riddlefool

[riddlefool]

@hquinade​ :     “  don’t go. please.  ”      /     misc  sentence  starters!

          his  mind  still  contorting  from  the  shock ,    eddie  wills  himself  to  look  at  her .    in  one  grotesque  moment ,    the  whole  of  arkham  had  trembled ,   the  blast  outside  sending  linoleum  spindling  toward  them  in  some  balletic  display .    this  was  no  doubt  the  work  of  the  clown  prince’s  loyal  subjects -   hired  thugs  in  theatrical  makeup ,   coming  to  their  leaders  rescue .

        escape  unspools  in  his  head ---   how  easy  it  would  be  to  slip  out  amongst  the  condrum ,    &   re - unite  with  that  city  he  finds  so  captivating !    but  there’s  harley ,    trapped  still ,    pleading  with  him .   he  smooths  back  his  ginger  locks -   fiery  &  altogether  untamed -    &  sighs .

       ‘  riddle  me  this ,   oh  gotham’s  treasured  cupid .    what  is  always  in  front  of  you ,   yet  cannot  be  seen ?  ‘     he  asks ,   faintly  aware  of  blood  trickling  down  his  forehead .    ‘  answer :  the  future . ‘

         he  pauses ,   managing  a  toothy  smile .    ‘  for  all  of  my  intellect   &   charm ,   i  find  myself  not  quite  ready  to  face  it .    i’ll  stay .  ‘

[riddlefool]

jonathan   &   jervis :   [ literally do anything ] edward ,   wiping  a  tear  from  his  eye :    i  love  this  family

[riddlefool]

           ‘   the  identity  of  the  great  detective ?   ‘     he  asks ,   voice  easy  &  smile  coy .    ‘   why ,   how  remarkably  easy !  ‘

          edward  throws  his  cane  up ,    letting  it  land  against  the  tip  of  his  forefinger .    he  plucks  his  hat  off ,    &   tosses  it  to  balance  on  top .    a  trick  he  learned  in  his  brief  days  at  the  carnival----   a  feat  of  wonder   &  control .

         ‘   how  many  years  have  we  known  him ?   five ?  ten ?    how  many  months  has  this  idle  war  waltzed  along  the  alleyways  of  our  fair  city ?  ‘    he  asks ,   green  eyes  focused  on  his  act ,    lilting  this  way  &  that  to  keep  balanced .

         ‘   we’ve  watched  him  for  as  long  as  our  courageous  dark  knight  has  watched  us .    i’m  sure  you  know  that  old  saying  about  the  abyss .   in  one  moment  he  sheds  enough  tears  to  overtake  the  sea ,   &   in  the  next ,   he  is  the  angered  waves  battering  against  the  shore .  ‘

         with  a  careful  movement ,   he  lets  his  cane  slip  back  into  his  gloved  hand ,   twirling  his  hat  back  to  his  head .    that  knowing  smile  never  leaves  his  lips .   glory  to  performance .   glory  to  the  players .

       ‘  i’ve  seen  him  laugh ,  even .    heard  his  voice  grow  soft ,  ‘   he  continues ,   something  strange  in  his  eyes .   ‘  my  name  was  changed  long  ago ,   you  know .   yet  am  i  not  the  same  man ?   names  have  never  been  an  identity -   merely  a  short  hand . ‘

           ‘  of  course  i  know  who  he  is .   why ,   he’s  the  batman !  ‘   he  declares ,   a  laugh  reminiscent  of  an  old  vaudeville  host  tickling  the  air  around  him .   ‘   &  i  gurantee  you ,   whatever  other  name  he  might  cherish ,   whatever  quiet  morning  spent  sipping  tea  or  coffee  or  whiskey ,    surrounded  by  his  gadgets ---   that’s  not  him . ‘

            he  pauses .

