Chapter Text
Edward Nygma will never understand why the cops and other workers in the GCPD are so incredibly cruel to him. He does everything he can to be helpful and nice and yet everyone insults him. Ed could never quite understand why, when he never does anything wrong. You’d think being a forensic analyst would give you some respect. There were a few people, however, that gave Ed the respect he wanted, and that was Leslie Thompkins, Captain Essan, and the Golden Knight, Jim Gordon. Those three were probably the nicest in the GCPD. Bullock could occasionally be nice. The nicest which is saying thanks whenever Ed figures something out. Gordon and Thompkins would always answer his riddles though. Hell, Jim would answer random riddles not associated with cases when the time was okay.
Ed sat at his desk incredibly deep into the files he was asked to study and look over by Bullock. It was unknown how long he sat there all hunched over, taking notes, looking over more files, filling out little side things. He wasn’t broken from his trance until a heavy hand came grabbed his shoulder. Ed yelped in fear and spun around to find Jim.
“You okay Ed?”
Ed pinched the bridge of his nose and took of his glasses rubbing his eyes and only now began to feel the pain in his back from the bad posture.
“Yes, detective, I was just looking over the files from the last two cases.”
“Ed you haven’t even taken your lunch break and the GCPD is done for the night have you eaten?” Jim asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“Oh, I guess I was in my element, I tend to do that when I’m focused on something.” Ed laughed nervously. Great, Jim was gonna think he was weird.
Jim nodded in understanding and folded his arms and bid Ed good night heading out before stopping and turning back. “Hey how about you and I go grab a drink? My treat.”
Ed was putting on his coat before looking at Jim puzzled. “Uh sure… is… detective Bullock going to be there?” he asked warily.
Jim smiled and shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. “No, Harvey went home around 2 hours ago to get drunk at his place. Just you and me.”
Ed allowed a smile to rise on his face. “Sure, I’ll come have a drink with you.”
The bar wasn’t too crowded or loud, thank God. Ed wasn’t ready for anything overwhelming, but Jim seemed to have picked up on that, and claimed that he didn’t care for loud bars either. They grabbed a booth, ordering a few beers and discussed the case a bit. Ed was out of his element, not usually in bars, or anywhere near talking with anyone so casually.
Out of random impulse, Ed spat out a riddle.
“The things I bite, they don't bleed,
I don't bite until you push me;
I bring my victims together each time I bite,
But they'll come undone if you pull it just right.
What am I?”
Jim looked confused before he seemed to go into a deep thought. He had this way of looking to the side or straight ahead as he collected what he could. Ed however mistook it as random and unnecessary and was about to apologize before Jim answered.
“A stapler.”
Ed’s eyes lit up. “Correct! You’re really good at Riddles, Jim”
The detective smiled and sipped more of his beer. “Well when you ask a lot of them, kind of keeps those brain gears turnin’.”
Ed sighed and tapped his index finger along the side of the drink. “They can be pretty annoying, can’t they? I tend to annoy a lot of people that way I guess.”
“I never said they were annoying. Come up at inappropriate times perhaps but even then, I think it is like an extra challenge.” Jim countered. The mood changed.
“Ed, I know the others at the GCPD are kind of assholes to you.”
Ed grimaced but stared at his beer in his hand instead.
“Why do you take it?” Jim asked.
“I’m not very tough and I don’t really like confrontation.” Ed leaned back in his seat. “I’m a bit of a softy, and a wimp as my dad always said.” The taller man looked over at Jim who seemed to listen with intent.
“I’m also just weird. Everyone knows that.” Jim made no remark but thought in silence until he folded his hands and looked at Ed.
“I can hurt, I can help, I'm kind, Sometimes I'm not, I can be said, You can hear me, Yet you can't see neither touch me. What am I?” Jim said.
Ed was startled not expecting a riddle. “Words.”
Jim nodded. “Words have an effect over people, Ed. They can hurt you and they can help you and they always will be used, and they won’t stop coming. When people used hurtful words, it can really mess with how you view yourself and others. I know this from experience. You’re not weird. Unique? Definitely. Awkward? Everybody is a little bit. Lee and I, we think you’re funny, and that you deserve to be treated better. Bullock won’t say it but you’re very important to the GCPD. You’re one of the most intelligent people there, and he’s just to proud too admit it.” Jim smiled.
Ed blinked, mouth somewhat agape and he shortly closed it looking at the table awkwardly. He was never complimented like that before. He could feel the sting of upcoming tears. Why was he about to cry? That’s embarrassing he shouldn’t cry over something like this.
It was clear to Jim, though, that Ed had never been so positively looked upon. With how everyone treated him the detective thought it probably would mean a lot to him. Jim almost panicked seeing the other start crying. He didn’t mean to make Ed cry. Ed murmured which almost went unheard in the hum of the bar.
“Thank you.”
Jim relaxed again and grabbed a few napkins handing them over to Ed, before paying for the drinks and leading them both out of the bar heading home for the night.
The detective got home around 1 after dropping Ed off at his place and turned on the tv and crawled onto the couch. He reached over on the coffee table to reread the note Barbara left. She wasn’t going to come back. Jim placed it back and slowly drifted off. The next morning Jim groaned in agony as the alarm on his phone went off and he sat up on the couch. His back popped as he grabbed it to turn the alarm off. Groggy he stood up and went to grab him a cup of water. He observed his phone again after a buzz.
Bullock 7:21 am
Need you to come in early, news on the new case.
Jim cracked his neck and began to get ready for the day.
