~*New Year's*~
Above Gotham City Hall, the alabaster ball was about to drop and Selina Kyle wanted to throat punch someone. Anyone.
Around her, sickly happy people gathered in couples and groups, drunker than happy hour at the Iceberg, singing and laughing along with the band playing on the stage. Showing brotherly love and camaraderie, before slinking back to their stinking, festering lives for the rest of the year.
She may have still been in a bad mood from Christmas...
Snow was falling softly on Gotham, but the idiots still congregated at the base of the stupid light show, waiting for a new year, expecting it to be better than the last.
Shoving her hands into the pockets of her heavy black peacoat, Selina sighed as yet another couple bumped into her on their way out of the area, lips locked together like they were born that way.
She had just come from the Iceberg, where it was the same, couples, groups, people with friends and lovers, happy and useless.
So why are you even here, Selina? She asked herself.
"I sincerely hope someone from the old Arkham crowd breaks up the mood tonight," someone said from her right. "It's so…unnecessarily festive. Do you know the statistics of accidental conception on New Years? It's nearly astronomical..."
Selina sighed deeply. "Oh, hell no," she glanced over at Eddie who stood beside her, hands in the pockets of his own dark coat. "I'm not spending another holiday with you." She snarled.
Eddie chuckled. "Now, Selina dear, you technically didn't spend the last one with me."
"Still, I'm not putting up with you again." She replied, making to move off through the crowds.
The Riddler stopped her, hooking his cane around Selina's arm and holding her still beside him. "Be nice, kitten. No need for the claws tonight."
"Luckily for you I left them at home, Ed." She replied coolly, elbowing him to release her.
He grunted, but consented, cane returning to the ground, his left hand gripping it casually.
Eddie turned his eyes from the stage to her. "Jasmine?"
"What?"
"Your hair product. Jasmine, right?"
Sighing, she fought the urge to grit her teeth. "What are you doing?"
"Making conversation. This is how mere mortals converse, is it not?" His eyes twinkled in the light of the stage.
"You're not a God, Ed. You can say 'we' and it doesn't make you any less brilliant." She pointed out.
"God? No." He remarked eyeing a amorous couple at their side. "Homo Novus, perhaps..."
"You're no better than anyone else." She snarled.
"Why, Selina dear, sounds like you're having a rough night. Does this have anything to do with some residual rage from Christmas?"
She ignored him, eyeing the giant digital clock that lorded over the whole ceremony three minutes and some seconds until the new year.
"I'm not kissing you at midnight." She stated firmly. "If that's what you're trying to weasel out of me."
"I had no intentions of forcing myself upon you, Selina dear," he said. "All things considered, I'm rather fond of living."
"Then why are you forcing me to stay here with you?" She asked.
Eddie chuckled again. "Logically, in a fight, Selina, I couldn't hold a candle to you. Therefore, if you really wanted, you could leave at any time."
She made to leave, only to have him pull her back with his cane. Selina pursed her lips, hiding the playful smile there. She did like a challenge. Glancing at the clock she noted it was two minutes and forty-three seconds to go as she once more abused him to release her.
"Incidentally, how was your Christmas?" Eddie asked conversationally, rubbing the shoulder she assaulted. "Did you get everything you wanted?"
"And then some," she replied in a tone that was completely flat.
"I got a nice big fat rent due," he replied.
Not a fan of having anyone see her smile, Selina turned her head, pretending to study the crowds around them, hiding her smile from the Riddler.
"It was very thoughtful of my landlord. The beastly Cro-Magnon really knows how to touch a man's heart." He frowned at the stage. "I must admit, this honest living is somewhat of a vexation. It was easier back in the days of Riddler. I didn't owe anyone anything...except maybe a certain Dark Knight a nice, cold grave..."
At his tone, she glanced over and found him glowering at the back of a Gothamite in front of them, hand to his chin.
He smiled then. "But then again, in those days you didn't pay for heat and you didn't get heat. That is a lovely luxury we bill payers are afforded." Sighing wistfully, he touched his cane to the brim of his hat and pushed it up a little. "Ah, but those days are over."
"Are you so sure?"
With a wag of his finger, he went on. "There are more important things to life than dropping a Bat, my dear."
"Go on."
The grin on his elfish face faltered as though he wasn't expecting her to urge him on. "Well, there's freedom. If I never see the inside of an Arkham cell again, it will be all too soon. There's music and art and poetry and love. All this without having to look over my shoulder every two minutes."
"Speaking of floral and pearls..." she teased. "Is there a little woman in the future for you, Ed?"
"No." He said. "I've dealt with Harley, Ivy and yourself long enough to know to steer clear of your sex."
"So? Little man, then?"
Quirking an elegant brow, he angled his head to face her, eyeing her with sharp blue eyes. "You're the third person in as many months to make that suggestion."
"Eddie, you're..." she waved her hand. "Never mind."
By the time Selina composed herself she found the clock read one minute and thirteen seconds. Beside her Eddie was eyeing it as well.
"Ah," he said after a moment, "I have something for you."
Selina watched with slight horror as Eddie reached into his coat pocket and drew out a long, flat box.
"It's late for Christmas, but better late than never." He said holding it out to her.
She eyed the gift. "What do you want?"
He wiggled the present a little, eyeing it with mild confusion. "It's a present, Lina. Something one gives to another in an effort to build a relationship."
Selina cringed a little when she said, "sorry, Eddie. I won't take it." She supposed it was because the sentiment was actually endearing in an odd way. Sometimes she thought of Eddie as a little boy still, needing, wanting attention and affection. It was partly why she was never as cruel to him as she could be, because he was just too vulnerable at times. Sure, he was a dangerous criminal, but he never seemed like one to her.
Beside her the Riddler quirked a brow, it rose and fell so fast Selina almost missed it. "Ah."
"It's not you, Ed. I don't take gifts from men who I have no interest in." She explained simply.
The look in his boyish blue eyes almost made her turn and leave him just to escape it, then he smiled to cover the look and lowered the gift wielding hand. "Well, I can see why you would enforce that rule. It seems to be working out for you." He said smoothly. "No insistent men beating down your door thinking they have a chance."
"It just seems to encourage them." She added.
He nodded. "It would. Indeed."
The clock was at thirty-three seconds.
Beside her Eddie was silent.
You should have just taken the damned gift, she scolded herself. How often does Edward Nygma give gifts? Then a thought struck her. If he was so damned smart…
Sometimes she forgot just how manipulative Edward Nygma could be.
Beside her Eddie studied the clock with a twinkle in his eye, gift still in hand, dangling limp at his side.
"You knew I wouldn't accept the gift," she accused, her ire rising.
He smirked. "My dear, I have no idea what you mean."
"Then why-"
"Ten!"
"I'm going to punch that smirk right off your face," she threatened.
"Seven!"
"Think you could sucker me into a pity kiss at midnight…" she went on.
"Five!"
"I bet that stupid box is empty."
"Three!"
"It's not." He replied.
She glowered at him and made for the box he now held away from her playfully.
"One! Happy New Year!"
Around them people fell into song as others embraced and kissed.
Selina, her curiosity and rage in full swing, leaned in close to Eddie, pursing her lips. As she did this her left hand curled around the gift, her right curled into a fist.
She left him in the middle of the crowd, holding his gut, the gift in her hand.
Three steps from him, she paused and turned, realizing he had tricked her into taking the gift from him.
The area where he stood was filled with lovers embracing, the Riddler was gone, having hobbled his body away to whatever hole it was he came from.
Turning sharply on her heel, she stormed away from the celebration, her swag in hand.
