play some video games with you sometime, Miss Collins."

"I think that would be lovely, Mister Nygma. Oh, and... please, you can call me Esme."

"Esme," He smiled, nodding his head. "Well, then you can, of course, call me Edward. Or Ed. Whichever you please, I'll respond to both."

"Alright, thank you. So, what do you do at the GCPD?" She inquired, resting her chin on her hand while stirring her coffee with a spoon.

"I'm in forensics." Edward admitted, smiling when Esme looked up in interest.

"Oh, that sounds fascinating. I would have loved to go into forensics but I could never afford post-secondary education. I was an honour student though and I did some studying on the topic in my free time."

"Well, perhaps you could come along with me sometime to a scene, if you'd like?" He offered, to which she smiled.

"Sure, sounds good," She nodded, before the waitress returned and set down their plates, smiling at the two of them. "Oh, thank you."

The two of them ate in relative silence, making the odd little bit of conversation in between bites, before they noticed the hour coming to an end and they realized, much to their mutual unhappiness, that they had to be heading back to the GCPD.

"Well, I suppose we should be heading back," Ed suggested with a sigh, pulling out his wallet, which caused Esme to do the same. "Oh, no, allow me, Miss Collins."

"Oh, no, you don't have to, I can pay for my meal." Esme shook her head, pulling out a ten dollar bill out of her wallet.

"No, Esme, I insist." Edward shook his head, handing the money to the waitress as she walked over, smiling softly at the two of them.

Esme smiled sheepishly, dropping her eyes from his and replacing the money into her wallet, nodding her head slightly.

Edward took the receipt as the waitress returned with it, before grabbing his coat as Esme did the same, before smiling at her and offering his arm.

"Shall we be leaving now, then?"

Esme nodded her head, linking her arm with Ed's, and allowing him to lead her out of the cafe.