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hxney-lemcn · 11 months ago

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The Riddle of Love — Gotham! Edward Nygma x gn! reader

summery: Edward's interest shifts to someone who indulges in his love of riddles.

tw: bullying (?), kristen kringle is a warning all her own in this fic, implied rejection (not really tho, Ed's just awkward).

a/n: I hope so much that I wrote all these characters correctly. I have riddler fever rn and really wanted to write for him, but I've always been scared that I'd write him too ooc. I think I did good tho.

wc: 3.1k

Master List

“What is it that no one wants to have, but no one wants to lose either?” I asked. I already knew it was a lost cause. Edward Nygma was the smartest man I had ever met. Dorky? Yes. Nerdy? Absolutely. Smart? Incredibly. So trying to impress him at his own game wasn’t exactly the smartest move. Yet, the first time I gave him a riddle to solve (which he solved ridiculously fast), I don’t think I’d ever seen him so happy. So I continued to scour the internet in my free time to try and find obscure riddles.

Although this riddle wasn’t that obscure. I was running out of riddles to find, and I sure as hell couldn’t make my own.

“A lawsuit,” Eddie replied without missing a beat, still focusing on testing blood samples.

I couldn’t stop the pout that formed on my face, “It’s not fair how smart you are.”

I didn’t see Ed’s lips twitch up, how the praise I didn’t think twice about saying impacted him more than he’d like to admit. It was quiet for a few minutes, and I looked back down to the papers I had brought with me. Sometimes, I found myself working in the forensic lab when I could. One of the perks of being a criminal data analyst. I could make my notes on paper, and then just copy them into the computer later.

Since I was a data analyst, I was in the record archives often. I was acquainted with Kristen Kringle, which obviously led me to Edward Nygma. She would complain about him if I came in after he had left. At that point I didn’t know him, but I also found her complaints unfounded. I’d let her vent, but I’d also speak up for him, which made her glance away in what I assume was guilt. Then there were the unfortunate times that I’d walk in on his awkward flirting. I’d just tensely put away or take the files I needed for my research and leave them to it.

But after enough times, I’d caught him in the middle of one of his riddles. An easy one, probably to dumb it down for Kringle so she’d be enticed to answer it in the first place. Yet he had caught the attention of the wrong person. Although that didn’t seem to put a damper on his mood. He only sent me a tight lipped smile with a little ‘ding ding ding!’. That’s how I was caught hook line and sinker. His mannerisms were oddly endearing to me, and that’s how our odd little friendship formed.

I was brought out of my reverie as Eddie shuffled over to his microscope, “I am a nine lettered word and rhyme with perfection; I am another name for love. What am I?”

I blinked, not ready for a riddle, even though I always should be in the presence of him. I looked up from my work, and I noticed how Eddie was sweating, his cheeks flushing a bright red. I tapped the metal table anxiously, the word love had thrown me off my game and my brain felt empty of anything else. I mumbled words under my breath that rhyme with perfection.

“Deception, reception, perception,” I mumbled, yet none of them fit the rest of the rhyme. The longer I took, the more anxious Eddie seemed to get. “Affection. Oh! The answer is affection!”

Ed cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses, “Y-yes, that is correct. G-good job.” My proud smile fell into a more awkward one, thinking over the implications. That riddle sounded like one he’d save for Kringle. Was he running out of riddles as well? The thought alone was preposterous. It was tense for a bit. And when I realized I had nothing left to do but input the current data I had on some wanna be gang leader. The sad part is I knew that the cops aren’t going to be the first ones who get them.

Even though I needed to leave, it felt wrong for some reason. To leave the situation after Edward had seemed to admit something in his unique way of sharing. I didn’t want to assume his feelings, yet I knew he also wasn’t one to just state them willingly. Biting my lip anxiously, I decided to just do it.

Walking over towards Ed’s hunched form, I leaned down to place a light kiss to his cheek, “I’ll see ya later Eddie.” Then I booked it out of the room, leaving behind a very flustered dork.

It wasn’t much later in the day when Doctor Lee Thompson entered my office. It wasn’t much of an office. The dark walls made the space feel enclosed, and it barely fit my desk and the few cabinets it held. Yet I didn’t mind it since it was a space for myself. Lee, on the other hand, was another acquaintance whose office was nowhere near mine. She’d only come to my office for a few reasons, if it was work related (which was rare since our departments weren’t similar), or if it was personal. Sometimes she fessed that it seemed I needed some company, that it would do me no good to spend all this time alone in my office. Other times…it was on a more personal note, about Eddie and I’s relationship.

She plopped a candy bar on my desk, a placating move that was all too familiar.

“You must’ve done a real number on Ed,” She smirked, sitting on my desk. Due to the tiny size of the room, and the nature of my job, I didn’t have a seat for guests.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Deep down, I knew exactly what she meant. I knew Edward was an awkward man, and his experience with flirting was an ultimate zero. Yet it was hard to imagine that he was still affected by a small gesture of affection… Okay maybe the gesture wasn’t that small, for either of us, but still!

Lee’s smirk widened, “I think you know exactly what. Poor little Ed kept stumbling over his words when I brought you up. Something must’ve happened.”

I unwrapped the candy bar as she spoke, wanting to avoid any thought of the earlier moment. Looking back it was so awkward and a terrible attempt at…what? Flirting? Was that my intention? I didn’t even know my own intentions!

I took a bite from the candy bar, savoring the sweet flavor before having to explain the painfully awkward memory. When I managed to explain the event, Lee couldn’t stop herself from chuckling, causing me to finish my candy bar with a bitter look.

“That sounds like something you’d both do,” She smiled.

“What’s that supposed to mean,” I huffed, trying to fight off the flush of embarrassment I felt.

“Nothing,” She sighed wistfully. “But you two really take your time, huh?”

“Shut up,” I scowled.

“Okay, okay,” She threw her hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll stop teasing…for now. But seriously, I think you two would be cute together.”

I let out a childish groan, “I get it. Is there anything else you need?”

“No,” She smiled as she stood up. “Just wanted to see what had Ed all wound up.”

I rolled my eyes, but my heart skipped a beat at the implication. As Lee saw herself out, my mind kept racing. What was Ed doing right now? What was he thinking about? Did he really care enough about my opinion, about my affection, that he was still affected by it? I stared at my computer screen, the cursor blinking mindlessly. Glancing at the time, I scowled as I realized I still had 30 minutes left to my shift. The idea of going home, having a relaxing dinner and then maybe treating myself to a warm bath.

…

That was only the beginning. It seems that Eddie’s admiration had shifted from Kristin Kringle to me. It was flattering, to say the least. At least to me. Once I gained Ed’s attention, I seemed to have gained his colleagues attention as well. Typically, I didn’t work with the officers, I’d research criminals, then that data would be added to the files. So when I walked past James Gordon and Harvey Bullock, I never thought twice. But when Ed had waved at me, that cute tight lipped smile on his face as I waved back, a smile of my own adorning my face, it drew the attention of the two detectives.

"Careful Ed,” Harvey mocked. “Don’t wanna scare them off.” Jim only glanced up briefly, not interested in the situation in the least. I watched as Ed’s smile twitched for a second, Harvey’s words seeming to get to him. I felt my smile slip, not liking how they treat him in the slightest.

“He…didn’t do anything wrong,” I shrugged, before waving goodbye, making my way to the record archives. Not only them, but even Kringle was looking at me more than just as a person to vent to.

“I feel sorry for you,” She stated, adjusting her thick rimmed glasses. Her hazel eyes held their usual air of judgment as she placed some files back in their spots.

“Why?” I asked, flipping through to find the person I needed.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She asked, raising one of her perfectly maintained eyebrows. “Edward’s got his eyes on another victim.” I frowned, anger bubbling within me at the way she always found new ways to insult him.

“I wouldn’t describe it like that,” I managed to grit out. “I find the sentiment sweet.”

“Wait,” Kringle paused, turning to look at me with disbelief. “Do you…like him?”

I sighed, finding it hard to focus on the task at hand with this irritating conversation, “Would there be something wrong with that?”

“Isn’t it kind of weird how fast he switched?” She asked, a hint of jealousy in her tone. “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he loses interest in you.”

I slammed the cabinet shut in a bout of rage, leaving the room before I do something I may regret…or lose my job over. As I exited, my scowl worsened when I realized I didn’t even get what I needed.

“Hello!” Edward’s excited voice greeted me as I entered the break room. When my gaze landed on him, I felt my expression soften, my shoulder’s relaxing. His brown eyes were so expressive, that silly smile on his face never failed to melt my heart.

“Hey,” I muttered back. Looking over the options in the vending machine. Just get something to eat, and hopefully I’ll feel better.

“Is…something the matter?” He asked, fidgeting with his glasses. I let out a long sigh as I sat across from him at one of the few tables.

