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The last thing the Riddler expects to interrupt his puzzle-setting-up is a kid in a bright suit.
He's busy sliding the blocks in his slide puzzle to be in the right order, then redoing it to make sure he can do it in under a minute before making Batman do it (which he can, of course, but it's always best to check to make sure it's a fair ask), when he hears a voice right behind him.
“You're the riddler, right?”
He jumps and whirls around to face the person. The kid, actually, judging by the voice and height. He eyes the kid up and down. He's certainly dressed in an outfit more closely resembling someone of his ilk than Batman or the commissioner. “What's it to you?”
He hops on a nearby box and kicks his legs. “I wanna hear a riddle!”
Edward turns back to his puzzle and scrambles it again. “And you found me to do that? Go get a book. You know what libraries are, right?”
“Libraries aren't open this late. Can I just get one, please?”
He makes sure that his cane is still propped against his desk, just in case.
“Only if you tell me why you're actually here, kid.”
“I will! I promise!”
“Alright, alright. Oh, I got one! I have water but no fish, cities but no people, m-”
“A map. Or maybe a map key depending on your choice.”
“What?”
“...What. I answered your riddle. Not my fault, it's an easy one.”
“I gave you an easy one on purpose! You're a kid in neon clothes, near the Gotham bay, at night, asking THE RIDDLER to tell you a riddle. Clearly, you aren't that smart!”
Ed then hears the distinctive sound of a cape flowing behind him, and the distinctive disappointment of being grappled by Batman and pulled backwards.
“He was smart enough to distract you.” The Bat snarks to him, and then turns to the kid he's apparently hired.
“You could've let him finish his riddle, Robin. It would've been nice.”
“I didn't know I had to be nice to the supervillains.” Robin says.
“Who's the only criminal dumb enough to let himself be distracted on the job? …The Riddler.” He grumbles to himself.
-
“No, I'm telling you, he has a kid now.” Ed insists, clicking his pen all the while. He can tell Jonathan isn't sure if he believes him.
“Was he in a miniature bat costume as well?”
“No, I told you, he was in neon stuff.” He sighs, exasperated. Jonathan moves his hand over to Ed's, and gently pushes his hand to the Arkham Asylum table they're sitting at so he'll stop clicking his pen.
“Maybe don't go telling everyone else you got outsmarted by a child, hm?” He tilts his head at the end of his statement.
“I hate you, John.”
“Only helping you out, rea-...” He leans to the side to look behind Ed, surprised. It takes him just a second to look at Ed again and grin. “I think you have a visitor, Nygma. First one.”
Ed whips his head around, and-
“...You have got to be damn kidding me.” It's that stupid kid. Of course. He's carrying something in a box, which he puts on the table in the middle of the two of them.
“Would you mind moving, Dr. Crane?” The kid asks, politely.
“Of course not.” He grins that stupid, sickening grin again, and Ed sees that the kid frowns back at him. He takes Jonathan's chair and holds out his hand.
“I'm Robin.”
Ed stares at his hand and instead chooses to use his hand to rest his head in.
“Why are you here, kid? Victory lap or what?”
“No! I, uh… I brought you some stuff.”
He unlatches the box he's got, which Ed's taken notice of is actually a very nice looking mini-briefcase.
“Why'd they let you in here?”
“It's visiting hours, right?”
“Sure. I don't think they've ever let a kid in the common room alone though.”
“I'm a teenager, first of all, and I'm not alone either.” Robin points at the windowed door to his far right. The Bat sits on the other side, seemingly talking to a doctor.
Robin flips the box around. “So, I br-”
“Why are you here?”
Robin huffs. “You ask more questions than I do. I'm trying to be nice to you. I brought you some puzzles, because-”
“I have puzzles here. Part of my treatment, or whatever. They gotta let me have ‘em.”
“Whatever. You don't have these, alright?” He pushes the box towards Ed.
“These are…” He picks up the one on top. “How did you get these? I can't even imagine how much you'd have to pay just for one of these things, but…”
Robin smiles. “Told ya. There's an eternity puzzle in there, a bunch of ones that haven't been in production for a couple of decades, and that Gotham Globe crossword that no one ever fully solved.”
Ed stares at the collection in disbelief.
“You just want me to look, or…?”
Robin lifts an eyebrow. “No? I want you to solve them. They were just collecting dust anyway.”
“...What do you want for ‘em?”
“Hm?”
“For me to have them. Do you want me to tell you something? I'm not believin’ you stick me in here and then want to give me a prize.”
Robin pushes the puzzles farther away from him. “I don't want anything from you.” He bites his cheek. “But…”
There it is. Can't sneak one past the Riddler that easily.
“I want you to be my friend.” He smiles.
“You huh?”
“My friend. I like puzzles too.” He gets a little quieter. “And I think, maybe, if you have some cool stuff and a friend with your therapy, you might stop being a criminal mastermind?”
“...Oh. Uh, listen, kid. Visiting hours are almost over, so you better go. And, y'know, there are dangerous people in Arkham, even with your dad or whatever here.”
Robin slowly gets up from the table, a disappointed look on his face.
“But, I'll tell you what, I'll think about it, alright? Just don't hold your breath.”
Robin grins. “Thanks, mr. Riddler!” And with that, he's off.