Here is part 7.

I do hope you enjoy it!

Edward lay, shirtless, on the rug that covered the living room floor, the dark brown Puggle laying across his chest, snoring slightly despite being awake; something that always confused Edward, but he loved it about her, so he'd put up with it.

He stared at the tv, watching the upside-down picture, his smile as wide as it had been for the past day and a half.

He was going to get married…

"Do you wanna be a grooms-maid Lola?" he asked the dog, she huffed in reply. Edward would take that as a yes.

"We'll put you in a little dog dress and you'll get to stand with us at the alter, how does that sound?"

The dog wagged her tail, and Edward lifted a hand to rub her head, he let out a sigh, pressing the button on the remote to bring up the time, Harvey should be home by now, where was he?

As Edward thought it, he heard the door open and Harvey let out a moan of exasperation.

"What's the matter, babe?" Edward asked happily, lifting himself from the floor, holding Lola in his arms and walking to the doorframe that led to the hall.

There was deep frown on Harvey's face, though it softened when he saw Edward in his shirtless, unkempt beauty, "Oh, it's nothing really, Ed, I'm fine."

"Now come on," Edward moaned, "You're worse at lying than me. Something go wrong with Bruce?"

Harvey shook his head, "No, I was having a lovely day. Until some fucker ruined it…"

Edward walked towards the older man, watching him take off his shoes and socks, "What? Who did what?"

"Some bastard outside," Harvey said with a grunt, not looking up from his task as he talked.

Edward felt Lola begin to struggle in his arms, he placed her on the floor as he reached Harvey's side, she growled gently and ran back into the living room. "What did he do?" Edward asked, placing his hand on the small of Harvey's back in an attempt to calm him.

"Just… making comments…"

"Joker comments?"

Over the years they had come to call homophobic slurs 'Joker comments', for obvious reasons.

Harvey nodded, "I know I should ignore them, but… it's hard not to react."

Edward nodded, letting Harvey pull him into a soft hug, "I'm aware… I get them too you know."

Harvey nodded, "That's obvious," he said quietly, which it was, Edward had, over the past year or two, become slightly more effeminate, as if he thought that just because he had facial hair people might forgive him for acting more like a girl. "I don't see why they can't just leave us alone."

Edward sighed, looking down at his feet, "Because we are ex-cons, and we are gay."

"No, it's because of the ex-con thing, they make fun simply because we are gay, if they knew we were ex-cons they wouldn't make fun of us, if they knew we had killed people."

"That was years ago, they will have forgotten that…" Edward reached out to take Harvey's hand, pulling him gently from where he stood, "C'mon, I'll make you a cup of tea."

"I want them to stop…" Harvey growled, walking slowly behind his partner.

Edward's head flicked back, focusing on Harvey's eyes, as they continued into the kitchen, "Now Harvey, I know that tone. You stop it, now."

"If…"

"No!" Edward shouted, "You've never threatened to start that again when people have called you a fag before, you can't go back now. It's been too long! You've worked too hard!"

"They didn't call me a fag…" Harvey growled again, taking his usual seat at the small kitchen table.

Edward stilled, "…What did they say about me?" he said quietly, moving only his hand and turning on the kettle.

Harvey looked down at the floor, clinching his hands into fists, "'Hey, there's that one that goes out with that fag, do you recon he makes that bitch squeal?'"

Edward huffed angrily, "They talked about me, in front of you?"

Harvey nodded, lifting his eyes to watch Edward getting the tea ready, using their favourite cups.

"That's just…" Edward shook his head, frowning deeply, "I don't mind them bugging me but them bugging you about me? I-I-"

"I know," Harvey stated, nodding lightly in understanding.

"Do they just hate me?"

"They pick you because you're the weaker one, and they think I'll react if they talk about you in front of me."

Edward nodded, still frowning, and poured out their tea, "Well we know who they are now, right?"

Harvey nodded, "Yeah, the new guy from 2 and his mate."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Harvey snapped, "I'm sure."

"Well, then… we call the police on them, simple as that."

Harvey sighed, his head perking up a little as Edward finished making the tea, and passed Harvey his cup, "I used to be able to do things for myself…" Harvey growled as he took a sip.

"We still can," Edward said gently, "But we can't start pissing people off. We are ex cons, if anyone says anything against us then the police will take their side, not ours."