Taking a bite of my snack, I took some time to gather my thoughts and feelings, “Sometimes I just hate people.”

His eyebrows raised, nervously fidgeting with his tie, “Th-that’s…understandable.”

“Sorry,” I muttered, finally cooling down. “Someone was just saying some really mean things and it got to me.”

Edwards’ demeanor changed in an instant, a frown replacing his smile, and his eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of concern and anger, “Who?”

I blinked, “What?”

“Who insulted you?” He asked, fists clenched. This wasn’t what I was expecting. He would get annoyed, yeah, but he’d always just stew in it until he calmed down. And he was barely angry when I was around, which was something I was proud of. So seeing him react so harshly was unusual. It made me feel a bit appreciated, that he cared enough to get this angry over it, yet it was also unsettling.

“They…they were insulting you,” I clarified, rubbing my arm awkwardly. “And trust me, I was ready to do some things that would’ve gotten me fired.”

Ed blinked, calming down drastically at the revelation, “Oh.”

“Yeah,” I shrugged. “I swear if she says one more damned thing about you I’m gonna…” I strangled the air, the only way I could express how frustrated her insults made me.

Edward fake coughed, his cheeks tinged a light pink, “I assume you mean Miss Kringle.”

I paused, hoping it didn’t hurt that his past interest was still as rude as ever. “I didn’t even manage to get the files I needed,” I grumbled, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

“...I can get them for you,” I felt my heart crack. Was he still interested in her? Was that why he was so ready to go into the den of the woman who so readily insults him?

“Oh, no you don’t have to do that,” I shook my head. “I’ll just have Lee do it.”

Ed blinked, seeming to think over something before standing up, “I’ll be right back.” Before he was fully out the door he paused, “Whose case files did you need?”

I couldn’t help the tiny grin at how eager he was as I gave him the names of the people I needed files on. Yet that smile fell. Was he really so excited to get a chance to see Kringle that he almost left without knowing what files he needed? I finished my snack, getting a drink from the vending machine while I was at it. My mind continued to make up terrible scenarios that could be happening at that moment. How she could manage to crush Ed’s precious heart even more than she’s already managed to.

Ed was back quicker than I realized. It took him less than ten minutes! He set the files I needed on the table, that tight lipped grin on his face as he waited for my input.

“Oh! Thank you!” I thanked, flipping through the files to make sure they were all there. “She didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”

“No,” He replied simply. As I met his gaze, that’s when I finally realized that he was truly over Kringle. I should’ve felt disturbed at how intense his gaze was, at how strong his emotions seemed to be when he wasn’t even trying. Yet I only felt flattered, important, and wanted. Emotions I wasn’t completely used to, and caused my heart to stutter at how strong my own emotions were becoming.

Standing up, I leaned in and kissed his cheek again, this time a bit more confident then the last time I did. I waved goodbye as I walked out with the files he gave me. I felt pride swell within me as I watched Eddie become a flustered mess as I left. It was a good mood lifter as I watched him fumble with his usual nervous ticks, before he was finally out of my sight.

…

Edward’s courting tactics only seemed to grow after that. I wasn’t sure what changed him to do so. I could only speculate that Lee had something to do with it. She kept stopping by my office, asking how Ed and I were doing like she hadn’t just seen us the day before. I can’t lie, I was reveling in the attention that Ed was giving me, and I could tell he’d revel in my attention as well. A mutual pining on both sides.

Normally, I’d be okay with that. Too scared to try and push things forward. Edward Nygma was different. He was just so…amazing. I’ve never felt so strongly towards someone. He was sweet, attentive, smart, and overall lovely. I couldn’t just settle for pining, I wanted to experience what it would be like as his lover.

Which led me to this horrendous mess up of a confession.

I dressed up a bit nicer than usual, hoping to impress the cute dork. I felt confident in myself, an emotion I don’t feel regularly. I greeted Lee, who seemed like she guessed the occasion and sent me a wink when I walked past.

“Hey Eddie,” I greeted, setting a cup of coffee down on the counter.

“Oh! Hello,” He greeted me, smiling. “You seem chipper this morning.”

Nudging the coffee towards him I smiled back, “It’s a good day today. I got you a coffee.”

“You didn’t need to,” Ed replied sheepishly, not used to people giving him things.

I only shrugged, “I wanted to.” I tapped the counter I was leaning on as nerves started to slowly creep through me. So, before my anxiety could get the best of me, I blurted out, “What is mine but only you can have?”

With furrowed eyebrows, Ed actually paused to answer a riddle for the first time during this little game we had. His eyes flitted around the room, like he was trying to avoid the answer. I know he was smart enough to figure it out, so the fact he was taking so long to answer caused my heart rate to spike from anxiety. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I was reading the room wrong. I blame Lee for feeding me a wrong understanding.

“I…uh…” Ed stuttered over his words, sweat dripping down the side of his face. Shit, shit, shit! I shouldn’t have said that. He does know the answer, I found it online easily, he obviously knows. He doesn’t feel the same and now he’s trying to find a way to politely reject me.

“Nevermind!” I exclaimed, trying to quell my nerves by getting the fuck out of here. “Stupid riddle! Never needs an answer. I should get to work.”

“W-wait!” Eddie called out, making me stop in my tracks. So close yet so far. “I can be a fruit, I can be on a calendar, I can be important, and I can be forgotten. What am I?”

Turning back around, I watched as Eddie picked at his nails. We both seemed like complete messes at the moment. It was hard for me to think of anything due to my previous failure of admitting my feelings. I bit my lip awkwardly, trying to stop myself from making any more of a fool of myself.

“I…I’m not sure Eddie,” I chuckled solemnly.

Clearing his throat, he adjusted his glasses before admitting, “A date. W-would you accompany me on one?” I stared at him with wide eyes, unsure if I heard him correctly.

“Y-yeah! Of course I will!” That tinge of embarrassment was quickly overpowered by exhilaration. The smile that stretched across my face almost hurt with how big it was. Eddie’s smile was also wide as he still couldn’t meet my eyes.

“Is…is tonight okay? Dinner? 7 o’clock?”

“That sounds perfect.”

And to make the moment better, I kissed his cheek before parting, excited for what the night held for us.

#riddler x reader #the riddler x reader #gotham x reader #edward nygma x reader #edward nashton x reader #gotham #riddler #the riddler #edward nygma #edward nashton #x reader #dc #dc riddler x reader

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i-smoke-chapstick · 8 months ago

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‘WILDFLOWER AND BARLEY,

-GOTHAM!EDWARD NYGMA X READER-

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 ; Sometimes you don’t think you deserve him….other times, you think it’s for the best that you stay.

⋆ tags/warnings. GOTHAM!riddler x female reader. SMUT AND ANGST!! reader is toxic, but eddie is too, so its ok. eddy being vanilla but also strangely dominant. guys this fic is FILTHY. also,, part 3 to gotham characters eating you out. takes place with like season 2 eddy, post kringle. Did i write a fic inspired by a Hozier song that isn’t even released yet? yes. readers taking advantage of eddy. but also, eddy is more than willing to give. kind of a character study. im so sorry if i made reader too mean ive had this idea for a week😭

fic requested by @clementine-writes-things <3

♫ “My coffee black in my bed at 3 / You’re too sweet for me. You’re too sweet for me.” Wildflower and Barley by Hozier

You’d fucked up, majorly.

God, what were you thinking?

Edward Nygma, the quirky forensics guy. The loon, as your fellow officers eloquently put it. And you didn’t necessarily disagree. He was certainly a peculiar fellow. He had always a thing for…what was her name? Kristen Kringle. That was it. You’d been working with him for years, watching him moon after her. You could…understand the appeal, you guessed. She had a sexy sixties librarian type of thing going for her. She kept to herself. Maybe you should’ve done the same. She’d dissapeared a few weeks ago.

You somehow landed yourself in the bed of Edward Nygma. You’d been hooking up…For the past two weeks in a row. No judgement, yeah?

It started as a joke. You and the other officers, chatting with beers and obnoxious comments towards the other tools in the GCPD. Jim Gordon…Harvey Bullock. The way the men couldn’t seem to keep their mouthes shut, especially Jim.

Well, you’d gotten plenty tipsy, staying after work. You pummled those beers back like it was your last night alive. And hell, living in gotham? As an officer? It very well could be.

They were all drunk and laughing out of their minds. Anything anyone said seemed overly funny. Especially when one of your fellow cops brought up the name, “Nygma” like the name was it’s own disease.

“You think Y/N could sleep with him?”

“Yeah, Y/N, go fuck the loon. I wonder what it’s like.”

“You think he says riddles when hes cumming?”

“Whats long, hard, and has ‘cum’ in the middle?”

The numerous voices of your “friends” rung out, and in the moment, drunk out if your mind, you too thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

“I could do it.” You affirmed, alcohol giving you the liquid courage you wouldn’t typically have. After the “oooooo”ing from some of your coworkers, you decided, fuck it. Edward was tall, had nice cheekbones, and was smart. You could do worse than a one night stand.

