A/N: This is my first xReader story. I hope you enjoy!
Edit: Because someone wanted me to continue this little story, I added more to it so it has more of a finished ending. I hope that you enjoy the additions I made!
Another edit: I have finally got around to editing this little story! Sorry it took so long after over a year. I didn't realize all the tense switches and the few spelling errors that had occurred. Everything is fixed now though. Enjoy!
You are standing by the window looking out onto the street deep in thought when Edward Nygma comes up behind you.
"Hello miss (l/n)!" he says cheerfully.
"Jesus!" You say turning around. "You scared me!"
"Sorry," he says. "I-I wanted to ask you a riddle that I made up, is that ok?"
"Sure," you say, not really bothered by the idea.
"Excellent!" Edward says with a grin. "Here's the riddle: With potent, flowery words speak I, of something common, vulgar, dry. I weave webs of pedantic prose, in effort to befuddle those who think I wile time away in lofty things, above all day, the common kind that linger where monadic beings live and fare. Though practical I may not be, life, it seems, is full of me!"
"Hmmmmm..." You say thinking intently. "It's something that's not practical, people think it's a waste of time... it's a hard one." You give a small smile.
"Nygma!" A voice suddenly yells. You both turn to see detective Bullock walking towards you. "Stop pestring (y/n) with your riddles. They're a waste of time and completely pointless."
"That's it!" You say snapping your fingers. "That's the answer, a riddle!"
A large smile spreads over Edward's face when you say that. "You're correct miss (l/n)! The answer is a riddle! You're very intelligent to have figured it out."
"Detective Bullock helped me unwittingly," you say patting Bullock's arm.
"Yeah, well we need your help," Bullock says with a scowl, "come on."
You give Edward a slight grin as Bullock drags you away.
###
The next day you are going over some case files at your desk when Edward approaches you.
"Hello again!" He says with a grin.
"Hello Mr. Nygma," you say flipping through a file.
"What are you doing?" He leans over your shoulder to get a better look at what you are in the middle of doing.
"Going over case files," you say leaning away from him slightly.
"Fascinating," Edward says.
"Aren't you supposed to be down in forensics going over the evidence that was just brought in?" You ask, getting irritated.
"Well yes, but I wanted talk to you first. Would you like to hear another riddle?"
"Not now," you say, "you see, I'm busy."
"Yes, of course," Edward says. "I'll just get going then..."
"You do that," you say, watching him leave. You wince as he trips down the stairs. Shaking your head and letting out a sigh you turn back to your work.
###
It is lunch now and you're glad for it. Edward has bothered you during work three more times and you are getting frustrated. You let out a loud sigh when he once again approaches you.
"What do you want?" You ask.
"I just wanted to see how you where doing," Edward says, a little surprised by your attitude.
"You saw me not even two hours ago," you remind him.
"Well, yes, but still," Edward says, sitting down next to you. He pulls a container of take out from his bag and opens it.
"What are you doing?"
"Eating," Edward says.
"I see..." You watch him start to remove onions from his lunch. "You don't like onions?"
"Nope," Edward says. "What are you eating?"
"Tuna sandwich," you reply.
"Ick," Edward said, wrinkling his nose. "Are you doing anything after work?"
"Yeah," you say. "Why are you asking?"
"No reason," Edward says. He looked around and stares at something on the other side of the department. You follow his gaze and notice Kristen Kringle, the records keeper, talking to detective Flass.
"Excuse me," Edward says, abruptly standing up and walking away.
"You forgot your-" You start to say but he didn't hear you.
You go back to eating your sandwich and steal glances over towards Kristen and Edward. She was talking to him and from his expression you could tell that it wasn't something nice. Detective Flass was smirking at Edward with a haugtly look on his face. A minute later, Edward comes back and picks up his lunch.
"Sorry for bothering you miss (l/n)," he says glumly. "I'll be going now."
"Bye," you say, watching him walk away for the second time.
###
After work you pack up your things quickly because you can't wait to have dinner with your friend you haven't seen in a very long time. They are in town and you both had made plans to meet and catch up. Pulling into the restaurants parking lot ten minutes later, you saw your friend is already there.
