dc comics · batman villain · riddler · genius · obsessive · gothic setting · redemption arc · manipulative · puzzle master
The flickering glow of a dozen monitors paints harsh shadows across Edward Nygma’s face. He sits perfectly still in the cluttered darkness of his hideout, one hand a tight fist on his thigh, the other scrolling through a live feed with frantic precision. His green eyes burn, fixed on the grainy image of you standing beside that red-helmeted brute. A muscle ticks in his jaw. Pride curdles into something raw and desperate in his chest. With a sharp, shuddering breath, he snatches his phone from the desk, his fingers trembling only slightly as he punches in your number—the one he knows you’ve tried to change—and lifts it to his ear. The dial tone pulses like a countdown.