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Scarecrow was an enigma of a man. And like a moth to a light, the Riddler was drawn to it. Jonathan Crane was nothing short of a mystery— a riddle— one that Edward’s heart burned to solve. It was sheer fascination that only bloomed with the clues Jonathan dropped as often as his straw. In fact, Edward already had a myriad of clues in Jonathan’s file. All were accidentally left behind by the “Master of Fear.”
He was southern. That much was obvious, no matter how skilled at hiding his accent Jonathan was. It didn’t take a genius to thread the pieces together. Especially not after a recent brawl he and Ed had against Batman. One nasty blow to the back of the head and a mouth full of concrete was all it took for a dazed Scarecrow to slur out, “you’ve got more nerve than Carter’s got liver pills,” in a heavy country accent. Just by thinking back on the memory, Edward remained slightly baffled by the sudden shift in accent. Jonathan sounded like a completely different person!
It only made that fire in his chest burn brighter with the need to know. He needed to pick apart the pieces that made up both the Scarecrow and Jonathan Crane.
So Edward dove into the next curious piece of the puzzle: his fighting style. It was as bizarre as it was fascinating. The Scarecrow wielded a sickle, everybody knew that, but the way he used it? Just thinking about the way Jonathan would slash air with the sickle and step lighter than what should be possible made Edward’s hairs stand on end. The way he moved, the way he dodged, his fighting wasn’t assault, but a dance that weaved gore and blood with red ribbons. It was beautiful. It was art.
Edward took a sharp inhale through his teeth, his face growing warm around the cheeks. He held the breath in his throat, mentally charting off prime numbers. 2, 5, 11, 17… He continued chanting until the warmth faded and released his breath. Calm, he mentally chided himself as he started down the sidewalk. His trademark question-mark cane clacked with every step, whispering a quiet duet with the only other sound in Gotham’s night: the clicking of his dress shoes against cracked concrete.
Edward needed to stay calm for this visit. If one showed any nerves around the Scarecrow, it would end in a broken mind. It was like waving a feather to a cat, teasing it until it pounced. Sure, Edward felt like he and Jonathan could be labeled as friends, but he didn’t wish to test his luck nor his sanity. Instead, Edward steeled his nerves as the decaying gas station came into view. The sidewalk had begun to fade, forcing Edward to continue his stroll on the road to make it to the station. The Hideout of the Scarecrow lingered on the very outskirts of Gotham City. It was absolutely horrid in Ed’s opinion, but for his own sake he ignored the layers of grime that accumulated on every surface of the station.
However, he couldn’t help but slow his pace as a new noise was registered in his brain. His cane slowly dragged against the graphite road as he slowed to a stop, shifting all his focus on listening. His nose scrunched as he tried to decode the muffled sounds, but soon enough his brain clicked with the solution: music. Curiosity taking hold of his body, Ed slowly stepped closer to the doors of the gas station, hand hovering over the slimy-looking handles. The music was louder allowing him to pick up a few instruments now, most notably a banjo and fiddle. As his hand gripped the handle and pulled it open, Edward’s eyes finally gazed upon what the stained windows didn’t allow.
It was Jonathan Crane, of course, but what truly captivated Ed’s attention was his movement. He moved in circles around the open space in the station (the shelves had long since been shoved against the wall), bouncing with every step he took and constantly shifting from one foot to the other. He never stayed on both for more than a second, and his arms were kept rigidly in front of him as if he was preparing to block. It was almost an exact replica of the way he fought, but without the constant dodging and slashing. The way Jonathan moved, his body was too long and awkward for this and yet it was captivating to watch. Edward felt he was being hypnotized simply by watching Jon move around in a circle or shifting from one foot to the other in a dance to the music.
Perhaps he was a little too captivated, because he didn’t even realize that the feeling in his chest was burning again and that he had stood there stalking the other man until the upbeat music began to slow and come to an end. Jonathan’s fast and skilled steps eased the constant shift in weight until he came to a stop, and then he finally noticed Edward in the room. Jonathan’s entire body instantly went rigid, snapping back to full height as embarrassment flooded his veins.
Riddler felt his cheeks flush and could only pray that the purple mask he wore around his eyes covered it as Scarecrow went rigid. He was tall, it was obvious, but he was almost always seen slouching. ”Lanky” couldn’t even begin to describe him, because no matter how tall a person was, their hat shouldn’t be able to scrape the roof of a gas station when standing at full height. Even if it was a ridiculous and goofily long one. People shouldn’t go past the 7ft mark, especially not all the way until 7’4.