‘  at  least ,   not  in  any  way  that  matters  to  us .   we’re  his  family ,   after  all .  ‘

[riddlefool]

been thinking about: Paul Dano doing Milennial Icon Riddler ,,

[riddlefool]

@spellaholic​​​  :    “ you can’t dictate what’s best for someone else. ”   /    misc  sentence  starters 

           ‘  it  was  not  long  ago  that  i  played  the  role  of  a  strategist ,   ‘      he  says ,   voice  cool   &   easy .      ‘  i’m  sure  you  can  imagine  how  that  feels .   to  hold  the  livelihoods  of  thousands  of  people  in  your  palms .   to  cradle  a  city  alone .  ‘

             edward  steps  closer  to  her .    despite  his  newfound  life  as  a  private  investigator ,    resisting  the  urge  for  a  good  monologue  has  never  come  easily .    he  smiles ,   &   shifts  his  weight  onto  his  cane .    no  one  approaches  the  riddler  for  answers .    they  come  for  the  questions .

            ‘  how  is  my  decision  making  any  different  than  yours ,   madam ? ‘    he  pries ,    a  strange  look  encapsulated  in  his  gaze .      ‘  how  do  you  know  what’s  best  for  the  civilians  you  deem  need  protecting ?  ‘

[riddlefool]

[riddlefool]

misc sentence starters

“  i wish i knew how to talk about it.  ”   “  you don’t have to talk, we can just sit together.  ”   “  i don’t want to be alone anymore.  ”   “  i wish i could hate you.  ”  “  take a seat, we’re gonna be here a while.  ” “  i need you to trust me.  ”   “  i missed/miss you.  ”   “  she/he won’t listen to me.  ” “  let me do this for you. please.  ”   “  is there anything else you want to say to me?  ” “  tell me something happy.  ”   “  promise me.  ” “  i just want/wanted to help.  ”   “  let me explain.  ” “  i didn’t/don’t need you to understand, i just wanted/want you to support me.  ”   “  i’m on your side.  ” “  i’ve got your back, okay? ” “  please, tell me you have a plan.  ” “  stay with me tonight.  ” “  don’t go. please.  ”   “  i’ve been alone for so long i’m afraid i don’t know what it’s like not to be.  ”   “  talk to me.  ”   “  i did what i had to do.  ” “  we can’t keep going on like this.  ” “  i’m just tired.  ” “  i’m scared.  ” “  it’s okay to be afraid. fear can be good. use it.  ” “  it’s better to expect disappointment.  ” “  hope is dangerous.  ” “  i like seeing you smile.  ”   “  you look beautiful.  ”   “  be patient with her/him. they’re trying. ”   “  i’m trying my best and it’s not good enough. it’s never good enough. ” “  i’m starting to think i’m just fucked up.  ”   “  have a drink with me.  ” “  she/he is better off without me. but i guess that’s their choice.  ” “  you can’t dictate what’s best for someone else. ” “  can i help you?  ” “  i thought you���d like this.  ” “  do you wanna get out of here?  ” “  walk with me?  ” “  well, shit.  ”

[riddlefool]

          “  pat - a - cake ,  pat - a - cake ,  baker’s  man ,  bake  me  a  cake  as  fast  as  you  can .   roll  it ,  pat  it ,   &    mark  it  with  a  “ b “ ,   put  it  in  the  oven  for  batman  &  —  “

    “  𝖜 𝖔 𝓤 𝖑 𝖉   𝖞 𝓞 𝖚   𝖑 𝖎 𝖐 𝓔   𝓢 𝖔 𝖒 𝖊   𝖒 𝖔 𝕽 𝖊   𝖙 𝖊 𝓐 ?  “

batman :   the  long  halloween ,   written  by  jeph  loeb ,   art  by  tim  sale .