So you confidently marched into that forensics room, high on the dare the other cops had given you.

You found him, looking into one of the forensics mirrors. He was muttering to himself and you snorted. Weirdo. Oh well.

He pushed up his glasses when you two made eye contact. He was sweating, for some reason, in that lanky labcoat and rubber-gloved hands. He stood up straight and went rigid when he saw you.

“Ms. L/N-“ He was about to question, when you rammed your lips onto his. You remember it like yesterday- how hesitant he was. The way he parted for air, breathing wildly at you. He kept trying to ask questions the whole time you were eagerly undressing him. But he didn’t seem to mind your fowardness.

Well, just your luck, that one night stand was the best fuck of your life. The way his cock fitted perfectly into your body, like it was made for your cunt alone. You two fucked on the forensics cabinets, your coworkers in the next room over, and it was exhilarating. Especially when the usually reserved Ed got unusually rough, pulling your hair and smacking your ass just right.

By the time you two were done…you were fucked out of your mind. Pleasantly surprised.

Since then, you hadn’t been able to get away. You told the cops it was vanilla, and reveled in their dismay. But…you came back for seconds. And then thirds. And then fourths. And then you couldn’t remember the last time you woke up in your own bed.

And just as if you were Kristen…he started following you. Your coworkers snickered. You’d see homemade cupcakes left on your desk. You’d catch him staring at you from the other side of the precint. You writhed under his gaze. For a man with not much expirence, he was obnoxiously good at sex. And he was even more obnoxiously good at not understanding the meaning of coworkers with benefits, and not a relationship.

But…mornings like these? You can’t complain.

Taking yourself back to the present, you awoke in his bed. The sunlight of the open windows bled through your eyelids, and you felt yourself smack your lips. You blinked yourself awake, same as you always did. You shifted underneath the covers, which had been neatly adjusted over you. It was infuriatingly comfortable. You let a yawn escape your lips.

“Ah, good! You’re awake!” You heard his voice chime, far off in the kitchen. You looked up, seeing his tall frame. He stared at you adoringly, and you felt your heart pang.

He carried a tray of coffee and breakfast. You sat up. It was the usual morning routine. He made the most exquisite breakfasts for you.

“A necessity to some, a treasure to many. I’m best enjoyed among pleasant company. Some like me hot, some like me cold. Some prefer me mild, others prefer me bold. What am I?” He spoke the riddle quickly.

You blinked at him, tired. You shrugged nonchalantly.

He made his way over to you, swiftly and delicatley placing the tray in your lap.

“Coffee.” He looked a bit dissapointed at your lack of answer, but brightened back up instantly. “Almost black, not quite. 1 Sugar. No cream. Just how you like it.” He noted, and it was in this moment, you felt the weight of your actions. He’d memorized everything about you. Whatever records you liked, he’d play softly. He’d learned your favorite flavor cupcake, and how you took your coffee. Gods, he’d even bought the brand of toothpaste you had at your house, so it was familiar brushing your teeth in the morning.

You squinted, adjusting yourself to the sunlight of the room. Golden. You felt the weight of the tray, and met his gaze. God, it was intense. The way his big, puppy dog like eyes harrowed in on you. Like you were the world.

He was practically wagging his tail, watching you take a slow sip of coffee. He wanted praise, as though perfected it, finally.

He was too sweet for you. You didn’t deserve any of this. But selfishly…you couldn’t resist.

You gave him a small nod in approval, letting the liquid glide down your throat. Damn it, The coffee was perfect.

He positioned himself next to you on the bed, sitting, legs crossed. He looked at you almost creepily, eyes never leaving as you finished your breakfast and coffee. You didn’t say a word to him, but you did listen to him ramble quite a bit. Every now and then he’d ask a casual question, and you’d stay silent, or give him a one worded answer. You’d see his smile falter, but he’d continue.

When you were done, he’d grab the tray from your hands. You let him do the work for you. You liked his bed. He came back, eyes big and bright. He sat once more, looking at you expectantly. You furrowed your brows.

“…What?”

He shrugged, giving a slightly nervous, manic giggle. You cringed a bit, but faltered when you felt his fingertips glide across your thigh.

Oh. Thats what.

“…We have work in an hour.” You replied. The mantra played in your head. You don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve him. You felt guilty.

“I’ll be quick.” He affirmed, peeling the covers back. Oh, fuck it. Who were you to deny him?

He didn’t lie, he was fast. The covers exposed your skin, still undressed from the previous night. You felt the cool air on your thighs and pussy, and couldn’t help it. You caved.

In an instant, he was worshipping your legs, working his way up. He kept eye contact with you, laying gentle bites and pecks into the plush of your skin.

He kissed his way up, tonguing the bite marks he left in his wake. You shivered when his lips hovered over your pussy. He wasted no time. No, he didn’t tease you, he needed to please you as quickly as he could. It was a need for him.

His tongue came into contact with your pussy lips, and you shivered. Instinctivley, you threaded your hands through his morning messy hair, and shoved his face into you. He reciprocated instantly, wanting nothing more than to make you feel good. He licked up and down, tongue flicking gently on your cute little pearl of a clit.

He circles it and taps it with his tongue, saliva dripping and mixing with your juices. His movements are quick and calculated, and he indulges you, body and soul. He hums in pleasure when you arch your back up into him uncontrollably. It’s almost uncharacteristic- the way he switches from being so soft and gentle, to practically making out with your pussy. You feel his fingers dig into your thighs, like he’s a whole different person when he’s mouth fucking you.

Your moaning and shaking, saying his name over and over. Somehow, your getting off to this. To the idea you don’t deserve him. That he’s such a nicer, better, smarter person than you. And although he doesn’t vocalize it, you wonder if he strangely shares the sentiment.

It’s almost like he knows. Like he’s self-aware- of all your selfish thoughts. Like this, him eating you out, him on his knees for you, making you breakfast in bed- is some sort of revenge.

He knows what he’s doing. He’s making you feel awful, guilty for your mistreatment of him- by giving you more and more of him. And you find yourself cumming in his mouth at the thought.

He greedily laps at your swollen clit, overstimulating you. You let out a loud yelp, and he keeps going, only for a few more seconds.

It’s weird. He’s weird. But as you sober up from your orgasm, shaking underneath him, you brush those strange thoughts from your head.

You look into his gentle eyes again, watching him ramble off apologies. You two will most definitely be late to work. You scold yourself. Why would you think such an odd thing? No, he’s a complete sweetheart. Not a degrading bone in his body. You think.

Yet…you still feel the bruises forming on your thighs. And the burning guilt of using him.

You left his aparment in a hurry, driving yourself insane. You seem to convice yourself it was a weird orgasm thought, maybe you’re more kinky than you thought; for some pseudo pyschological self degradtion.

You go to the precint, just as you do every other day. The work is effectively still just as boring and your peers are still just as insufferable.

You’re given a few files by some mysoginistic cop you haven’t aquainted yourself with, who obviously assumed you were the new record keeper. You snort, but decide to take it. You browse over the files, snooping. They are forensic files, and your heart drops. Ah. You’ll have to give these to him.

You enter the forensic room without knocking- at least, you’re about to. But you hear him mumbling to himself, and decide to listen in for a moment. Curiosity getting the best of you.

“You’re too good to her.” You hear him argue with…himself? “You need to show her whose in charge.”

“I am!” He retaliates to his own voice.

“By making her coffee?” He snarls, and your brows furrow. He smashes a file cabinet closed loudly. You jump.

“Yes!” Ed’s voice growls out, fed up. “If you were smart enough to understand-“ He begins, and you’ve heard enough. You enter the room.

Ed looks at you bewildered, and you look at the same. He’s sweating, and his hair is in dissaray. You two make eyecontact and you grimace. What the hell?

You hardly register what he was actually saying, and more that he was having a seemingly very heated conversation with himself. You watch him fumble with his glasses.

“…Ed?” You question, and he snaps.

“What are you doing here?” His voice is quick and sharp. Thats uncharacteristic. You wince.

“Uh, files.” You nod to the papers in your hands, and he blinks, standing up straight. He clears his throat.

“Right.” He recovers, quickly. You narrow your eyes at him, and hum, giving them to him. He’s about to speak, but you rush yourself out of the room, heart pounding.

He is weird. He is a freak. You chime. Your coworkers have been right.

Any shred of pity you had for him has dwindled significantly, and you mull it over in your mind.

Maybe you do deserve eachother, You think. You’re the best he’s going to get.

#x reader #gotham #gotham x reader #batman #batman rogues #batman x reader #gotham villains x reader #batman rouges gallery #dc comics #gotham edward #gotham edward nygma #edward nygma gotham #edward nygma x reader #edward nygma #edward nygma x reader smut #the riddler gotham #the riddler smut #the riddler #the riddler x reader

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ilovetheriddler · 3 months ago

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The Enigma Of Love.

