Edward Nygma (Gotham)/Reader Oneshots

Tea Shop

Ambiances I listened to while writing:

- Police Station [PS]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVzY1wP_-MY

- City Sidewalk [CS]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg1mpD1BICI

- Tea Shop [TS]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaGrHUekGrc

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[PS]

I shuffle through the papers at my desk, crime scene images flicking one by one before my eyes. The body of the victim: bloated corpse found by the docks suggests drowning, however the fingers and toes are sewn together and there are two pairs of incisions on either side of the neck running parallel to each other.

The picture I'm fixated on shows the entire body, and I also notice three ropes around the legs at intervals; the upper thighs, knees, and ankles. The next picture is a close-up of the incisions, they look like they were made by a blade. The next an image of the hands, now-bloated fingers stitched together by black threads. Same with the toes.

"Strange, isn't it?"

I look up to see a man with glasses standing over my shoulder.

"Hey Ed." I glance back down at the pictures. "Strange is definitely a word I'd use."

"I mean, it's almost as if the killer was trying to turn the victim into a mermaid-creature." He smiles, chuckling a bit. "Although he used somewhat morbid methods."

I snort. "Yeah, somewhat." I place the files on my desk and spin around in my chair to face him. "Cause of death?"

Edward grins. "I have a handle but I'm not a car door, I'm found in a kitchen but I'm not a cupboard door. I sometimes spread things but I'm not a sneeze, and I can bring a grown man to his knees. What am I?"

"A knife." I give him an amused look and he beams at me. "So the incisions were the cause of death, and then the body was thrown in the river." I tap my desk. "Were the limbs tied before or after the incisions were made?"

He shrugs. "We're thinking before, as well as the stitches. However, there's no way to know for sure at this point."

I nod, turning back to the papers and shuffling through to the picture of the fingers. "These stitches are incredibly clean," I comment, showing the spectacled man the image. "Whoever did this has either sewing or medical skills."

"Or both," he muses, taking the picture and looking it over. "Good to take into consideration when examining suspects."

I take the picture back, stacking all of the papers and closing up the file. "What's a golfer's favorite drink?"

Ed's expression morphs into a serious one. "Is this a riddle?"

I laugh. "Sort of."

He hums, clasping his hands. "I don't know."

"Tea."

He gives me a puzzled look. "Tea?"

I nod. "Yeah, like... a golf tee. But tea, the drink."

His eyes widen, and he grins. "Oh! That's funny!" He giggles a bit.

I smile warmly at him. "I was wondering... well there's a tea shop that just opened up like... three blocks away. Want to go try it out after work?" I shrug. "You could tell me about the different types of fungus you were researching last week."

Ed beams. "Yes! I mean, I'd love to. After work? Would we walk?" he stutters, catching himself in a different train of thought after every other word.