"(Y/n)!" They call, rushing up to give you a hug. "How are you?"
"Good," you say hugging them back. "Have you been waiting long?"
"Nope! Just go here a few minutes ago. Come on, our tables over here."
You follow them over to the table and settle down across from them.
"So tell me, (y/n)," your friend says, "how's it going? I heard that you got a job at the GCPD."
"Yeah," you say, "I did. It's nice, and the people there are rather interesting."
"Really?" Your friend asks. "What are your coworkers like?"
"They're generally nice people," You say, "but there are some odd ones for sure. There's this one guy that works in forensics that's obsessed with riddles. He hasn't been leaving me alone lately though."
"Think he likes you?" Your friend asks, stirring their drink.
"No," you say firmly. "I just answered one of his riddles and now he won't leave me alone. Besides, he's pining over this woman who works down in record keeping."
"Do I sense the sound of disappointment?" Your friend asks.
"I don't now honestly," you admit. "It gets lonely there and nobody talks to me unless they need something. He's pleasant enough to talk to but it can get annoying."
"And when did this start?" Your friend asks curiously.
"Yesterday," you reply.
"Is he the guy starting at us right now?" Your friend asks. "He just entered the restaurant."
You turn around to see Edward standing in the entrance awkwardly. Some guy behind him snaps at him and Edward jumps out of the way and mutters an apology before walking over to your table.
"Miss (l/n)?" He asks uncertainty. "May I please speak with you?"
"I'm in the middle of something, Mr. Nygma," you say.
"I see that. But please? It's important."
Your friend raises and eyebrow and tilts their head at you.
"Fine," you say with a sigh. You stand up and reluctantly followed him out of the restaurant.
###
"What do you want Mr. Nygma?" You ask crossing your arms once you got outside.
"You are owed one of these when someone wrongs you," Edward says taking off his glasses and fiddling with them.
"An apology?" You ask. "What are you apologizing for?"
"I worry that I have annoyed you," Edward replies replacing his glasses.
"Maybe just a little bit," you say with a slight smile, "but I find that I rather enjoy your company."
"Y-you do?" Ed ask, startled.
"Would I have said that if I meant otherwise?" You ask raising an eyebrow.
"No I suppose not," Ed mutters.
You glance back inside the restaurant and can just make out your friend. You're certain they are mouthing, 'He likes you', but you aren't sure.
"So what did you want to talk about?" You ask, returning your attention to Edward.
"What words are said too much yet not enough?" Edward blurts out.
"Another riddle?" You ask.
Edward nods his head and turns slightly pink.
"This one's a bit more difficult," you say thinking. "It might take me a while."
"The answer-" Ed starts but he is interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He jumps in surprise. Jeez, you think, skittish much?
"Excuse me," Edward says. "I have to take this call." He answers the phone and starts talking to someone. You watch him wander away from you, deep in conversation.
"Well then," you say to yourself turning around and entering the restaurant, "that was odd."
###
"What did he want to talk to you about?" Your friend asks as you sat back down at the table.
"It was work related," you say dismissively. "Nothing too important."
"If you say so…" Your friend says giving you a look.
"What are you implying?" You ask, getting annoyed.
"I think that you have a thing for him," Your friend says with a snicker. "He obviously has a thing for you."
"No he doesn't," you say. "I already told you, he likes the Record Keeper."
"So?" Your friend says. "I know that you also said that-"
"I know very well what I said." You interrupt them with a scowl.
"But do you like him?" your friend asks.
"I barely know the guy," you reply.
"That doesn't mean that you can't get to know him better," your friend says. "He seems very taken by you."
"This is feeling a lot less like a friendly meeting and more like an interrogation," you say coldly. "I think I'm done here. I need to get going."
"So soon?" Your friend asks with a pout.
"I'll pay for the meal," you say, "but then I'm leaving."
"I'll pay for it," your friend says with a wave of their hand. "You go home and mope about how bad your life is because you're single."
"I don't mope," you say standing up, "and I'm quite happy with my current relationship status, thank you very much."