[riddlefool]

some  further  ocd  things

when eddie’s at his worst in terms of mental health, his rituals make it so he can’t function by himself. his worst are counting rituals- from the moment he wakes up, he’ll constantly be counting every angle & point of every object he comes across. he’s unable to do basic things like prepare food or get dressed, because his mind is so pre-occupied keeping track of all the numbers.

there are certain numbers eddie can’t handle- he hates the numbers 4 & 8 specifically. whenever he builds things, he takes extra care to make sure he’ll never have to measure & cut to those numbers. if he does an action four times, he’ll do it again, just to make sure it gets to five.

he has frequent intrusive thoughts that make him feel like an irredeemable monster. he thinks about all the ways he could hurt people, or kill them, even those he loves, nearly constantly. the harder he tries to fight them, the more intense they become, until he can’t even make eye contact with those people, because he’s afraid he’ll harm them.

the more time he spends in arkham, the better these symptoms get. he has regular medications that help him with anxiety, which in turn help him to not do his rituals as frequently, & help him to let go of intrusive thoughts. the only reason he’s able to reform is due to keeping on his medication, & attending talk therapy to better cope with life.

[riddlefool]

BOLD WHAT APPLIES TO YOUR MUSE

𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒

moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny | controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | lies | impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power-hungry | greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive | spiteful | stubborn | sadistic | petty | unlucky | absent-minded | abusive | addict | aggressive | childish | callous | clingy | delusional | cocky | competitive | corrupt | cynical | cruel | depressed | deranged | egotistical | envious | insecure | insensitive | lustful | delinquent | guilt complex | reclusive | reckless | nervous | oversensitive

𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇𝐒

honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave | patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky | intelligent | confident | focused | humble | generous | merciful | observant | wise | clever | charming | cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm | protective | proud | diligent | considerate | compassionate | good sportsmanship | friendly | empathetic | passionate | reliable | resourceful | sensible | sincere | witty | funny

𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒 & 𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐁𝐈𝐄𝐒

art | acting | astronomy | animals | archery | sports | beach combing | ballet | bird watching | blacksmithing | boating | calligraphy | camping | candle making | casino gambling | ceramics | racing | chess | music | cooking | crochet | weaving | exercise | swordplay | fishing | gardening | ghost hunting | ice skating | magic | engineering | building | inventing | leather-working | martial arts | meditation | origami | parkour | people watching | swimming | puppetry | pyrotechnics | quilting | reading | collecting | shopping | socializing | storytelling | writing | traveling

tagged by:  @spellaholic  tysm ! tagging:   @kitefell  ,   @misterfries​  ,   @adentincrime​  ,  @jcinthedance​ ,    &    whoever  else  wants  to !

[riddlefool]

adentincrime‌:

     After taking a mere TWO steps in to the isolation ward, the former district attorney has already ascertained the most likely reason for why Arkham’s doctors had deemed it medically necessary to keep Edward Nygma sequestered from the rest of the asylum’s residents: so as to spare them the pain of having to endure his incessant prattling. As he stared at the other man through his glass cell, the orderly that led him here — a woman who’d been assigned the unenviable task of bringing the Riddler his meals — tried to put some distance between herself and Two-Face, only to freeze and choke back a terrified sob as she felt the barrel of his gun press against her spine.

“Please,” she finally managed to say, not daring to turn around, “I did everything you wanted, so please, just let me go; I won’t say anything, I swear — ”

“Yes, you have been very cooperative,” Two-Face agreed, his voice even, retrieving the coin from his breast pocket. “But what happens next isn’t up to me.”

    Knowing what that meant, the woman squeezed her eyes shut and cried as she heard the telltale ping! of Two-Face’s coin being launched into the air. The SECONDS it took for him to discern the coin’s judgment must have felt like an eternity, but its delivery was swift and unceremonious: “Congratulations, you live to fight another day.”

    Before the woman had a chance to react, Two-Face hit her over the head with his gun and quickly caught her now unconscious body. He cradled her head as he carefully propped her up against the wall of Nygma’s cell, smearing the glass with a bit of blood from where she had been struck. After relieving the orderly of her ID badge and access card, Two-Face then turned his complete attention to the Riddler.

“Treatment? What treatment? You mean letting a man dressed up as a giant bat beat them senseless, only to then lock them up in a building that’s as old and outdated as its ‘methods’ for rehabilitation? It seems pretty obvious to me that the justice system and the health care system have BOTH failed Gotham’s most vulnerable.” It was uncanny, the way his demeanor suddenly shifted as if he were presenting to a crowd of potential constituents.