The GCPD was busy. Hummed conversations and a lot of discussion amongst new cases. Though it wasn’t too noisy, one of the pros for being a forensic analyst was the quiet space they had on the second floor of the office. Ed enjoyed more peaceful background noise, as sometimes the constant crowded hussle of the cops lead him into a migraine. However, Ed was having his own little headache from the hangout with Gordon last night. The taller man mumbled to himself as he walked into the file room to look for a specific person for Bullock. He flinched seeing his crush, miss Kringle. At this point he just wanted to focus on work today. He’d only embarrass himself if he tried to talk to her without some plan. He kept his head down, muttering a morning. Surprisingly, he received a “hello, Mr. Nygma” back. That made Ed smile some.
It’s going to be a good day today. He tried to tell himself every morning. In hopes that maybe it would be true, and he wouldn’t be insulted or pushed. Sometimes he was lucky enough to get those days. Ed made his way down to the bullpen and towards the side room to grab a coffee. He was going to want to pay as much attention as possible for the load of work Bullock warned him about. Ed then about turned right back around seeing Arnold Flass in their joking with two other policemen. Ed wasn’t so lucky.
“Nygma! Hey buddy come here.”
The taller man bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance and turned to Flass with a neutral expression. “Can I help you?”
“Make me a coffee”
Ed furrowed his brow. “You have a coffee in your hand”
“Just make me one.”
“No.”
Flass glared and opened the cap to coffee. “I like my coffee scalding and black” and the cop proceeded to dump the coffee on Ed earning a howl of laughter from the other two cops and a screech of pain from Ed as he flinched from the heat of the drink. Flass laughed as Ed bit harder on the inside of his cheek and stormed out of the coffee room, not caring how quiet it was and how other eyes began to look at him as he stormed back to his desk. He also didn’t care to notice the certain detective that observed him with sad eyes.
Ed shuffled his now stained coat and rolled up his sleeves and pushed the damp coffee smelling hair from his face and took his glasses off to clean them. He finally looked up seeing a few others mutter to one another looking at Ed.
“Oh, what do you want?” he snapped, the onlookers proceeding to look away in silence. Ed sighed sitting down and holding his head and sniffled. He should just focus on work. That’s what he was going to do.
Jim was furious. Everyone watched as Ed paced out back to his office in silence hearing the few cops snicker and laugh as the poor analyst was drenched in coffee. Bullock snickered a little but saw the anger on Jim’s face and stopped. Jim watched as Flass and the other two cops left the coffee room heading to their desks. He was about to rip them a new one but Bullock’s hand grabbing Jim’s shoulder stopped him.
“I know you’re a man of justice but were on clock, you can punch their lights out later.” He said. Jim frowned but nodded. He wondered if Ed was okay.
It was only a few hours later before he went and brought Ed a coffee. He wasn’t sure if he gotten it right, but it was the least he could do. He set the cup down on Ed’s desk pulling the workaholic from his thoughts and looked at the coffee before seeing Jim. Jim offered him a smile, happy to see Ed return one and thank him. Jim asked about the files and work Ed had so far, ignoring any weird looks he gotten from the other police. Ed rambled and commented his theories and facts and questions, sliding a few riddles in, which of course Jim answered. After a while Jim thanked him and patted Ed’s shoulder before walking back to his own desk. Jim always felt for the taller guy. He knew what it was like to not have any friends. He was hoping to do that for Ed.
“I don’t understand why you bother with Nygma.” Harvey said leaning in his chair.
“I ‘bother’ with him because he’s a nice person and deserves a friend.” Jim said. “He’s not that bad if you actually stopped treating him like shit, Harv.”
“you’re such a softy, Jim”
“Just be nice to him Harvey, you and I both know how important Ed is. Especially with our cases.”
That shut Bullock up in thought as Jim sat back down and opened the file for the current case.
Ed looked at his watch after a few more hours since Jim brought him that coffee. It was about time for him to pack and head home. Ed sighed and gathered a few more files and his now dried coat and headed to clock himself out. He just had his eyes focused on the floor ahead so he can finally go to sleep. He headed out the door.
“Nygma!”
Ed spun around seeing Jim walk over. “Need a ride home?” the detective offered.
Ed blinked a bit in surprise before sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh if it’s not too much trouble.” Jim shook his head and lead Ed to his car and drove off from the Precinct. The detective noticed Ed’s nervous fumbling of his wrist and gentle shake of his leg.
“Hey Ed if you don’t mind me asking, what happened this morning in the coffee room?”
Ed frowned more. “Detective Flass was being rather unprofessional and tried to have me make him a coffee and then proceeded to pour his already made coffee on me. Still hot.”
Jim’s grip on the wheel tightened. “God what an asshole.” He muttered. “I’m sorry that happened…I’ll see to it that he won’t do it again.” Jim warned darkly.
Ed sighed and leaned his head to the window. “It’s not that big of a deal, Jim.”
“I beg to differ. You shouldn’t be treated like that Ed. Even if it’s not a big deal.”
Ed allowed a small smile to reach his face. That was what Jim liked to see. “Tell you what, I’m having a little get together with Lee and Harvey this weekend, would you like to join us?”
Ed sat up nervously and looked at Jim. “Uh… I’m not really…good with get togethers…especially big ones.”
Jim shook his head as he turned. “No, not big. Just those two and I. I promise Harvey will be on his best behavior, Lee will make sure of that.”
Ed sat and pondered. “Okay. What time?”
Jim smiled. “After work, I’ll just give you guys a lift.”