RIDDLER? MORE LIKE RUDELER.

[deciphering]

Feeling the pressure already, kiddo? Utterly unsurprising, but I can’t really blame you. God forbid if our positions were reversed, this would be the point where I’d start squirming, too.

Guess this answers what an irritating child has in common with a skeleton – neither of you have any guts. Try hitting me up when you get some, then we’ll talk shop.

[edward nigma: dick for hire, ladies and gentlemen.]

Comments

[plains_hunter]

I suppose a guy with a tattered cat-suit doesn't have much room to complain about it.

So are you a detective now, or not?

[deciphering]

No, but as long as you still have your humility, I'll let it slide.

What do you think, Blake? Am I that obvious, or does my new reputation really carry that much weight 'round the community?

[yeah, he hopes it's the latter. go on, stroke his ego.]

[plains_hunter]

OCD-ish tendencies aside, you were always were the most level-headed of us, Eddie. If any of us had a chance of actually helping people, it was you. Even if part of it is still to satisfy your ego.

[Yeah, he's a little jealous of that.]

Most of us are too broken to ever be able to go straight.

[deciphering]

[can't argue there, but he rarely hears it put so...candidly? frankly? yeah, frankly. it's much easier for people to ignore the positives and go straight for the negatives. much as he enjoys the self-gratification, it's much easier (and funner) to concentrate on the past and rub his nose in it.]

...What is this, a pity party? [he crosses his arms, the beginnings of a scowl playing on his face.] Stop that. You're not a toy.

[plains_hunter]

[If there's one thing Thomas is good at, it's self-denigration and angst. It's tough to be good when Fate kicks you ever time you try it.]

Eddie, I'm sure you've done some pretty bad shit in the past, but I could tell you things I've done that would straighten your question mark. Trust me. I've tried to do right.

People like Batman still give me that look. You know the one. Like we're animals unfit to exist in society. I'm not the Joker, damn it! If people push me, I push back harder, but I'm not some impulsive butcher.

[deciphering]

[yeah, he knows it all too well, but he also knows that there are much, much worse things than a look. having a hunting knife waved around in your face from the husband of one of your past "victims", for example.]

You don't have to justify yourself to me, Blake. I never doubted you.

I also never doubted for one second that you would be able to suck it up and keep on going, no matter what side you're on. And look - you didn't disappoint.

[plains_hunter]

It's just frustrating that they see everything so goddamned black and white. There's no room for anything that slips between.

[His voice is clearly a little more agitated now.]

Were you around for that time Batman was reported dead? People came out out of woodwork to hammer Gotham. I actually went there to help, of all things. Then Nightwing got sanctimonious just because I killed a few guys who were kidnapping kids. Ransoming children! They would have succeeded if we didn't act, and he treated us like we were practically taking them ourselves!