Edward talked to the table and sat opposite Harvey, drinking from his question mark dotted mug, Harvey frowned at him, feeling anxiety growing inside his chest, "But you work for them."

"That doesn't mean they like me, loads of them were there when I was still The Riddler, they remember everything I did, and they know what we're capable of."

"…Then maybe we should think outside the box."

Edward reached over the table, grabbing Harvey's hand, "Harvey, you calm down, we will go to the police, that is all we will do. C'mon… you've been so good lately, you can't let this one thing upset you."

Harvey stared at their entwined hands, his eyes slowly moving to Edward face, "They threatened you, Edward. I can't sit back and do nothing."

"…They threatened me?"

Harvey nodded, and recited what they had said "'-do you recon he makes that bitch squeal?' 'I dunno but I will if I get my hands on him.'"

Edward swallowed hard, absentmindedly lifting his hand to rub his throat, "I'm going to call them now…" He quickly took his phone from his pocket, dialling his workplace.

Harvey sipped his tea, and listened to Edward's half of the conversation.

"Hey, Bobby, listen, uh… I've got a problem I'd like to report… Yeah I know… No, some guys who live near me threatened me… No, Harvey did. Yeah, yeah ok… Yeah, it's kinda scared me… Right… Ok, thank you, thank you so much Bobby, I'll… buy you a cupcake or something tomorrow." He smiled lightly as he hung up, "They're coming down here now, they're gunna take a statement, and give 'em a talking to. There, see, all sorted and no bloodshed."

"…That's not 'all sorted', I used to advise for cases like this. All they did was threaten you. You should know that the police can't really do anything."

Edward took a last sip from his cup, huffing gently, "Well we've got the notes and everything, we'll just… give them the notes, a-and the guys will be able to get them for harassment."

Harvey looked over at Edward, oddly still and silent, "…If they dare touch you Edward, I won't be able to stop myself."

"Harvey, they won't touch me, I promise, it'll be ok, the boys will sort it out."

Harvey watched Edward get to his feet and put their now empty cups in the sink, "…I should probably get dressed shouldn't I…?" he mused to himself.

Harvey shook his head, "Nah, I think your workmates should see you in your natural state."

Edward chuckled, "Harvey…" he moaned, "I don't want them thinking I'm some kind of exhibitionist, or… a nudist or something."

Harvey lifted himself to his feet and pulled himself to Edward's side, kissing him gently and mumbling "…I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

Edward wrapped his arm around Harvey's waist, "You'd probably go on a murder rampage, and then cry."

Harvey let out a huffed chuckle, giving the smaller man a pat on the back, "Go find a shirt then, they'll be here soon…"

Edward gave a slight nod, and turned to the dryer to pull out his favourite shirt, he quickly pulled it over his head and smiled at the other man, "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous, as always," Harvey smiled in reply, "Shall we clean up a little before they get here?"

Edward nodded, and whistled lightly to call their dog, she scampered into the room a few seconds later, Edward crouched down, patting the dog, "Lola, find your toys for daddy." He got to his feet and dog ran off to collect up her toys.

"We don't need to do much, just put tidy the living room, and if you could put the dishes away, Harvey."

Harvey gave a tiny bow, and began to clean the plates from the side, putting them in their proper places, he watched Edward walk from the room, making his way to the living room to clean the mess that had accumulated during his day off.

Edward smiled at his dog; she had, as commanded, piled her toys on the dog bed by the TV. He collected up the papers and drawings that he'd spread over the room during the day and piled the neatly on the coffee table, wiping the surface down with his sleeve before he did.

"All good, Harv?" he shouted through the hall, in response Harvey stuck his head round the door frame and nodded, smiling, happy to go along with this false solution if it would make Edward feel better.

He knew it wouldn't work, if anything it'd make it worse, of course the police wouldn't tell the men exactly who had reported them, but they'd soon guess, he was sure they would, and then the harassment would get worse, and they'd end up having to do something to solve the problem themselves.

Something totally within the law, that couldn't really harm them.

They obviously didn't know who they were, maybe he should remind them, maybe find an old newspaper of them as they were, at their height, standing victorious surrounded by dead bodies…

He was sure he could find a copy, have it sent to them.

That'd set them straight.

Those bastards.

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