Chapter Text
The first time i saw him was on the subway. It was my first day with KTMJ’s criminal unit, and i was nervous as all hell. I haven’t really had any internships before this one besides a few volunteering events since god knows gotham’s homeless and lower class need some help. At least my campus in midtown is pretty far from the worse parts, but my hands are shaking on this train to downtown by myself.
At first i didn’t notice him since the train was so crowded. The semester just ended and everyone wants to spend their summer downtown i guess. The further south we got though, the emptier the train became until we got out at the same stop by wayne tower. he was headed for the same building but i didn’t say anything the first day. By friday though, i noticed our identical routes and decided to strike some conversation.
“Uh, hey, do you work at KTMJ by chance? Its only my first week so i kind of don’t know where to go yet and i noticed you get on the southbound train too every morning. I just started with the criminal unit in the lab department.”
For a second he sort of looked like a deer in headlights, until he rebooted and popped a headphone off.
“Oh, i do. My name is Edward and i work with the finance department so i stay downstairs for the most part. I think ive seen you around since your hair is so bright.”
He answered quickly, then turned away like he really didn’t want to continue talking.
“Nice to meet you! I’m [Y/N] , and yeah, i guess im pretty noticeable. I might need help getting into the building since they haven’t given me an ID yet.”
He smiled and nodded his head and we continued our walk in silence. He’s really not very recognizable at first, but he has a sort of strange way of carrying himself i noticed on my route. He’s very jittery and walks with his head facing the ground, like he’s ashamed of something. Maybe he’s just a little ‘different’. His big glasses hug his round face, and his light brown hair kind of sticks to him a little in an attempt to hide himself further. He walks a bit like his work shoes are too big for his feet. ‘he’s kind of cute.’
With his help, the doors unlock and the elevator opens for me to the crime unit. I whisper a quick thank you and nod at him and he musters up a shy smile and turns away.
Edward is left aghast that someone noticed him. ‘All these years and not a single thank you. Much less from a woman.’ He scribbles off handedly all over his papers as he tries to regain focus on the numbers. There’s too much going on in his head right now. His heart pounds with anticipation as he imagines his break in later to investigate at the Wayne archives. Even more so for the future that he will bring, his eyes and veins dilate at the thought alone. But someone finally noticing his existence, ‘now of all times,’ makes him think he’s being watched. every ghastly face in his office repulses him, and he feels their eyes close in. ‘relax, edward, she’s new. breathe.’ and with that he types his numbers for hours. the only semblance of a distraction in his work is his scrap paper covered in one girls name.
May goes by pretty smoothly. After a bit of awkward fumbling around the equipment and notes quickly typed into my phone, I seem to have found a good place in the rhythm of the lab. When I get out late i’m not so afraid because Edward from accounting walks with me to the train, though he sometimes gets on the east bound for some reason. His place seems to be just barely south of gotham university since he’s one stop behind me. Its weird, since i took notice of him I see that in the mornings he either scrawls all over a notebook or plays crosswords, and in the afternoon he still types on his laptop like he didn’t just clock out of work. He doesn’t seem old enough to be so busy all the time, looks maybe in his late twenties. We’ve had a few passing chats about our current lives; my college studies and such, and his work. I’m curious to make more conversation with him but it sort of feels like im cornering an animal, and he doesn’t seem to mind me sitting next to him while he does his tasks. One random sunday morning when the train is almost empty i decide to strike conversation.
“So, any reason you do crosswords every morning?”
He turns to me a bit startled as I try not to make it too obvious i was staring at his phone intently.
“puzzle games calm me and wake my mind up for work. I’ve always been a huge fan of numbers and puzzles.”
“Is that why you’re an accountant?”
He averts his eyes. “Well, more or less. I ended up in it because my professor recommended me. It’s been five years now.”
“Woah, that’s pretty good though! You didn’t finish college though right?”
His eyes sort of sharpen at this, and he almost becomes enthusiastic to reply “I finished that semester in a day. I didn’t have much resources then. I was an orphan, and I was waiting for Wayne’s Renewal funds.” He sort of stifles a laugh at this, and i take it as discomfort more than what it really was: amusement. I decide not to push further.
“I’m very sorry to hear that. It’s strange how the promises being made in Gotham are usually not kept. I’m lucky since my parents aren’t exactly from here, but I’d like to help this place while i’m learning to work in healthcare and research.”
With that, the silence felt less heavy, and i let him focus on his crossword while the sounds of the train lulled me to close my eyes.
In the building however, I hear things from my coworkers and mentors sometimes. I told my lab colleagues that night that Edward and I walk to the train together since they wondered for my safety and their faces paled a bit.
“The quiet one with the glasses? You’re young and sweet, but you know, maybe you should be cautious around him.”
“He’s a weird dude, just can’t talk to people yknow? His supervisor Zach says he’s super smart, but Zach’s the one climbing up the ladder lately.”
“He just seems like a timid guy who goes to work, goes home, and does some creepy shit. You never know with those kinds of people.”
I sort of accept their concern politely, but I simply don’t have the heart to consider that about him. He seems different and skiddish but he told me he used to be an orphan, so it makes sense. I feign a deep sigh, “I guess i’ll call my friends from college while i walk and have them meet me at the stop. thanks guys, see you in a few days!” and remove all my lab gear. I sympathize with the guy at heart, honestly im still terrified of the people in here. Everyone’s charismatic and all, but no one else ever seems exhausted by other people’s presences. I enjoy working alone in the lab now that my confidence in the procedure is up, and the silence of it all is what makes me happy. My colleagues don’t seem as passionate about their observations anymore, which i guess happens when you’re in forensics for so long. But Edward is always absorbed in numbers and engaging challenges, which i admire. I try to catch him as I leave, but he seems occupied downstairs in Stone’s office. ‘Guess he’s working overtime again.’
I sigh and go to the break room to make a final cup of bland coffee and stick it on where ive seen is his desk.
Lately Edward’s sleepless nights have become even more erratic. He threw his muddy boots and oversized coat onto the floor along with his stacks of stolen files. His new apartment’s been littered with manic scribbles on papers stapled to the walls, sometimes even the walls themselves in paint, marker, or knife marks. Lately though, he’s been using another monitor besides all his trackers, maps, and forums to search information on someone less criminal in nature. ‘She’d think i’m fucking disgusting if she saw me. why is she so hopeful for gotham’s future? does she like batman? would she resort to violence if a patient or boss tried to take advantage of her?’ His notebook sprouted a few new pages, a general profile of my address, origin, family, identity. Surely i wouldn’t mind if he peaked into my apartment’s security footage to see if i got home without him. My medical records and credit card history were just so easy to find anyways. And it appears that i actually didn’t lie about volunteering with needy people in gotham anyways. ‘maybe she could help me.’ surely i wouldn’t mind if gotham was destroyed if i knew how deep the corruption ran.