storypaint (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
storypaint) wrote2009-01-07 09:09 pm
storypaint) wrote2009-01-07 09:09 pm
The Riddler and the Professor (Riddler/Layton)
Title: The Riddler and the Professor
Length: 532 words
Prompt: Professor Layton (Anon) Fan Meme: Riddler/Layton
Pairing: Riddler/Layton
Other: n/a
Excerpt: He was standing in front of a painting in the Batman Museum and trying to figure out what the Riddler had clutched in his hand, some sort of paper, when Edward had bumped into him.
He was very smooth, Layton thought. Sometimes he wondered... sometimes he wondered...
Edward kept late nights sometimes.
But he never came home with perfume on his suit, and he never expressed any interest in women, except in public where it was proper. Two men living alone together made people talk. Sometimes they had to date.
People talked, even when they dated women, but Edward had a lot of money, and a lot of interest in shutting them up. Layton tried not to think about that either.
They'd met because of their interest in puzzles, and because Layton had always wanted to visit Gotham, at least once. Batman was the most intellectual superhero he had read about growing up, and he'd always secretly harbored a crush on his smooth-talking, green-suited foil. Layton wasn't cut out to be a villain, but if he had been, he would be someone like the Riddler-- sharp as a tack, more dangerous than any of the less subtle villains. The best villainry was committed under the eyes of the law, utterly missed, untraceable.
When an archaeology conference took place in nearby New Jersey, Layton took a day to cross the river and visit the museum. They were on their third or fourth Batman at that point, and the tales of the Riddler were over. Whomever he had been, he was long dead. But Layton knew all of the stories
He was standing in front of a painting in the Batman Museum and trying to figure out what the Riddler had clutched in his hand, some sort of paper, when Edward had bumped into him. Later, over dinner, Edward had confessed that his clumsiness was intentional. Something about Hershel had drawn him to him. He seemed to be lost in another time.
"So are you," Layton had pointed out, fingering the brim of his hat self-consciously, and Edward Norton had grinned.
"I like the twenties," he had said. "A suit never goes out of style."
A green suit, however, had probably never been in style. But Edward liked the hat, and he liked Layton, and he liked puzzles. After a couple of years of long-distance dating, Layton had transferred to Gotham University, and they'd moved in together. Their close friends said it was a match made in heaven; they were the only two who could possibly stump each other with a riddle or a puzzle.
But Edward kept late nights, and Layton had been seeing some interesting things on the news lately. This new Batman wasn't doing as well. He wasn't quite as smart as the first one had been, and recent criminals had been leaving little... clues. They didn't give enough information for Layton to solve them himself-- and heck, he was just an archaeologist, he hardly ever consulted for the police anymore-- but sometimes at night Layton wondered.
Edward came home with smoke on his clothes and a cut across his cheek, and Layton wondered how much longer they could keep this up. Edward's arms were warm and he really cared for his top-hatted partner, but there were limits.
He wondered if he would ever dare to ask.
Length: 532 words
Prompt: Professor Layton (Anon) Fan Meme: Riddler/Layton
Pairing: Riddler/Layton
Other: n/a
Excerpt: He was standing in front of a painting in the Batman Museum and trying to figure out what the Riddler had clutched in his hand, some sort of paper, when Edward had bumped into him.
He was very smooth, Layton thought. Sometimes he wondered... sometimes he wondered...
Edward kept late nights sometimes.
But he never came home with perfume on his suit, and he never expressed any interest in women, except in public where it was proper. Two men living alone together made people talk. Sometimes they had to date.
People talked, even when they dated women, but Edward had a lot of money, and a lot of interest in shutting them up. Layton tried not to think about that either.
They'd met because of their interest in puzzles, and because Layton had always wanted to visit Gotham, at least once. Batman was the most intellectual superhero he had read about growing up, and he'd always secretly harbored a crush on his smooth-talking, green-suited foil. Layton wasn't cut out to be a villain, but if he had been, he would be someone like the Riddler-- sharp as a tack, more dangerous than any of the less subtle villains. The best villainry was committed under the eyes of the law, utterly missed, untraceable.
When an archaeology conference took place in nearby New Jersey, Layton took a day to cross the river and visit the museum. They were on their third or fourth Batman at that point, and the tales of the Riddler were over. Whomever he had been, he was long dead. But Layton knew all of the stories
He was standing in front of a painting in the Batman Museum and trying to figure out what the Riddler had clutched in his hand, some sort of paper, when Edward had bumped into him. Later, over dinner, Edward had confessed that his clumsiness was intentional. Something about Hershel had drawn him to him. He seemed to be lost in another time.
"So are you," Layton had pointed out, fingering the brim of his hat self-consciously, and Edward Norton had grinned.
"I like the twenties," he had said. "A suit never goes out of style."
A green suit, however, had probably never been in style. But Edward liked the hat, and he liked Layton, and he liked puzzles. After a couple of years of long-distance dating, Layton had transferred to Gotham University, and they'd moved in together. Their close friends said it was a match made in heaven; they were the only two who could possibly stump each other with a riddle or a puzzle.
But Edward kept late nights, and Layton had been seeing some interesting things on the news lately. This new Batman wasn't doing as well. He wasn't quite as smart as the first one had been, and recent criminals had been leaving little... clues. They didn't give enough information for Layton to solve them himself-- and heck, he was just an archaeologist, he hardly ever consulted for the police anymore-- but sometimes at night Layton wondered.
Edward came home with smoke on his clothes and a cut across his cheek, and Layton wondered how much longer they could keep this up. Edward's arms were warm and he really cared for his top-hatted partner, but there were limits.
He wondered if he would ever dare to ask.