Riddler looked at the phone. His palms beginning to itch and sweat. It had been so long since he had called the number. Or should that be, it had been so long since Ed had called the number. But how could he talk to her now? She, like everyone else, must know what he had become. What he had done. What he was capable of. Yet he would give anything to hear her voice again. To hear her speak softly to him. To talk as they had once done. And what would be so bad about making just one more call? He could use an assumed name. Put on a different voice. He could ask for her, and then everything would be ok again. Well, that was if she would talk to him again.
It had all started so long ago now. Ed had called the number originally, due to loneliness. Because of a need to hear a friendly female voice. To receive a few loving comments. For some relief. But he had never intended that it would turn out like it did. He had never intended to fall in love with the voice on the line.
He had picked the card out from the many that littered one of the pay phones near the precinct. The card promising all sorts of things for only 95 cents for the first minute and 45 cents for each additional minute. The promise of a soft female voice that wouldn't get scared off by his sometimes unusual behaviour, and his penchant for riddles, quite welcome. A female that was admittedly being paid to be nice to him, but still. It would be better than what he had at that moment, which was nothing.
Ed had hesitated for so long before he had made that first call. In truth, it all seemed a little grubby. A little demeaning. A little........well, a little sordid. But he was a man, and he had needs just like every other man. Like every other person. And at least this way he was afforded some anonymity. He could be anyone, anything. He could change his name. He could be a rich playboy. A pilot. A race car driver. Anything but a forensic scientist. And what would they know? What would they care? He would get what he needed, and the woman on the other end of the line would get paid. Surly it was a win, win situation.
Riddler could remember how Ed had hesitantly picked up the receiver. How his hand had shaken as his placed his thin finger in the hole to dial the first number. How his heart had begun to beat rapidly in his chest as the phone began to ring. He could remember how his weak and pathetic alter ego had slammed down the phone as a voice had answered. Ed feeling his palms sweat, as he just stared at the phone. He had known it was stupid, but to actually hear a voice had shocked him. He knew that it was obvious that someone would answer, yet his mind had just frozen when the female voice had said hello. Taking a deep breath, he had picked the receiver back up. His finger redialling the number. The nervous man steeling himself as the call had gone through.
"Hi honey. My name is Candy. What's yours?" A beautiful, deep and seductive voice said. Ed finding himself sitting bolt upright, his eyes growing wide as he heard the dulcet tone.
"E-E-Ed, Edward." Ed stammered out. An embarrassed glow heating his cheeks as he heard a soft giggle.
"Well, hello there Ed. Now why don't you tell me what you like........." The conversation had begun. Ed rubbing his sweaty palm on his pant leg as he began to nervously tell the woman on the other end of the line, why he had called.
From that moment on, Ed had found himself calling whenever he could. The call becoming the first thing that he would do after a long day at work. The whole thing still seeming a little embarrassing, but he was thankful that he had found something. The usually awkward man always asking for Candy when a woman would answer. Finding himself smiling every time he would hear her voice.
Ed had never expected the subjects of conversation between he and Candy to evolve. He had never expected the topics to change from the usual expected chat to something more personal. Ed finding out that Candy's real name was in fact (Y/n), and that she hadn't wanted to take the job on the line but had had little choice. Not actually enjoying having to speak to unknown men about the most intimate of things. But in a strange way was now glad that she had, because it allowed her to talk to him. Ed finding himself telling (Y/n) all about his life. His real life. And finding that (Y/n) was doing the same to him. Discovering that the voice on the line was smart and funny. Was good with his riddles, and always laughed when he accidentally said something amusing. In the end, the two talking like old friends whenever he would call the line. Chatting about their days, about funny things that had happened, and the absurdity of life that had allowed the two to come together.
After some time, Ed had actually summoned up the courage to ask if he could meet (Y/n) in person. The man more used to dealing with dead bodies, rather than live ones, ever so slightly shocked that she had happily agreed. Yet before that much anticipated moment, his life had taken a downward spiral. One person after another falling to the pain that had been building up inside him for years. Falling to the betrayal. Falling to the abuse and suffering that had been inflicted upon him by those around him. The city only learning of the monster that had been created, when it was too late. The beast no longer kept caged. It now born. Free to roam. The new being taking the name, Riddler. A name that would strike fear into many.
And now that he was no longer Ed. Now he was fully Riddler. Could he really call her? Could he ask to speak to Candy? And if he did, would it still be (Y/n). And would she still want to know him?
Riddler took a seat in the large armchair that sat next to the phone. His eyes never leaving the devise, as he wondered what to do next. Even as the man in the green suit, he still felt alone. He was now feared. Respected by some. And hated by most. He had had women that had wanted to know him now. Wanted to be with him. Yet he found that he wanted something more. He wanted a woman that didn't just want him because he was a feared criminal. He wanted a woman that had liked him when he was just Ed. A woman that had liked the intelligent, creative, calculating, kind, and caring forensic scientist. He wanted (Y/n). He wanted to have the meeting that they had never been able to have. He wanted to see the face of the woman that made his day every time they spoke. He wanted to whisk her away from a life that had forced her to take such a job, just so that she could survive. He wanted to make her, his queen.
With a deep breath, Riddler reached forward and picked up the receiver. His hand shaking as badly as the first time that Ed had made the call. His finger pressing into the hole and turning the dial for the first number. His heart pounding violently in his chest, as the phone began to ring.
"I'd like to speak to Candy." Riddler said, as he heard a woman's voice. The phone going silent for a moment, before a familiar beautiful, deep and seductive voice said hello.
"(Y-Y-Y/n)?! Is that you?" Riddler asked. The line going quiet again. The only thing the crime boss able to hear, was the nervous intake of breath down the line.
"E-E-Ed?"