"You keep telling yourself that," your friend says with a laugh. Their laughter follows you out as you exit the restaurant.
###
A week has passed since the whole restaurant incident had happened. Edward still followed you around whenever he could and you are now getting used to it. It is kind of hard to admit, but you are starting to enjoy his company more. He had mostly stopped being awkward around you, and by now you are both having pleasant conversations with each other.
One day you are bringing some files from previous cases down to the Records Room when you overhear someone talking about you. Ducking behind the door you peer around it to see Kristen Kringle talking to detective Flass.
"-Why he's showing more interest in her I have no idea," you heard Kristen saying.
"If anything I would say that you're jealous," Flass remarks.
"As if!" Kristen says with a snort. "I'm glad that he's out of my hair. Always appearing out of nowhere and asking me his stupid riddles."
You automatically know they are also talking about Edward. It is a well known fact he used to try and get Kristen's attention. Used to is the key words here. Now he just talks to you and get your attention, which you give to him, more often than not.
"I don't know why you're upset about it," Flass says. "They seem to be perfect for each other. The abnormal forensic scientist and the avoidant detective. Who becomes a detective if they don't like being around people anyways?"
"Who knows?" Kristen says. "Does it really matter?"
"I guess not," Flass says.
You slowly back away from the door and hurry back up the stairs. Their words sting, but you try to shake it off. You aren't avoidant, you just have slight social anxiety, although you do wonder why you became a detective. Maybe it was because of the mystery behind each case. Making your way back towards your desk you set the files down with a sigh.
"(Y/n)?" you hear detective Gordon say.
"Yeah?" you ask.
"Could you go and give these to Nygma?" He hands you a box full of stuff.
"Sure," you mutter taking the box and heading towards the Forensics department.
###
You knock on the door to Edward's office before entering. "Ed?" you say.
"Yes miss (y/n)?" Edward asks looking up from what he is doing. Over the past week you guys have gotten to know each other well enough that you both mostly call each other by your first names. Edward still insisted on adding 'miss' to yours though.
"Detective Gordon wanted me to give this stuff to you," you say.
"Put it on the counter over there," Edward waves his hand off the side.
After setting the box on the counter you turn around to find Edward right behind you.
"Jesus!" you say jumping. "You startled me!"
"Sorry miss (y/n)," Edward says, "I didn't mean to startle you. Have you thought about my riddle?"
"What riddle?" you ask, slightly confused.
"The one I asked you a week ag," Edward replies, he scoots closer to you.
"I don't know," you say, leaning back slightly. You felt the edge of the counter dig into you back. "After all, it was a week ago."
"How about another one then?" Edward asks. By now he is inches away from you. "Riddle me this (y/n): 'What is given freely when you are young, but gets harder to obtain as you age?'"
"I don't know Ed," you say. He is a little too close for comfort. "Time?"
"No," Ed replies, looking into you eyes. Meeting his gaze, you noticed that his pupils are slightly dilated. Something stirs in the back of your mind. Hadn't you read something about what dilated eyes meant?
"(Y/n)?" Edward asks bringing you out of your thoughts. "Do you give up?"
"Huh?" you say, blinking.
"The riddle," Edward says, "do you give up?"
"I suppose so," you say. "Yes. What's the answer?"
You search his face and see he looks slightly nervous. He blinks and then swallows hard. You are about to ask him a question when Edward's lips brush your own. You freeze in surprise and Edward immediately pulls back in embarrassment.
"Sorry," he mutters turning away, "I don't know what came over me."
"Ed?" you ask once you get your voice back.
"What?"
"I-" you hesitate. "It's really ok. I didn't mind it."
"Really?" Edward asks turning around to face you again.
"Really,"you say with a nod. "I think I know- mmph!"
You get interrupted by Ed kissing you again. Relaxing, you wrap you arms around him gripping his shoulders. Breaking off the kiss you lean your forehead against his and look at him.
"What did the paperclip say to the magnet?" You give a coy smile.
Edward lets out a laugh before answering you.
"You are very attractive."