'Second Choice'
By Indiana
Characters: Edward Nygma, Selina Kyle [Riddlecat]
Synopsis: Try enough times and eventually you'll get lucky.
Every year he tried and every year she stood him up.
The first two years, he had invited her. He knew what her favourite restaurant was and what she would have ordered if she were there, and the first year he had in fact done so in her stead. Unfortunately, that was not half so impressive when his date did not materialise. He had looked quite the fool that evening. The next year he had waited until the people around him were beginning to whisper, their eyes in his direction, at which time he had decided he was company enough and had dinner alone.
The third year had been… it had been the tail end of a very unproductive and unfulfilling previous year, and he had known then for certain she was not coming and that expecting her was foolish. He had stayed only about twenty minutes. The fourth year, as with this one, he had mostly come because it was something of a tradition at this point. A bit of a sad tradition, granted, but this year he had made the reservation partly because watching the couples on that particular night was always somewhat entertaining. He wasn't expecting her. Not anymore.
Still, though, he had decided to wait a while before beginning his order. Just in case.
After reading through the menu changes, Edward had rested his chin on his entwined fingers and looked out the window at the traffic rolling by the restaurant. He found himself wondering just what was going on in each of the vehicles that passed his eyes. He wasn't… lonely, not exactly. But there was a sense of melancholy here today. Five years. Long enough for a significant anniversary.
Well. It was an anniversary, of sorts. But not one really worth celebrating.
"You'll probably find something more interesting if you look in front of you."
Surprised to hear another voice so soon, he did so, and he had to say he agreed with that assessment. She'd shown up this time! And in quite a lovely strapless black dress at that, though one that he wouldn't mind taking off her if she allowed him the chance. His eyes lingered possibly a little too long on her bosom, but if she hadn't wanted him to look she would have worn something else.
"Good evening," he said, looking up to meet her eyes. They were beautifully made up and her short hair was just styled enough to look casually tousled. "Are you looking for someone?"
"Why? Am I interrupting something?"
He waved a hand at the window. "Oh, you know. Always something going on out there."
There came a buzzing from the bag tucked beneath her arm, and she reached one hand – ensconced in a very lovely elbow-length black glove – inside of it, removing a phone. He looked away politely. He couldn't deny that his stomach sank a little. And here he'd thought his waiting had been worth it.
"I would have expected some assessment of how I look by now," she said, tucking the phone away. He folded his hands together in front of him.
"Is 'resplendent' acceptable?"
She shrugged and put her attention to pulling her gloves off one finger at a time. "It'll do for now."
For now, eh? That implied a later, but what it did not answer was why she had come tonight, for the first time in five years.
Ahh. Wait. He knew the reason.
"He stood you up, didn't he," Edward said, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. She deposited her likely stolen but very trendy purse on the table and sat down. Her fingernails were adorned with black acrylic nails that ended in a point. Very cute.
"That's not important," she said, passing him the wine list. "What matters is that you didn't."
"I wouldn't dare," he assured her, and the smile she gave him almost made him believe he'd been first choice.
Author's note
((He was))