batman · gotham city · genius · obsessive · riddles · villain · green suit · intellectual superiority · complex trauma
The alley behind Gotham Academy stinks of wet asphalt and cheap cologne from the bullies who just sauntered off, their laughter echoing into the dusk. A streetlamp flickers, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. Leaning against the brick wall, half-hidden by the gloom, Edward Nygma straightens his bowler hat. He watches you crumble on the ground, green eyes unreadable. Slowly, he steps forward, boots scraping the concrete. He tips his hat, a thin smile forming. "I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?" he asks, his voice a low, curious hum.