(Gotham) Edward Nygma x F!Reader.

Chapter Four.

(This Chapter is entirely from Edward's perspective and recaps some previous events from his point of view. As well as helps to establish what point in Gotham this story takes place, and also a lot of Edward Pining and longing, enjoy!)

Word Count: 1,996.

Contents: A lot of pining, devolving feelings, longing, and slightly suggesting themes and conversations.

It was supposed to be a perfectly normal trip to the library. He simply wanted to pick up some new Riddle books, and also perhaps a mystery novel or two. However, that changed the moment when the front desk came into his field of vision. More specifically, once he had laid his eyes upon you. You were deeply focused on inputing information into the library database. He found the focused look on your face to be... cute. He walked over to the front desk, standing on the side across from you. You didn't seem to notice him. He ultimately decided that the best way to both get your attention and greet you was with a riddle!

"I'm made from trees and can bring people either incredible joy or intense sorrow. I can be short or long, big or small. It can take people a long time to create me or very little, depending on the person. What am i?"

You appeared slightly startled by the sound of his voice. He felt a tad bit guilty about potentially causing you stress. You glanced up at him, and his breath hitched as he found himself getting a bit lost in your gorgeous eyes. Oh dear....

"I... I don't know, what is it?"

Oh god, your voice sounded so perfect to him. He smiled at you as he sat his choices for books down in front of you.

"A book! I um... I'd actually like to check these out... You know if um... it's not too much trouble, that is...?"

"Not at all! That's why I'm here, I just need to see your library card, and if you don't have one, then I'll have to sign you up for one."

He was relieved that he wasn't distracting you from your other task too much. He frantically felt around in his pocket for his library card, his thoughts running rampant. "Oh goodness! Oh dear! Where is it?! It should be in here somewhere, ah! Got it!". He pulled his wallet out and retrieved the card out of it and handed it to you, his face heating up some as his hand accidentally brushed against yours ever so slightly.

He watched with a mixture of nervousness and excitement as you pulled up everything on the computer. He found his focus being drawn to your hands. They looked so soft....

"Quite the um... selection you have here... I'm going to take a wild guess and assume you like riddles and puzzles?"

He was startled out of his thoughts at the sound of you speaking again, pushing his glasses back up some before answering.

"O-oh! Yes, I do enjoy them quite a lot...."

You handed him back his card, which he put back in his wallet and sat down on the counter as he grabbed ahold of his selection of books, adjusting them in his hands so they hopefully wouldn't fall on the ground on his way back to the precinct. You gave him a kind smile.

"Well, I hope that you have an enjoyable day, Mr Nygma. And that you also find those books to be to your liking."

He found your kind and polite smile and farewell to be captivating. He quickly stumbled out a response after a bit.

"O-oh.. um.. i..I will! T-thank you miss!"

He quickly made his way out of the library and started walking back towards the direction of the GCPD building. He glanced over at that one expensive sandwich shop, which he was ninety percent sure was actually just a front for money laundering or something in a similar vain.

He eventually made it back to the GCPD building and walked in, making sure his ID badge was still promently displayed. He noticed Detective Gordon and Bullock clearly arguing and discussing a recent case, Then he saw her, Kristen Kringle. He'd been infatuated with her for quite some time now, Pining for her love and affection, always leaving her well thought out riddles and even reorganizing the filing system for her... which she didn't exactly appreciate. He felt a sense of guilt, however, as he recalled how he had felt his heart speed up when he met you earlier.

How could he feel something for someone else after all of the effort he's put into pursuing Miss Kringle? He felt horrible over it, but he reassured himself that his feelings for you were just an acknowledgment of how kind and attractive you were, not a genuine desire to want to be with you like he felt for Kristen.

He made his way back into the forensics lab and sat down at the nearest table, slipping a new slide underneath the microscope and observing it, taking notes on everything important he found. Ed loved his job. It was something he greatly enjoyed. However It did frustrate him quite a bit over the fact that he had been reprimanded for performing autopsies without explicit approval to do so. The previous examiner didn't know what he was doing. He always missed important things, and Edward knew that he was absolutely being paid off, Which is why he may have framed him for stealing body parts so he would be fired.....he's pulled out of his train of thought by a knock on the door. He immediately heard Detective Gordon's voice on the other side.

"Ed, you have someone here to see you!"

Someone... is here to see him? How peculiar and exciting! He quickly went about attempting to tidy up his workspace somewhat. He needed to look decently presentable. After all, he had no clue as to who was even here visiting him! He felt his breath temporarily leave him, and his eyes light up in both surprise and excitement as he threw open the door and saw you standing there next to Detective Gordon.

"A-ah, it's um... you! What exactly can i... help you with?"

"O-Oh goodness! W-what is she doing here?! Oh dear..." His thoughts ran at a mile per minute as he tried to come up with some reason as to why you'd possibly be visiting him here! At his job! You chuckled at his clearly flustered state and reached into your pocket, pulling out his wallet and handing it to him.

"You forgot this on the library counter, Mr Nygma."

"Oh! T-thank you so much! I'm sorry if this inconvenienced you in any way..."

He quickly took the wallet from you and put it in his pocket. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten something so important! Or the fact that you took the time to return it to him.... you seemed.. very considerate as far as he could tell.

"Don't worry, Mr Nygma. I promise you that it wasn't any trouble at all!"

He felt his heart speed up slightly as you gave him a warm smile. "Oh dear... why does she have to be so kind and nice to me..?" He adjusted his lab coat awkwardly, attempting to find something to do to distract from the temporary silence.

"Well, I should be getting back to the library... my break is almost over!"

"Oh, um... Well, thank you again for doing this. I hope that the rest of your work day goes pleasantly..."

He watched as you walked away. Detective Gordon turned to him once you were gone from sight.

"I didn't think that you had any friends outside of work?"

"F-friend?! Oh, um... you're mistaken, detective. She's simply an acquaintance, nothing more... in fact, I just met her for the first time earlier today..."

In all honesty, Edward would love to be your friend, maybe even more.... but he wasn't ready to admit, acknowledge, or deal with everything tied to... that... idea yet, no, he still loved Kristen, and that's who he was going to pursue!

"Alright... I'll see you some other time then, Ed."

With that, Detective Gordon went on his way, leaving Ed to his work and his own thoughts. He got back to work looking over the samples and writing down everything needed.

Unfortunately, the next week was... less than pleasant for Edward, to say the least. He had started having these bizarre dreams, but oh, were they ever so lovely.... they were always exactly the same. He was sitting in the library, and you'd come sit across from him. The air would smell of honey and ink, and there would always be a piece of paper lying on the table, with a simple riddle scrawled onto it.

"I hurt the most when lost, yet also when not had at all. I'm sometimes the hardest to express, but the easiest to ignore. I can be given to many, or just one. What am i?"

Love. The answer was love, and Edward immediately knew this. It wasn't really that difficult of a riddle, but it still warmed his heart all the same. He was slowly having to come to terms with the fact that his affection may no longer lie with Miss Kringle and that he might actually be falling for you instead.

Just yesterday, he returned the books he borrowed to the library and also got to walk you home. You hadn't remembered to bring an umbrella, so he had the perfect excuse to be close to you, and he loved every second of it. It was everything he could possibly want. He had refused your offer to let him rest his feet inside your apartment for a bit. He wasn't quite sure if he could handle being in such a... private place with you yet.

That was just last night, and he hadn't stopped thinking about it since. What if... he had agreed to come inside? He would have gotten to speak with you some more... maybe things would have escalated.... oh dear.... he was pulled from his brief fantasies as he heard an amused laugh, one he had unfortunately heard a lot in the past few weeks. He glanced up at his reflection in the mirror.

"What’s so amusing to you..?"

"Oh... It's nothing, I just can't help but find it a bit funny that you want something so desperately and yet don't have the nerve to act on it!"

Edward had started seeing this reflection of himself about a month ago, not long after he had killed Officer Dougherty. He could never allow anyone to ever know what he did. If it had been just one or two stabs, then maybe he could have painted it as self-defense, but over eleven? No, no one would believe that... his reflection couldn't help chiming in again.

"You went through so much trouble for Kristen... and yet now your attention has landed on someone else... I honestly can't really fault you, she is quite attractive..."

"Shut up! Don't speak about her.... you don't know anything about how I feel for her!"

"...We're technically the same person, I'm painfully aware of what you think about her. About how you fantasize about her pinned underneath you, those captivating eyes of hers looking up at you as she writhes in pleasure as you -"

"STOP! O-oh dear... no, i.. I can't think such things about her...."

He quickly finished washing off his face and left his bathroom. He chose to attempt to ignore his reflections words, even if they were true...