“Then again,” Two-Face interjected, turning his head to ‘look’ at the other man with his exposed eye, “studies have shown lobotomies to be rather effective in dealing with particularly difficult offenders…“ The former district attorney idly thumbed his coin. “But WE did not come here to discuss the political stances of a dead man with you.”

“That’s right,” Harvey agreed, his posture straightening. “Mr. Nygma. WE have several eyewitnesses who say they saw you with a member of the Maroni crime family shortly before Batman ‘detained’ you. Their testimonies were very… convincing. If you tell US about that alleged meeting, then perhaps WE could arrange for your sentence to be shortened.”

    Two-Face waved the access card like it was a carrot on a stick. “Or would you rather WE subpoena you instead?”

             his  eyes   fixate  on  the  blood ,   viscous  &   decidedly  crimson ,   gleaming  in  the  hospital’s  fluorescent  lights .    he  takes  slow ,  deliberate  breaths ,   knowing  how  utterly  isolated  this  wing  is ---    no  one  would  pass through  this  hallway  for  another  hour .   eddie  manages  to  turn  his  focus  to  two - face ,   trying  his  best  to  look  unaffected .   

            the  thing  about  a  coin  flip  is  the  illusion  of  a  pattern .   even  if  it  lands  ‘ heads ‘  twenty  times  in  a  row ,   the  risk  of  the  next  flip  being  ‘ tails ‘   is  still  only  50 / 50 .   there’s  no  calculated  move  here .   no  grand  puzzle  for  eddie  to  pour  his  intellect  into .   only  a   man ,   half - dead ,   &  a  game  of  chance .

            ‘   riddle  me  this :   deftly  glinting  in  the  sun ,   i  make  two  people  out  of  one .   what  am  i ?  ‘    his  voice  does  not  waver ,  because  he  will  not  allow  it  to .   he  takes  another  controlled  breath .   ‘  answer :   a  reflection .  ‘   

            eddie  sighs ,   &   shifts  uncomfortably  in  his  straitjacket .  

           ‘  maroni  wanted  my  consulting  advice ,  ‘  he  says .   his  eyes  momentarily  dart  back  to  the  blood ---    eddie  tries  his  best  to  ignore  the  image  of  his  own  brain  smashed  against  that  glass .  ‘  not  unlike  falcone  had ,   that   long  time  ago .   remember  those  days ,   mr .  dent ?    when  gotham  was  first  learning  the  steps  of  her  tottering  dance  with  the  caped  crusader ?  ‘    he  allows  himself  to  trail  off .

            if  he  concentrates  on  the  un - marred  side  of  two - face ,   he  can  almost  see  how  he  earned  the  title  apollo .   what  a  twist  of  irony  that  he  also  bears  the  face  of  icarus -    scorched  flesh  his  sole  reward  for  daring  to  try .   of  course ,   none  of  this  matters .   or  perhaps  it  matters  a  great  deal .   eddie  can  feel  his  mind  slipping  the  longer  he  stays  in  this  asylum .

            ‘  something  about  a  shipment , ‘   he  answers  at  last ,   lulling  himself  out  of  his  introspection .     ‘  he  wanted  me  to  locate  his  markedly  misplaced  merchandise ,   yet  declined  to  provide  me  any  further  information .   i  analyzed  a  few  invoices ---   though  with  insufficient  particulars  of  what  i  was  looking  for ,   i  was  unable  to  return  any  new  information .  ‘

[riddlefool]

these  images  have  the  exact  same  energy

[riddlefool]

WHATEVER    WE’RE    TRYING, WE’RE    GOING    TO    WATCH    IT    FALL, WE’RE    GOING    TO    HEAR    THEM    LAUGH. RIGHT    AT    THE    TOP    OF    THE    HILL. ALL    OF    US.    WE’RE    ALL    JOKES.

                                            kite    man    of    dc    comics.    felled    &&    uplifted    by    west.

