Final part. I might write more but it looks unlikely.
Edward sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the bed, swinging slightly as he chewed his tongue, thinking over his situation, as he had been for the past half an hour.
He knew exactly how he had got here, but how would he get out? No one would hire him, he had no way of earning money; no one would hire an ex-con, especially one with his track record.
He couldn't stay here forever.
He wouldn't want to, not with Batman watching him every second, judging everything he did, looming over him and expecting him to do something bad.
"I brought you something to eat," Batman's voice came again from outside Edward's field of vision. He huffed slightly as he looked up, seeing Batman placing two cups of coffee and a paper bag on the coffee table.
"I do wish you wouldn't do that, you'll give me a heart attack," he snarked as he got to his feet, walking over to pull the paper travel cup from the cardboard, sniffing it and taking his first sip.
Batman took his own cup and pulled the lid off, "I'll knock next time," he offered with a nod. He took a sip of his drink and gave the ex-con a forced and awkward smile.
Edward frowned slightly, sipping his coffee again, "I-uh… I suppose you'll want me to leave? Sometime soon."
The vigilante shook his head, busying himself with throwing away the lid to his cup, "No, I told you, you can stay here for as long as you like. This is your registered address now, all your mail will come here from now on. You cannot run a business from here, but I know where there are some jobs going."
Edward's frown contorted in disgust; Batman had seen fit to change all this, without his knowledge or approval, take over his life as if he were an invalid. "I didn't ask you to do any of that," he shook his head, "And no one will hire me anyway."
"There are jobs available in the technical department of WayneTech, they've hired ex-cons before, I already handed in your C.V," Batman informed, "If you were successful you will receive a call within the next hour."
"What?!" Edward said through gritted teeth, "I don't want to work there."
"Then what do you want to do?" Batman asked bluntly.
Edward stuttered slightly, "I-I… wanted to be a private detective, that's what I told you, that's what I've been saying for months."
Batman nodded, returning to the table to open the paper bag that sat on it, pulling out a pastry and beginning to pick at it. "That would count as running a business from here, which you cannot do. If you take the job at WayneTech you can earn something, and find an apartment, and you can start your business there."
Edward grunted slightly, retrieving his own food from the paper bag and ripping a bite out of it, unable to find anything wrong with Batman's logic, but feeling rather violated none the less.
He huffed slightly and watched Batman eat his food, "They won't call," he informed cynically with a shake of his head.
"Why would you think that?" Batman asked, now alternating between eating his food and drinking his coffee.
"They never call, Batman, I've been trying for months, they never call."
"They might call this time."
"If fucking Subway won't employ me then I can assure you that WayneTech will not," Edward snapped, his face going red in a mix of humiliation and anger.
Batman shrugged, trying not to let his smugness show on his face, trying still not to smirk as the pone on the wall started to ring.
Edward jolted at the noise as if it were one he'd never heard before, and he turned his head towards it, focusing with a frown on the ringing phone, "That's…"
"For you," Batman almost gloated, smiling internally at the perfect timing of the call.
The man, still frowning, his breath stalling through sheer disbelief, walked to the phone to answer it.
This call couldn't be for him, it was a wrong number it had to be, no one had even tried to contact him, not for any job, let alone one in a firm as prestigious as Waynetech.
It had been weeks since he'd even been informed of a rejection.
He shook his head at the voice that called lightly down the phone, "Hello? Is mister Nigma there, this is Alisa from Waynetech Technicians department calling about his application."
His throat when dry, he pushed out a cough and forced words to leave him. "Yes, hello. This is Edward Nigma."
"Ah, sir," she said, her voice smiling, "We'd like to inform you that your application has been successful, congratulations. Mr Wayne has informed us that you need not attend an interview. You have the job. A supervisor, uh... Thomas Creek will be in contact with you at some point later today with your start date."
Edward felt feint, he wasn't sure if he was going to throw up or cry. He was just… in shock. He almost dropped the phone when he heard her voice again, and even then had trouble speaking.
"Mr Nigma?" she asked, thinking he may have hung up.
"Y-Yes," he stuttered, "Ok, thank you, thank you Alisa."
"Have a nice day Mr Nigma," she concluded, hanging up the phone a moment after.
"Yeah, I-I will," Edward stumbled, also hanging up the phone.
He stood, unsure of what to do, he turned to look quizzically at Batman, "What… What did you do? Do you.. know Mr. Wayne, or something?"
His mind wasn't working, he felt stuck I his own body, wanting to move but unable.
"I know people, I pulled some strings," Batman gloated, walking to Edward's side, frowning slightly as he noticed that he had turned pale, "…Edward, are you ok."
Edward stuttered a little, "I-I tried for months. You try for one day and… I can't believe it. How did you do this?"
"I have my ways," Batman answered, smirking and extending a hand to pat Edward on the arm, hoping to pull him out of whatever trance he seemed to have fallen into.
He suddenly found Edward arms wrapped around him in an awkwardly tight hug, the man's head pressed against his neck. "Thank you," Edward said quietly into his neck, as if trying to hide the words.
"It's no problem," Batman said in reply, standing stiff, "I can't have you turning back to crime because you have no other option. I had to do something."
Edward pulled away, blinking away tears as the shock wore off, and excitement started to grow in him, "I don't know what you did, but thank you… this… is unlike anything anyone has ever done for me before, this is amazing."
"You know I can never repay you for this, there is no way," Edward smiled, shaking his head. He chuckled gently, "I can't believe you. I didn't ask you to do this."
Batman nodded, watching as Edward paced slightly, running his hand through his hair and repeatedly wiping tears from his eyes, "I know. You don't have to pay me back, you don't need to do anything. Just, go to work, Edward."
"I have a job," Edward said in bemusement, "I can't believe it." He paced in front of batman, running his hands through his hair.
"Calm down Edward," Batman pled, "Stop pacing."
Batman tensed as Edward moved towards him, expecting another hug, he jolted slightly as Edward's arms wrapped around him, hands clasping at his clothing, and the man's lips pressed against his own.
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