A few days later, after work, he made his way down to the library. He had to see you. You'd been consuming his every thought, and it was too much for him to handle. He was going to ask you out today, and that was final!

He walked into the library, looking around for you in a mixture of both nervousness and excitement, but stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes finally landed on you. You were leaning against the main desk, crying your eyes out.

Why... why were you upset...? He then felt something inside him burning as his mind went to a slightly different thought. "Who made her upset?"

#dc comics #batman #edward nygma #the riddler #riddler #gotham #the riddler x reader #edward nygma x reader #x reader #fanfic

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meganlpie · 1 year ago

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A Riddle in Pastries

Based on this request: Could you do a s1 Edward x shy reader, where the reader is new assistant for Kristen and has a crush on Ed and secretly leaves small presents on his desk (like coffee or pastries).

Here you are, my lovely! *I do not own ANY Gotham characters. They belong to the writers/creators of the show as well as the creators of the comics.*

Warnings: Fluff-ish?? Brief mentions of workplace bullying. It's a little short

Pairings: Edward Nygma x reader

From the moment you'd met him, you had developed an unexpected crush on Edward Nygma. Your boss, Kristen, called him strange and creepy. But you didn't see it that way. Edward simply didn't understand social cues sometimes. It wasn't his fault. Despite that, the man was an absolute genius that no one else seemed to appreciate. Not the captain, not the detectives, not the other officers, and certainly not Kristen.

"I don't know what you see in him, Y/N," Kristen remarked one afternoon, "But maybe, if the two of you got together, I wouldn't have to be around him so much." You rolled your eyes at her as you went back to your work. You hated how Kristen had everything organized, but this was her space first and she was in charge so you muddled through. But her comment had sparked an idea in you. There was no way in hell you'd be able to tell Edward how you felt. You were far too shy. But maybe there was another way. One that spoke to Edward's more eccentric side.

*time skip Ed's POV*

Ed cocked his head to the side when he noticed the pastry on his desk that morning. He would have thought it was mistakenly left there if not for the note with his name neatly written on top. As far as he knew, no one in the precinct liked him or even tolerated him enough to leave him a gift. He was wary as he set down his belongings and sat in his chair. Ed debated opening the note for a moment since he was often the butt of office pranks but something told him this was different. So he donned a pair of gloves(can't be too careful) and opened the note.

Much to Ed's surprise, there was riddle written in green ink on the note. He read the card and a smile crept onto his face. Someone actually left him a riddle. It wasn't difficult for him to solve, but he was touched that someone had taken the time to do this for him. But who? His first thought, of course, was Ms. Kringle. But then he shook his head. She would never. Ed had no more time to ponder as he needed to get to work, but the question remained in his mind for the rest of the day. Who?

The rest of the week, Ed came in to find a pastry and a riddle. Every day, it brought a smile to Ed's face. And every day, he continued to wonder who it was. He was smart and had narrowed it down to a couple of people. One of the officers that liked to poke fun at him. Maybe it was an elaborate prank. Or you. You were shy and quiet, but always smiled at him when he came into the records room. You seemed nice. Or at least, you tolerated him.

Once that idea was planted in his mind, it wouldn't leave. Ed spent the weekend and much of the next Monday contemplating. He paid extra attention whenever you were in his line of sight. He often found your gaze straying to him, but you quickly looked away whenever you saw him looking. As the day went on, Ed was almost certain it was you leaving the riddles and pastries. The only way to know for sure though would be to catch you in the act.

The next day, Ed came into work extremely early so he could hopefully learn whether his hunch was right or not. He waited out of sight around the corner from his workspace. Sure enough, he managed to catch sight of you entering the room, pastry box and note in hand. Ed rounded the corner and stood in the doorway as you turned around.

You jumped and let out a little cry of surprise. "It was you," Ed stated. You looked like you might cry a little. "I'm sorry!" You moved to push passed Ed, but he gently touched your arm. "Why? Why would you do this for me? The food? The riddles? I figure out it was you leaving them, but I couldn't figure out why." You tilted your head in confusion.

"Really? Ed, you're a genius. If you think about it for a moment, I'm sure you can make the connection." Ed nodded as his brows furrowed over his glasses. "The only reasons I could think were that you were just like the rest of them. Making fun of me." You shook your head immediately and Ed continued, "The other is that you have…feelings for me." Ed felt his face heat up as you bit your lip and looked down at your shoes. "Is it weird? It's weird isn't it? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Ed. Really." Once more, you tried to leave.

"Please stop doing that," he said. You looked at him again. "Stop leaving before I get the chance to say anything." You sniffled a little bit. "I think I've embarrassed myself enough."

"Would you-that is-would you like to go out? With me? I could cook for us," was Ed's only reply. Your eyes widened. "Really?" He smiled as a little chuckle left him. "Yes." The frown on your lips turned up into a brilliant smile as you agreed.

(a/n: I hope this is what you were looking for! I am working on the second part of "Dating is Hard (When a Hitman Loves You)" as well!)

Forever Tags: @fizzyxcustard @brewsthespirit-blog @sirkekselord @aikibriarrose @lady-of-lies @motleymoose @stories-by-shanna-p @dark-angel-is-back @esoltis280 @supernatural4life2022 @asgards-princess-of-mischief

#gotham #edward nygma #edward nygma x reader

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quandaryqueen · 2 years ago

Note

Any riddler's

W anti-villain/villain crush getting caught under a mistletoe.

(I can't believe that even though I'm in another hyperfixation I still act like a high schooler having a crush when it comes to riddleman)

Mistletoe trapping

Edward Nygma X Reader

Ooooh 👀 this is bound to get interesting

💚 Young Justice

First of all, HE DIDN'T MEAN TO--

Second of all... The timing was a little too perfect, since he pulled you away to confess but what the fuck, what if you rejected him???

Based on his looks, it was unintentional. Trust me, you'd know, he is looks like he's about to cry. You really can't fault anyone for this, except for those who placed the damn trap from above the doorway.

"Ah-- ahem I— y-you don't— we don't have to—"

"Well, it's tradition," you shrugged, still eyeing the mistletoe with murderous intent. "Let's get this over with."

Gripping a handful of his fist, you tug him closer and press harder than he had anticipated... He knows it was the pent up rage to find whoever placed the damn kiss trap on the door, but he was not about to complain.

Edward had no time to reciprocate, before you were off to consult the cameras to see who decorated this place and give them hell, leaving him red in his spot.

Well... His confession can wait.

💚 Batman Unburied

Ohohoho this magnificent bastard. You know it's intentional.

He's this casual little fucker who will just randomly walk you around when he's rambling, then suddenly he looks up, prompting you to look up as well, then spot the dreaded thing strung up in the ceiling, then you look down to see this bitch smiling in accomplishment.

Pa-simple pa, amputa.

"Oooh~ looks like—"

"I thought you don't like following traditions?" You countered.

"I hate myself, but you don't see me ending it all."

You furrowed your brow at him. "The fuck does that have to do with--"

"Listen, I know several guys, gals and others waiting for us to kiss just so they can drag their unfortunate someone under the very same hall. Now can we?"

Staring a hole through his skull, you relent with a sigh. Edward excitedly puckers his lips and closes his eyes, waiting for your response. Rolling your eyes at his antics, you gave him a peck. He opens his eyes filled with disappointment.

"That's it?"

"Beggars can't be choosers." You shot back at the pouting Eddie, who's game you've beaten. Admittedly, you know you will only stir the fire from within and give him more of a fight to have a proper kiss with you. And hey, while the night's still young.

💚 Gotham

"Mx. L/N?" Peaks the bespectacled dork through the doorway of your office with wide, wandering eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Nygma?" Your head arose from the rows of tall paper work on your desk, only your eyes visible to Edward.

"I was wondering where you were, since everyone's gone home. There's Detective Gordon, Captain, Miss Kringle, Doctor Lee, you, me and..." He recalls from the top of his head, before concluding his thoughts with a nod. "That's it."

"Oh wow... So six of us here, huh?"

"No, it's just what I can name from the top of my head. There are more of us outside."

"Chasing that paycheck..." Or just being responsible servants of the law becHse crime does not pause at Christmas.

"Would you like to join us? Doctor Lee brought sweets."

Wanting to leave your station for awhile, take a break from seeing the same wallpaper peeling away in the corner, you grinned and stretched your arms above your head. "Count me in."

Upon walking out, you began to chat with Edward about the occurrences in the precinct. Events you weren't there to see, since you were always holed up in your office tending to reports.

"And how's Kristen?"

"Oh, she and I, we're just friends. She's right, we get along better that way,'

"Oh my gosh, good for you!" Being away from the center of the building, you often missed out on the recent happenings, imagine your shock to see Edward and Kristen attached to one another. You thought they were together now, but no.

"I know! I'm actually happier at this outcome... I just didn't know how to tell the difference between romantic and platonic back then... Till now..."

"Yeah, can be confusing..."