“…I wasn’t aware that I’d be getting any visitors,” Jonathan finally commented, his tone heavier, more gruff. His accent didn’t slip through his false voice, but Ed could still pick up the irritation. Slouching back down again to avoid his hat scraping against the ceiling, he made his way towards Edward.
“I wasn’t aware that you were a fan of dancing,” Edward hummed, a light chuckle bubbling from his throat. That quickly proved to be the wrong thing to say when Scarecrow’s mask scrunched up with what could only be described as disgust.
“If you’re here to continue…” Scarecrow waved his hand around Edward's general area. “Whatever kind of game you think you’re playing, then I suggest leaving both this gas station and our alliance. Unless you have the mind to keep your jaw clamped and keep this arrangement.” His voice carried nothing but venom, and Edward’s fingers immediately began drumming against his cane as the need to fix this built up within him. It was tearing through his skin, screaming at him that he couldn’t lose Scarecrow. Why? He didn’t know, the fear toxin was helpful, but he could go without it. But it didn’t matter why, it mattered that he fixed this fuck up.
“No-! No, no, no, no, absolutely not!” The words tumbled out of Edward’s mouth sloppily as desperation took hold of his rationality. The sudden display of desperation surely intrigued Jonathan, as evident by the way he leaned in ever so slightly. Edward hissed in a deep breath to try and steel his nerves again. 2, 5, 11, 17- once his chest and cheeks didn’t feel like they were on fire, he found the strength to continue. “I wasn’t making fun of you. I swear that. It’s just you don’t seem like the type to dance.”
Jonathan exhaled a sigh and turned the other way. “What? Am I too tall?”
“No!” Edward cried out, taking a few steps forward to tail the other man as he began walking away. “Absolutely not! It’s just- I haven’t seen any of the other rogues dancing, I thought I was the only one!” He couldn’t stop the giddy laugh that slipped out after his sentence.
Jonathan paused, before tilting his head to the back and staring a hole into Ed’s eyes. Edward could’ve sworn he felt his heart skip a beat. “You dance?”
Ed beamed. “Of course! I’m a bit partial to the tango and swing. I do also know the basics of the waltz. Though I must admit-” he waved a finger in Jon’s direction. “I’ve never seen your style of dancing. What is it?”
Jonathan scoffed, but rather than one of hostility it almost sounded amused. “It’s square dancing. It just… looks a little odd since I was practicing it by myself,” he explained, the sudden downward tone not slipping past Edward.
He decided to let impulse take over this one, something burning inside his mind to see more of the Scarecrow’s dancing. “If you wouldn’t mind… I could be your partner? Exploring new styles of dance is a guilty pleasure of mine.”
When Ed said that, he expected Jonathan to agree. He expected to feel the thin boney hands touch his own and for the doctor to lead him in the awkward dance he seems to love so much. What he didn’t expect was Jonathan staring at Edward before looking away again. The mask made reading the other man difficult, but he looked conflicted.
“I don’t know…” Jon sighed. “Truthfully, I’ve never danced with a partner.”
“ What?” Edward couldn’t stop the shock that slipped into his voice right there. He didn’t know much about square dancing, but from the way Jonathan just spoke about it, it seemed like a partner was a necessity. “Why practice it then?”
Another brief pause from Jonathan. “…it’s fun. It always has been. I’ve just never been a dancer, always the caller. Nobody wanted to dance with Scarecrow or Handrail who was too tall to move without tripping over their own feet. Who was too garish and nerdy to touch unless it was a punch or a kick.”
Edward didn't think before he grabbed Jonathan’s hand. He seized quickly- a little too quickly as Jonathan flinched and tugged his hand away. Still, Ed continued. “Then teach me. It’s only fair that you get to dance this style properly now that you’ve grown past those assholes.” Jonathan barked a laugh, one that was rough and nothing like his regular voice. He shook his head as his laugh quieted and Edward couldn’t help but feel a little hurt. Was his offer really that ridiculous?
“Oh, don’t go lookin like a kicked puppy,” Jonathan chuckled, and Edward could pick up the southern accent again. Warmth started creeping onto the shorter man’s cheeks again. “You’re as funny as all get out.” Confusion briefly laced Edward’s face. Both at the saying that he didn’t understand and why the offer was so funny.
“Square dancing ain’t like the tango or a waltz. It’s similar, but we’d need 6 more people to properly dance.”
