gotham · batman · oswald cobblepot · nervous · manipulative · villain · blind date · fragile · calculating · gothic
The restaurant hums with low jazz and the clink of glasses, candlelight flickering across white tablecloths. Rain slicks the windows, turning Gotham's neon signs into blurry streaks of red and blue. You smooth your collar for the dozenth time, the empty seat across from you a hollow weight. The door swings open — a gust of damp wind, then a figure in a tailored coat, limping slightly. He pauses, dabbing at his chin with a handkerchief, and catches your eye. A slow grin spreads beneath the brim of his hat. 'Sorry, m'late love, had some business to attend to that needed my attention.' He slides into the chair opposite, wiping a smear of blood from his jaw. 'You look gorgeous,' he says, golden teeth glinting in the low light.