You trailed off, only to realise you were approaching a section of the building with a mistletoe hanging from a doorway. You hoped Edward wouldn't see it and just continue walking, but it was too late. Edward squints and points at it, even.

"Did you know mistletoe isn't a normal plant? It's parasitic, meaning it has to grow in other trees to survive! Gross in rough clusters, giving the appearance of sprouting magically from tree branches. It takes the nutrients and water from the tree it grows on."

... yeah.

As you stood staring at it, you feel his lips against your cheek.

"And it's a bad luck to not kiss when underneath it."

"You planned this, didn't you?" Cheeky bastard.

"I'm pretty sure it's placed there by Lee and Detective Gordon."

Returning the favour, you press a kiss on the corner of his lip, before dragging him off the hallways before he can process anything.

"Come on, I wanna see what sweets Lee brought."

#edward nygma #riddler x reader #dc x reader #edward nygma x reader #dc x you #edward nigma #request #young justice riddler #young justice riddler x reader #gotham edward nygma #gotham edward nygma x reader #batman unburied riddler x reader #batman unburied riddler #absolutelysmittensimp

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the-suicidal-lizard · 3 years ago

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Does Edward Nygma love Oswald Cobblepot? No. Does The Riddler love Oswald Cobblepot? Yes. A Semi-Deep Dive. - Nerd Time

And, why I believe Edward Nygma has DID...

Warning: I am not an expert in DID, this is what I have searched up and the bare basics. If I have offended anyone, I am sorry, I know little, but I try and be respectful. If you have DID, I hope you know, I do not intend for it to sound like I’m saying YOU are a psychopath, or killer, or any of your Alters, since that is just not how it works. Okay, thank you!

Deals with Sexual Abuses, Parent Abuse, DID, Drugs and Alcohol, Suicidal Thoughts, and Unhealthy Relationships.

Right, the first thing you should know about me, is that I’m a huge Nygmobblepot Shipper. I hated Isabella, I fully love and support the theory that Isabella was a distraction, created by “The Court of Owls”, and I do believe they could have ended up together, had the writers not decided to fuck it over. But, they did. So before you continue, let’s get that straight. I am a Nygmobblepot Shipper.

But, with the way the show went, this is what I believe...

In Season 1, I believe Edward Nygma had a his “Bisexual Awakening” with Oswald Cobblepot, in which he realised he could like two genders, in this case, a male and female. He likes Kristen Kringle, as seen in the cupcake with a live bullet sticking out of it, the poetry, and eventually getting to go on a date with her, but I believe he also liked Oswald. The reason for that is, he didn’t shy away from him in Season 1, in fact, he stood right in front of him. He said, “Did you know that male emperor penguins keep their eggs warm by balancing them on their feet?”, and obviously, the eggs would be a baby, so sure, it’s a stretch, but that’s alluding to a family. But, this is Season 1, in which Edward is just starting out, and is nervous, and a bit “odd”.

When he kills Officer Tom Dougherty, that’s when the Riddler is unlocked, though of course, he’s not known as that yet, just “a figment of [his] imagination. A projection of impulse”, but in the series, Edward clearly suffers from DID, (Dissociative Identity Disorder), which means someone who has multiple, distinct personalities. The various identities control a person's behaviour at different times. The condition can cause memory loss, delusions or depression, and they can also be violent (not all the time, I cannot stress that enough). DID is usually caused by past trauma.

Now clearly, I believe this, and I'm sure others do, or some might not have thought this. Here is my proof below;

Let’s tick this off; it can cause memory loss. Check. He doesn’t remember where he took Kristen Kringle’s body after killing her, Riddler claps his hands and says “I can make a body disappear”, and when Edward look’s there’s no body, and a riddle, he asks, “where is she?”, and he doesn’t remember writing the riddle, as he has to figure out that riddle, and another riddler before finding her.

It can cause delusions. Check. He’s imagining Riddler, isn’t he? When Kristen Kringle questioned him if he knew anything about Officer Dougherty’s disappearance, he’s hearing all the voices and the yelling about how “odd” he is. Kristen Kringle showing up in the mirror when he’s with Isabella, Oswald Cobblepot soaked to the bone after Edward’s killed him; though that is a combination of drugs and DID.

It can cause depression. It's possible. This is never confirmed. But, after killing Oswald, he falls into a depressive state, but is he depressed from DID? Who knows. It wouldn't be shocking if he was depressed given his past (read below), and how he was treated at work.

Past trauma? This might not be as common knowledge to the passing fan, or it might be, I’m unsure. But, Edward Nygma was abused when he was younger, all starting when he cheated in a contest because he wanted a riddle book. He was found out, and his father beat him, after that, his father never believed him when he passed tests, and believed he had cheated. Then I believe it went from cheating to just plain abuse. So, trauma is a yes.

Riddler controlling his body? Yes. When Riddler went to The Toy Maker, and paid him to get Lee Thompson killed, and again, Edward doesn’t remember that. Riddler moving Kristen’s body, cutting off one hand...

Safe to say, Edward has DID (in this version of "The Riddler").

After he’s killed Officer Dougherty, he starts dating Kristen, he’s no longer “Edward”, but he’s also not “Riddler”, he’s more... as Lee Thompkins put it “strange, sort of cool” about him. Probably just delighted he’s dating Kristen. But, when Kristen is horrified to learn the truth about Edward, that Edward killed Officer Dougherty, she slaps him, and calls him a “psychopath”, in which he promptly (accidentally) kills her, Riddler takes over making her “body disappear”, and buries her body in the woods.

It should be noted, he only get’s violent after she slaps him, and she calls him a “freak”, he says, in a rather dark tone, not akin to the “Edward” we know, but more like someone else, “please don’t call me that”. This all has a point, I promise!

So, when Edward is burying Kristen, he then runs into an injured Penguin, in which he takes Oswald home, and heals him. Thus, the feelings start, and him realising he can’t have this normal, picture perfect family he always saw, the same one his father probably wanted him to have, but he could have a happy life. Sure, at first, Oswald doesn’t like him, but they slowly get along, and all throughout it, Oswald is treating him as him, as both Edward and Riddler (even though Oswald doesn’t know about Riddler).

Singing Penguin’s Lullaby, eating Chinese Take Out, killing Leonard together, this was them bonding. Edward clearly respects Oswald, stepping back when he was told “you’re standing too close” in Season 1, allowing Jim to his place after Oswald told him to, answering Oswald’s constant phone calls despite getting annoyed. He turned Oswald away when he was “reformed”, because Oswald was “kinda freaking [him] out”, but he was delighted seeing Oswald again, a wide smile on his face, turning into a stuttering mess seeing his friend, and I’d like to believe, crush, and was clearly concerned with Oswald’s fearther-y appearance “what’s-what-what happened?”, again stuttering.

But, when Oswald is back to normal, he still cares for Edward, and is clearly concerned about the man while he’s away in Arkham, as at this point, Edward has been arrested for his crimes.

When Oswald goes to visit Edward, as a friend at this point, he gives him a gift, and asks “did you get the biscuits? And, the sweater - I know how draft these rooms are —”, he’s been showing care and concern for Edward, worried about the man who took care of him. And Edward, despite being “freak[ed] out” the last time he saw Oswald, still holds him to respect “Mr. Penguin”, something he does showing the man respect when they’re teetering on the edge of uncertainty between them. Oswald corrects him with a nervous smile “Oswald”, showing that he’s not angry Edward turned him away.

Then, Oswald get’s him out of Arkham, for an admittedly selfish reason, but Edward at this point is madly in love with Oswald; he’s made sure he was okay in Arkham, got him out of Arkham, with a certificate deeming him “sane”, he’s also powerful with a name that holds weight. And, if you still don’t believe Edward loves Oswald, let me direct you to this quote; "I can't be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I'm worthless to one, but priceless to two. What am I?", literally drawing a heart!, and it's said on two occasions; one time Oswald stops him, and the second time Oswald says "they love me". Edward still believe's Oswald is amazing - taking all the money back for a clean election, though his love is dwindling, though they reason he grasps on is because Oswald made him his Chief of Staff; there's still hope.

Cut to, the night in which Edward saves Oswald's life, being strangled by Butch. When Edward is lying motionless, and Oswald has knocked Butch out, this is the moment Oswald realises his feelings aren't just friendly. I would have liked it if they kissed on the stage, but they didn't. Then let's go to that sofa scene. "Oswald, I would do anything for you," this is Edward, in what I believe, is his last ditch attempt at wooing Oswald Cobblepot, and this is the moment in which Oswald realises he's in love with Edward, but instead of kissing, which I believe should have happened, they hug. This seals the deal for Edward, he needs to move on.