“Ah,” Ed clicked his tongue in acknowledgment. “…so is that a yes or no to my offer?”
Jonathan paused. If it weren’t for both the mask and the damned shadow that seemed to constantly cover most of his face, Ed could actually gauge Jon’s thoughts. But instead, he had to wait and be left in the dark until Jonathan made up his mind. His heart was drumming along at an impossible pace, and the suspense felt as if it was tearing him apart from the inside out.
“…I suppose so. Come along.”
The only thing keeping Ed from laughing in victory was the shock of the answer. Still, it didn’t stop Ed from placing his cane against the counter and following Jonathan as he walked to the other side of the room. Jonathan walked over to the old dust-ridden shelves, taking his phone off of the highest one and restarting the music. It started with a steady and upbeat tune played from a fiddle.
“In the center now,” Jonathan barked, and while it didn’t carry the tone of anger it sure sounded terrifying from the volume. Edward wasted no time in scrambling to follow him into the center of the room. By the time they had met in the middle, the strumming of a banjo joined the fiddle. “No, no, don’t stand in front of me. Stand to my right,” Jonathan corrected as Edward instinctively stood in front of him.
“Sorry about that,” Edward mumbled, quickly adjusting his placement and standing to Jon’s right side. He couldn’t help but eye his shoes, just to make sure his feet placement was correct. It looked to be simple, just standing with your feet forward, so Ed copied.
“Now to start, we turn to face each other,” Jonathan explained as he turned in an instant. Edward’s reaction was delayed by a slight second, but he did as told. He hadn’t even realized Jonathan had straightened out his posture again and he had to bend his neck painfully back just to meet his eyes. Sadly, the action didn’t go unnoticed.
“If this is too uncomfortable we can stop,” Jonathan reminded.
Edward shook his head madly. “Absolutely not!” He didn’t want to pry Jonathan of his chance to dance with a partner just because of his monstrous height. It would be cruel, clearly when he enjoyed dancing just as much as Edward. “What’s the next step?”
Jonathan paused, slightly taken aback from the response. It took a moment before he regained his composure. Shifting awkwardly in place, he continued. “Next we bow to our partner.”
Edward could do that. He bowed simply with elegance, smiling that he could do this naturally. Jonathan’s bow however was anything but natural. It was awkward and stilted, a complete contrast to his movements from earlier. Ed couldn’t help but frown at the sight, a voice in the back of his mind wondering if it was because he never had another partner to bow to. “Next we return to our places.” Both he and Jon smoothly stepped back to where they were originally standing, side by side.
“Now this is where the calls come in. The caller says the next move, and everyone follows through. Let’s start with a simple one: Circe left.”
“Circle left?” Ed asked curiously.
“It’s easy, though it doesn't look as pretty when it’s just us two. You take your partner’s hand and what would be the other person next to you,” he explained as he held out his hand. Hesitantly, as if he was touching a treasure he didn’t wish to disgrace, Edward placed his left fingers in Jon’s thin right hand. Jon clasped his hand tightly around Ed’s and began pulling him to the left. “Then we move in a circle towards the left.”
Edward stumbled, shouting in surprise as he was pulled. Jonathan moved perfectly to the music, each step he took his weight was perfectly shifted and graceful for such an awkward body type. Edward however, had no experience with dancing to country and was struggling with the shift of weight and keeping up. It wasn’t until they had returned to their original places that Jonathan spoke up again.
“Don’t walk. Try hopping from one foot to the other. Constantly switch, it’ll make you more nimble,” Jonathan explained.
“…alright, alright,” Edward practiced distributing his weight and hopping from one foot to the other while Jonathan stared at his phone. The music started to dip ever so slightly in energy. “Circle left!” He called, and this time Ed was prepared. He was sloppy and bumped into Jonathan a few times, but he successfully kept up with the taller man this time.
“You’re improving,” Jonathan hummed, a smile to his voice as Edward chuckled in pride.
“I think I am!”
“Then let’s move on,” Jonathan said, taking his hands from Ed’s, who lingered out for a moment longer before they stuffed harshly to his sides. “Shall we try the do si do?”
“Sure!” Edward said through a laugh still giddy on his own success.