[riddlefool]

therapy / talking about trauma / post - trauma starters. feel free to change things as necessary. 

would you like to talk about it?

please tell me what’s bothering you.

hey, are you okay?

i don’t have to know everything. just what you’re comfortable telling me.

i’m your friend. of course i care.

there’s nothing bad about going to therapy.

would you like to try a different approach?

i – i didn’t know that. i’m sorry.

is this helping?

i’ll try not to ask a lot of questions.

i’m always here if you need me.

shh, it’s alright. shh. 

we’re safe now. you’re safe now.

it was just a nightmare.

sweetheart, you have to tell me these things.

you know i’d never judge you for that, right?

i’m worried about you.

is something going on? 

everything you say will just be between you and me.

what method do you prefer?

do you need help falling asleep?

anything i could do to help?

why are you like this?

i understand. 

sweetie, is there something you aren’t telling me? what’s wrong?

let’s get you cleaned up.

this is good. this is important. 

you’re healing, and healing takes time. 

we can do more tomorrow.

how about you get some sleep, hm?

bedtime.

it’s ok not to be ok.

tomorrow is another day.

hey, hey, hey. look at me, look at me. it’s okay.

breath in for seven seconds, exhale for eleven …

do you need some space?

remember, look for things that you can touch. ground yourself.

[riddlefool]

“ YOU’RE  ADORABLE !  “

[riddlefool]

dating   service

Date with edward. Date Fee: $4.39 Customer Comments: "I think… I've fallen in love♡ (Person in 20s)"

Date with riddler. Date Fee: 25¢ Customer Comments: "I didnt expect them to wear that outfit... (Person in 20s)"

[riddlefool]

fightwing‌:

                      it’s days like this dick really starts to miss bludhaven. gotham really does have it’s own breed of criminals, and considering dick literally grew up in it— he knows not to underestimate it. that for as much thought as they put into their gimmick— their aesthetic, shtick, maybe even their distinct air of nonchalance—- double that goes in to the   CRIME   itself. it’s why batgirl and robin were assigned scarecrow and hatter with the strict instructions to separate, and not play any of their games.          not that they needed that reminder.             that’s what   scars   are for, after all.                     so instead of going home to his stale box of frosted flakes and dirty pile of laundry like a responsible adult might, he joined patrol. and after the recent news of the arkham escape, not a day too late it seemed.              “ more of a   coffee   guy myself. ”           he shrugs, the picture of nonchalance. the riddler’s game is complex. well thought out and easy to misstep if you don’t watch your footing. it’s why dick doesn’t attack first. why he stays just far away enough that he still knows his jump points    (high beam, boxes on the east end, controlled fall via support blocks and the distressing ambiance of some fucked up ghost of gameshows past)           and doesn’t just pull out the handcuffs while he’s got the distance.  for as much ‘fun’ as the man promised in his games, dick decidedly, was not in the mood for riddles.            “ besides, you’ve actually got reservations at this great place i know downtown.      i’ll drive. ”

          edward  laughs ,   full ,  hearty .

       ‘  well  me  oh  my !   could  it  be  bludhaven’s  very  own  acrobatic  avian  has  sprouted  a  sense  of  humor ?  ‘   he  asks ,   every  syllable  cool ,  relaxed .   he  stands ,  no  sense  of  urgency  or  terror  spindled  into  his  movements ,  &   circles  the  giant  puzzle  prop  behind  him .

         ‘  based  on  your  movements -    i ‘d  wager  you’re  around ,  what ,    twenty  something ?  ‘   the  riddler  starts ,   idly  tossing  his  cane  from  hand  to  hand .   something  about  him  evokes  the  image  of  a  withered  up  tv  personality .  someone  meant  to  be  on  camera ,   but  never  right  in  front  of  you .   ‘  in  any  case ,  much  too  young  to  remember  this  show , ‘  he  says ,  gesturing  to  the  board .    ‘  do  you  want  to  know  how  it  was  played ?  ‘

         ‘  after  all ---   by  your  own  admittance ,   you’re  here  to  bring  me  back  to  my  cage . '  he  pauses ,  proud  smile  never  once  faltering .  '  from  a  bird ,   shouldn’t  that  elicit  sympathy ?   just  one  game ,  that’s  all  i  ask .  ‘