After this, Oswald is a stuttering mess, bashful, shy, but Edward is now moving on, such as in his bitter, awkward "and yet I still have so much to learn from you", though this is the first time both of them have felt awkward. He thinks it's because he let Oswald down, but Oswald assure's him he'd be "lost without [him]". Oswald even nearly confesses, "there is something that I need to tell you", immediately this has Edward's attention, he's not tense, he's loose, and blank faced, but there's something with the way he holds himself, akin to hope, and when he asks "what is it, Oswald?", he leans in very slightly. But, then Oswald says "I forget! In and out of my head, just like that!", and Edward look's sad, upset, and disappointed, and when Oswald says "don't you hate when that happens?", Edward replies in a quick, snappy-ish tone "that never happens to me". I believe this is the second point of no return for Edward.

When Oswald tells Edward there's "something [he'd] like to discuss... dinner at the mansion?", and Edward say's he'll pick up "a nice bottle of wine", this smile is off. This isn't the Edward we've had throughout Season 2 and Season 3, this is akin to Season 1, being polite and friendly. Then enters the woman we all hated, Isabella.

Yes, Isabella walks in, a direct clone of Kristen (besides the blonde hair), right down to the same glasses. It's sets off Edward's hallucination's, but... this is a girl, he spends all night with her, and believes he's in love. He could be picturing that normal life with her, the one he can't have with Oswald. Edward loves her, and we have to accept that. He, at this point, has fallen out of love with Oswald Cobblepot (I believe this could have been better than bringing in Isabella, making Edward love Oswald in Season 1 and 2, and make him need to let go, seeing Oswald didn't love him back, for Oswald then to fall in love too late, and that could have been the conflict). Oswald is still in love.

Edward spends less time with Oswald, gaining more feelings for Isabella, and sure, he's being less of a friend, and then, in a fit of jealousy, Oswald Cobblepot has Gabe cut the wires on Isabella's car, killing her. When Edward finds out, he's rightfully furious, and kills Oswald, thus more hallucinations.

Now, this is Edward and Riddler, fighting to become one, or the other. And it's unclear who pictures Oswald Cobblepot singing "Wake Up Alone" by Amy Winehouse, the outfit Hallucination!Oswald wears in a suit, and rather refined and put together, and the lighting is red, dark, almost with a romantic feel to it all. So, not only does either Edward or Riddler listen to Amy Winehouse, he also hallucinates Oswald seducing him.

Now what is this song? In “Wake Up Alone”, Amy Winehouse soulfully sings about her desire for a man’s love, and lays bare her struggles with depression and alcohol within the lyrics. Winehouse describes being deeply in love with a man and being unable to control her intense feelings for him, even after a break-up. The man she sings about is presumably her then-on again/off again boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil, who was known to have a tumultuous relationship with Winehouse. Replace this with Edward, Riddler and Oswald.

Edward makes Hallucination!Oswald seduce him with this song, but don't forget, this also means deep down this is what Edward is feeling. As Hallucination!Oswald tells Edward, "the trouble with talking to projections of your psyche... is that they know everything you know. Including the things you’re trying not to know.” Therefor, Edward is Amy, describing being deeply in love with a man and being unable to control his intense feelings for him, even after Edward has supposedly fallen out of love with him, after he's dead, after he killed the woman he loved. Oswald is Blake Fielder-Civil, being the on and off again romance interest. Edward, as of now, bares his struggle with depression of not knowing who he is, and drugs.

Not to mention, Winehouse was always open about her sexuality; friends claim that she said, "there is something about being with a woman that is very satisfying. I don't care what people think about me being bi — I do what feels good.” Therefore, this could be alluding to Edward also being bisexual.

The lyrics Hallucination!Oswald sings are, "He's fierce in my dreams, seizing my guts. He floods me with dread, Soaked in sorrow, he swims in my eyes by the bed, Pour myself over him, Moon spilling in, And I wake up alone." This song isn't just a "love song", but is to do with addiction to alcohol, or in this case, drugs, and Hallucination!Oswald. Now, the meanings I got were from Genius, but I'm also adding my one, because I did English combined in college.

"He's fierce in my dreams, seizing my guts," let's start there. These lyrics are mirroring Edward's emotions. He feels psychically sick due to his feelings toward him, and that's because how dare he love the man who killed his girlfriend. Edward has butterflies in his stomach; a fluttering sensation caused by a feeling of nervous anticipation.

"He floods me with dread," this could also connote the water that filled Oswald's lungs. But, it also alludes to Edward being anxious of seeing him because of the hold he has over him. His love for him is so undeniably strong that he feels powerless. This also ties into later, when Edward says "I admit killing you, killed a part of me". He knows that, but he doesn't want to admit it.

"Moon spilling in," while this line, read literally, paints a clear image of Edward's empty bedroom at night, or in this case, Edward being alone in the world again, no lover or friend, or teacher, it also holds a deeper metaphorical meaning. The anthropomorphic description of moonlight likens the moon to Amy, or in this case Edward. Like him, the moon has been "liquefied" with dread/anxiety, and thus is "spilling". Although moonlight is often associated with romance, its now a symbol of encroaching anxiety and romantic despair.

Then Oswald comes back, and Edward Nygma is now "The Riddler", if you agree with the fact Edward (in this version) has DID, then this is where I say, Riddler likes Oswald, but the reason he never dates Oswald, is because of Edward. Now, here me out!

Riddler is an "alter", which just means a distinct personality, and people with DID can have multiple, each alter can have a different role. "Persecutor", alters that purposefully harm the body, system, host, core, or other alters, "Introject", alters that are based off of an outside person or figure, and may or may not see themselves as the individual that they represent, and so on and so forth. Now, there are more, but I'm focusing on one.

Protector: Protectors are alters that protect the body, system, host, core, or other specific alters or groups of alters. Physical protectors might take or try to prevent physical abuse or become aggressive in an attempt to defend against physical abuse. Verbal protectors might take verbal abuse or lash back verbally in order to counter verbal abuse. Emotional protectors might take emotional abuse or comfort other alters to soften the effects of emotional abuse. Sexual protectors might take sexual abuse or attempt to instigate sexual abuse in an attempt to feel more in control of the situation. Caretaker alters are a unique type of protector that is focused specifically on taking care of younger, weaker, or more vulnerable alters or external children. Persecutors are another specific type of protector that are often not seen as such but that protect by harming the system themselves in order to avoid outside harm.

What proof do I have for this? You mean, besides ridding of Kristen's body... well kinda. See, this theory I have both falls flat and doesn't. He protects Edward by "making [the] body disappear", because if he hadn't, Edward would have "half the mind to turn [him]self in", but "luckily [Riddler] has the other half", that's Riddler protecting Edward from Arhkam, while trying to convince him that this is Edward's new life, and it's okay.

Then, there was the time in the bird cages; where Riddler sees Oswald alive, and well, and Riddler tries to protect Edward, smacking on the forehead "just had to make sure", had to make sure Edward wasn't hurting himself with imaging things, and, he even get's snappy when Oswald calls him "Edward", "I told you not to call me that", as if he doesn't deserve to call him that. And, when he shoots that dart at Oswald, and laughs in dark delight, that's him getting not just himself out, but Edward out too. Until Oswald calls the guards, but still!

Another way is, when Edward had fallen in love with Lee in Season 4, and he's trying to become "The Riddler" again. When Lee is being targeted, Griffin (Toy Maker) says, "You paid me good money to kill The Doc. Used your alias: The Riddler.", then it shows The Riddler paying Griffin to kill Lee through a flashback, Griffin then says, "said The Doc was holding you back". Say what you want about Lee/Edward, personally I hate it, but Lee clearly did not like Riddler. Lee tells Edward, "I haven't been looking for a cure for your brain, Ed, because there's nothing wrong with you... I was afraid that if I told you the truth, you would go back to being who you were before, The Riddler. And I like who you've become... Ed Nygma. The Ed that you were before. My friend." First of all, ouch, rude, mean, cruel; Edward clearly has DID, so this is like dismissing someone's actual condition. Second of all, how is The Riddler going to be happy with this? He's not. Clearly, Lee is using Edward, using his brain, "you knew every move that Sampson was gonna make before he made it", and keeping him "normal", this is not how you would help Edward. The Riddler is trying to protect Edward by getting rid of the problem, getting rid of Lee. Even Edward felt betrayed by this reveal, as he has no idea who he is. "Who am I?" he asks after Oswald doesn't freeze him a second time, is he Edward Nygma, The Riddler, or if you go by some other accounts Edward Nashton.

Edward is now panicking, at the prospect of having Riddler back. "I am in control!" He yells, slamming his hands onto the sink. "Me. Ed Nygma!", and Riddler, his protector, sure he's taunting him, "we had so much fun when we were me", but also, there's a look of disgust, or blank worry, "You're in love with Lee Thompkins, you pathetic loser", Lee has been lying to him, Lee doesn't like him for him, she likes Edward, not Riddler, and not Edward and Riddler together, she's using Edward, which becomes more clear in the second half of Season 4, ("what's your record for how many banks you've robbed in one day?... I think you can do better.") Of course, Riddler's going to be wary about Lee.