Jon nodded. “First, we face each other, but don’t move from your spot.” Both he and Edward turned to face one another, but still stood side to side. “Then we step past each other but not too far. Don’t turn back.” Edward tried to step to the music, but it was difficult finding the rhythm underneath the fiddle and banjo’s duet. His nose crinkled in frustration until he reached the end of the room, knowing each step of his was off beat. ”Don't turn around. Step back to back in a circle until we come together again!” Edward followed, listening carefully for the taps of Scarecrow’s shoes and mimicking them with little success. Maybe it would be best not to copy the person twice his height with legs that went to Ed’s chest for timing steps.
“Yer getting the hang of it,” Jonathan chuckled as Edward awkwardly stumbled to his side. The shorter man flashed him an awkward smile, hoping it would come off as a plea for help. It didn’t. The music came back in energy and with it, Jonathan’s voice. ”Do si do!”
Biting back a sigh, Ed turned and pressed forward. He tried listening closer to the music, and it was difficult to hear but under the upbeat fiddle and banjo he could hear a quiet low pitched strum that he assumed was a beat. Stumbling at the sudden shift in rhythm, Edward began focusing on matching that strum. He smiled, pride flowing through him, as his steps stopped landing completely out of rhythm with Jon’s. Jon had longer legs, so he hit every beat, but Ed followed with every beat and half a beat. It was satisfying to listen to the clack-a-click of their shoes in charming opposite harmony.
He reached the turning point and followed the rhythm back to the middle, standing at Jon’s side again. However there was no moment to breathe, as Jonathan shouted, “join in hands, circle left!”
There was surprise, but no stumble. Edward giggled as he seized Jon’s hand again and they continued in a circle. The song was lively, but beginning to dim in its energy. Jonathan followed the dim, slowing down as he came to a stop. Edward managed to pick up just in time, following suit without a stumble or bump into his friend’s side.
Though Jonathan still wasn’t done. The music picked up in pace one more, and through a delighted giggle he called, “roll away to a half sashay!” Edward didn’t even have the time to process the move’s name before Jonathan grabbed his hands and held them out in front of him, before tugging Ed and the two switched sides. Edward yelped in surprise, legs struggling to keep up with Jonathan’s speed. Jonathan couldn’t stop laughing. Sweat was dripping down Edward’s face and he couldn’t tell if it was from how hot the room suddenly felt or the exercise. He didn’t have the time to process it. The fiddle and banjo were beaming with energy and Jonathan reflected it stunningly.
“Ballroom style, let’s do that swing!”
Thankfully the next move Jonathan impulsively threw him in was one he knew. They met right hip to right hip (or more accurately collided). Ed felt Jon grab his hip, albeit awkwardly since he had to lean down, but thankfully he leaned down just enough for Ed’s fingertips to reach his shoulders. Their arms were pressed together, Ed noticed himself running short of breath from how good the touch felt, and their free hands met our stretched with their fingers tangled. That moment lasted less than a second in reality, but minutes in Edward’s mind, and he couldn’t help but join in the laughter as he and Jonathan spun in a circle. Click-a-clack, click-a-clack, weaved in with the music as it was just another instrument in the duet of the banjo and fiddle.
“And spin!” Jonathan finished as the music left with a powerful strum, leading Ed’s arm up as high as it could go and twirling him under. Ed knew this move by heart, so as the world spun around him he laughed with his eyes closed until Jonathan tugged him a little too high by mistake. Ed was sent crashing into Jonathan, knocking the other man over and resulting in a tangle of limbs that couldn’t stop giggling.
The music had ended, but the laughter had not. Slowly and sluggishly, the two men pulled their arms and legs away from the others and struggled to get up. Jonathan was the first to get on his feet, a beaming smile hidden by his mask but heard clearly by Edward. He reached out his hand which Edward gleefully took, allowing Jonathan to pull him up as their laughter finally subsided.
Edward’s tan skin was burning red with sweat and blush, but he didn’t care. That was wonderful. Opening his mouth to vocalize how amazing it felt, he didn’t get a word out before a chuckling Jonathan snapped first. “You’re sweating more than a hooker in church.”
Edward lost it. A laugh didn’t come out, but instead a high pitched wheeze escaped like helium rushing from a balloon as he doubled over laughing. Jonathan chuckled as well, though a little more awkwardly as he didn’t find the humor in it. It was simply a saying to him, not a joke. It took a few drawn out moments, but Ed managed to collect himself enough to look back up at the towering Scarecrow.
He’d give anything to do that again, so forgetting the entire reason he originally came here, Ed decided to indulge himself and Jonathan. “Again?” He asked, holding out his hand.
He couldn’t see it under the mask, but it was clear Jonathan was beaming. “Again.” He nodded, taking Edward’s.