He deserves better, Two-Face's voice growled at him from the back of his mind.
Harvey propped himself up on one elbow to take in the glorious sight of a sleeping Edward. The ginger lay flat on his back, pale skin glowing golden in the sickly streetlight that filtered in through the blinds. His hair was in rare disarray, his face totally placid. He was beautiful in sleep. He was always beautiful.
Harvey looked down at himself. Most of his body was as it had been when he was District Attorney, an expanse of smooth skin and muscle. Part of his face was still relatively handsome, part of his hair still fine and blond. But that was only part.
He deserves better than you, that's for damn certain. He looked at the scarred hand, its flesh dark, mottled red and shrunken strangely. The hand wasn't bony per se, but the flesh was tight around the joints. The nails were stained black, like the Joker's...
He deserves better than both of us.
You shot nine people in the last week, Harvey shot back, toying gently with a stray lock of Edward's ginger hair.
None of them died. Pussy. And anyway, you've beaten plenty of people. Remember last month, we even hit Eddie here. You're just like me, only a wuss.
Edward made an adorable fussy noise in his sleep, nuzzling up closer to Harvey's hand.
The hand that had struck him across the face in anger. They had been arguing over something, and Edward had said something about Two-Face, and Harvey had seen red for a moment.
Harvey shuddered, shame welling up inside him. He could still see the hurt in those mossy green eyes.
I didn't think he'd forgive us. Me.
Girls go for men just like their fathers, Harvey. Maybe it's true for Riddlers.
Harvey hoped not.
Edward made another fussy noise, eyelids fluttering before blinking blearily open. His lean, delicate hand came up to caress Harvey's face.
"Are you okay, babe?" He sat up a little more, seeming to sense Harvey's distress. "What's wrong?"
Harvey tried to turn away, but Edward's other hand flew up, cupping his face-the other face, the ugly face. He could never understand how anyone could ever stand to touch him there, let alone like it.
"You deserve better." Edward's brows knitted. Normally, Harvey would have savored the rare opportunity to confuse the Riddler. But not now. He touched Edward's warm hands, catching them in his own. He brought them down gently.
"You deserve so much better than Us."
Edward smiled a sad, beautiful little smile. He rested his forehead against Harvey's.
"I don't want better. I don't love better." Edward kissed him, gently, the only person who could ever kiss him without cringing at the rough, scarred half. "I love you."