"The only way you'll get rid of me is to kill yourself." This was Riddler, giving advice to Edward, sure it was back handed, but he can tell it's tearing Edward apart. And, when Edward says, "I guess you are smarter than me." The Riddler stops smiling, shocked and worried, "you wouldn't actually...", Edward nods, "oh, yeah." Sure, to killed Edward is to kill the Riddler, so he's saving his own neck, but he's also saving Edward's, because that's what a Protector does, he Protects the host from bodily harm.

Then it comes to... does The Riddler love Oswald? Short answer, yes.

Back in the bird cage in Season 3, when Riddler asks why Oswald was there, he says, "I didn't love you back", now that's important "didn't", it's past tense. Edward didn't love Oswald back anymore, but Riddler might, this is Riddler. He might like Oswald still.

In Season 4, Edward goes to visit Oswald in Arkham to "gloat", and he leaves behind a riddle "I am held captive all day. My brilliance locked away. This prison must be broken. The key? My name, which must be spoken.", but what's so shocking about that? It's an origami penguin, something Edward did back in Season 3, when he still likes Oswald. Not to mention, this is a riddle, something Edward is still not good at, as Oswald sends him a letter soon after, he doesn't see the hidden message, and at Riddler's riddle "what has two eyes but can't see?", Edward is confused, "what has two...?", he still can't do riddles. Therefore, that entire "visiting Oswald" scene, in which Edward is happy, (though it all feels off, Edward doesn't gloat, at least not like that), Edward is giving him an origami penguin, like he did previously... it's not Edward, it's The Riddler. When Edward receives the letter from Oswald, he's furious that Oswald dared to asked "can [they] be friends?", and he says in a fit of rage, "I'm never gonna forgive him!", and what does Riddler say? "Oh, I think it's a nice letter," he has that dark, grumbled voice, and dark, yet clearly happy smile.

Then it comes to Riddler being released. Edward is terrified, while Riddler is delighted, leaning over Oswald, being close to Oswald while mocking Edward. And Oswald, the Riddler trusts, as the Penguin sees them both, "I'm not talking to you, Ed. I'm talking to him." That's something nobody else has seen. Then comes, "I need you, Riddler..." Edward gasps, taking a sharp intake of air. This is the Riddler taking control. His hands caress the side of Oswald's face, and Oswald flinches terribly, as if afraid he is going to be hit, or worse, and his hands shake. I can't be the only one who thought they were going to kiss. Riddler stops signing the papers (again, ever the Protector), and says "shall we get to work?".

He doesn't give up Oswald... well... okay, he does, those riddles lead to the answers "doctor" and "narrow", so yes he does give up Oswald, but they're through difficult riddles, with two answers that you'll need to add and think about, put together to get the correct answer. And this is one of the times Riddler allows Edward to be injured. But, this is when Riddler knows he likes, possibly loves Oswald, "you gave up your revenge for me?", he's in such shock and awe.

But, if the Riddler loves Oswald, why doesn't he date him? Again, that's because he protects Edward. He tried to stop the romance with Lee since she was using him, and he's proven right at the end of Season 4 when she no longer has a use for him, and she stabs him - the second time he's allowed Edward to be hurt in such a fashion, so he stabs her, and the reason there was a romance was because Edward loved her, and was trying to make him love her too. And so, to keep themselves together, to keep Edward from hurting himself, he allows himself to fall into that fantasy.

"So you don't think I'm using you?" Lee asks, after running from the bank heist, in which Riddler betrays Oswald and Grundy. Riddler confesses, "no, I know you are." Lee asks if he's Ed, and Riddler says, "no, I'm me." He tells her, "Ed didn't understand you. He didn't see how deeply you had changed. I do. I know that that virus woke up something deep inside you, and you let that something loose when you shot Sofia. And you love it. And I love it, too. And I know that you don't feel the same way about me. But you will. And when you do, I will be here." This is him giving her a chance, for Edward to have the girl he likes, but Riddler doesn't like her, but he's trying to get her to be like Oswald, wearing purple like clothing, "you let that something loose when you shot Sofia... And I love it..." it might not be Oswald, but he can pretend.

Not to mention, in Season 5, when they're having that whole Mind Control thing, Riddler is shocked that Oswald kept him alive, "you paid Hugo Strange to save me?", and he clearly buys into that "fate has different plans for us" speech by Oswald, which mirrors Edward's "do you believe in fate?" back in Season 2, and helps Oswald build S. S. Gertrude, and this whole segment of "I'm the only one working!", is literally an old married couple! But, I'm not focusing on that.

Let's not forget, "Oswald. I accept you for the person that you are. Just as you accept me for the cold logician that I am. That's why this friendship is great. And as friends, I think we can both agree that that lunatic had to be stopped." This is basically Riddler saying "I can't love you after what you did to Edward, but I'm willing to be friends", and Oswald, who clearly cares for him says, "Perhaps, Edward... we really are meant for each other.", I do also think this is the moment he fully realises that he love Oswald. It should be noted, Oswald calls him "Ed", and Riddler doesn't snap out in anger once. He's allowing Oswald to call him "Ed" and "Edward". He doesn't mind Oswald calling him "Ed", something Riddler snapped at with Lee, and Oswald after Oswald came back; again Riddler being that Protector, keeping Edward safe.

When Riddler stays back to help Lee and Barbara escape, I think that's due to Edward's remaining feelings, he still cares for the original host of the body. And, because just like how Lee would always care about Jim, even with Mario, Riddler/Edward will always care about Kristen, Isabella and Lee.

Now, onto when Oswald sacrifices his eye to save Edward "Riddler" Nygma. Riddler is distraught, "I'm so sorry," which let's be honest, Riddler doesn't apologise, "I saw the grenade and I froze," he's clearly upset, he looks so sad, as if he's just betrayed Oswald all over again. And when Oswald asks "does it look bad?", Riddler lies, or well tries to given the fact he's not a very good liar, "No, it's just a scr —" then gags, as the wound is clearly horrific. Yet, he still lies, "looks fine," now "fine" means its neither good nor bad, but it also means looks attractive; he still sees Oswald as attractive.

And, let's not forget that iconic "we're brothers" scene (more like lovers). Do I need to say much more? When discussing how insulted they are at being common criminals, Oswald says, he has "the guns...", and Riddler is quick to point out, "Gordon took them. Why? Because he still sees you as Fish Mooney's umbrella boy, and he always will.", indicating he'll never forget Oswald. Most people wouldn't care, or have moved passed Oswald's starting point, but not Riddler, not Edward, he'll remember because he does like him. When they "make a pact", to "take what [they] want from who [they] want... together.", and Edward asks, "Shall we shake on that?", "Please, we're brothers. A hug." Oswald replies; it's intimate. And, it mirrors Martin's drawing back from Season 4, of two stick figures hugging, knives raised. However, in this, they're tense, swallowing back saliva, and instead of killing the other, Oswald closes his eyes, and Riddler tightens his grip. They don't kill each other, and instead they work together.

But, now we need to see the last episode. Ultimately, this isn't my favourite episode, it's rather iffy for me; but if you like it, that's great! I'm glad you can enjoy something I don't enjoy. It's my silly personal opinion.

When Edward is freed from Arkham and it seems Oswald had broken him out via letter, Edward is quick to believe it. He laughs, and says "Oswald... what are you planning?", he fully believes it's Oswald, and he will follow through to a t, and when he finds out it's not, he's shock and furious, and confused. Yet still, who comes to save the day? "Oswald," Edward practically breaths out, a smile on his face. Oswald rolls up and saves him from the police, despite not being involved "thought you mind need some help". And you know something? Edward is thrilled to see him, "damn, it's good to see you, Oswald.", they compliment each other "you look well", "you too. A little thicker around the middle," but the grin on Edward's face tells us that he doesn't mean it in a rude way. And, when Batman get's the drop on them, they cling to each other in fear. When they're tied back to back, in a behind the scenes photo, it shows the two actors holding hands.

Therefore, I believe Riddler loves Oswald, and Edward has DID. Maybe in time, Edward will love Oswald again, but until that time comes, it’s just the Riddler, who is protecting his host.

Again, I might have put waaaayyyyy too much thought into it but... oh well!

Right, onto my receipts:

DID Information, Cleveland Clinic, DID Research, and I spent a day with MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES (Dissociative Identity Disorder).

Amy Winehouse lyrics, lyric meanings, and song information from Genius, and her sexuality information, from Famous Bi People.

As for the “doctor” and “narrows” riddles, I got the answers from Reddit.

#gotham #edward nygma #oswald cobblepot #riddler #penguin #oswald x edward #riddler x penguin #nygmobblepot #essay #gay #bisexual #lee thompkins #kristen kringle #isabella #nerd time

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